EMEA Head of Insurance Investment Accounting-Specialist role (EMEA Expansion)

About Northern Trust

As a global leader in innovative wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking services, Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) is proud to guide the world’s most successful individuals, families, corporations and institutions.

Since 1889, we have aligned our efforts with our three guiding Principles That Endure: Service, Expertise, and Integrity. Together, they reflect the three cornerstones of business conduct which we strive to instill in our employees, whom we call partners, and to provide to our clients and the communities we serve worldwide.

With more than 135 years of financial experience and over 24,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in building and expanding our insurance investment accounting product for the UK market.

We are looking for insurance accounting experts with deep domain knowledge and the drive to help shape and continuously improve a modern, scalable solution aligned to the needs of UK insurers. 

Key Responsibilities of the role include:

• Product Localisation & Development 
• Lead the adaptation and enhancement of our insurance investment accounting product for the UK market, ensuring compliance with UK GAAP, IFRS (including IFRS 17), Solvency II, and SORP requirements. 
• Work with Product Management to design and implement the UK-specific reporting solution and operational model, drawing on best practices from our US platform. 
• Maintain documentation for UK policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. 
• Sales Collaboration & Client Engagement 
• Partner with Sales to support the acquisition and onboarding of our launch beta client in the UK insurance sector. 
• Participate in client meetings and presentations, articulating the value proposition and technical capabilities of our UK-adapted solution. 
• Gather client feedback and requirements to inform product enhancements and ensure market fit. 
• Operational Model & Reporting 
• Build and refine the operational model for UK insurance investment accounting, ensuring robust processes for investment activity, reconciliations, and month-end close. 
• Oversee the integration of UK-specific investment accounting systems and interfaces, ensuring accurate and efficient data capture. 
• Support the production of UK-compliant client reporting, including P&L, trial balances, and regulatory disclosures. 
• Lead consultative client engagement to own the client onboarding experience  
• Cross-Functional Leadership 
• Collaborate with Operational, Client Servicing, and Product Management teams to ensure seamless delivery and support of the UK product. 
• Champion continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across teams, leveraging insights from both US and UK markets. 

The ideal candidate should have a fair amount of the following skills & experience: 

• Deep understanding of UK GAAP, IFRS, Solvency II, and SORP for insurance investment accounting. 
• Direct experience in the preparation and review of required Annual and Quarterly Statement Investment Schedules, including those required for Solvency II and SORP reporting. 
• General understanding of accounting and financial principles relating to investment and regulatory reporting on a tax basis, including UK corporation tax and insurance-specific tax considerations. 
• Must have working knowledge of fixed income and equity securities’ processing on investment accounting systems commonly used in the UK market (e.g., SAP FAM), including booking activity for accruals, income payments, corporate actions, and other maintenance transactions. 
• General understanding of derivatives and other special asset classes as they relate to UK insurance portfolios. 
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and project leadership skills. 
• Degree in finance or accounting preferred. 
• Proven experience in insurance investment accounting operations experience, ideally with exposure to UK and wider European markets. 
• ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualification highly desirable; experience with UK regulatory reporting and SORP requirements preferred. 
• Proven track record in product development, client engagement, and cross-functional collaboration. 

Work Authorization

Applicants must have the right to work in the United Kingdom at the time of application and for the duration of employment.

Please note that Northern Trust is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. This includes Skilled Worker visas, Global Business Mobility routes, Graduate visas, Youth Mobility Scheme, High Potential Individual visas, Scale-up Worker visas, Temporary Worker visas, and other employer-sponsored visa categories.

Working with Us

As a Northern Trust partner, you will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture, which has a strong history of financial strength and stability. Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to an inclusive workplace and assisting the communities we serve.

Philanthropy is deeply rooted in Northern Trust’s history and is an essential element of our culture. Employees around the world give their time and talent to work for the greater good of their communities.

Reasonable Accommodation

Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing adjustments to individuals with health conditions and disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at [email protected], or alternatively you can discuss your individual requirements with the recruiter you are working with.