External Reporting Manager

ABOUT ZEGO 🚀 At Zego, we're on a mission to do the good thing, not the insurance thing. Insurance hasn't changed much in over a century. The way we live, work and travel has. We're building the real-time, AI-driven infrastructure that powers innovative insurance, so good drivers get cover that works the way they actually drive. We're not just updating insurance; We're leading the AI evolution in insurance 🤖 For us, AI isn't a line on a roadmap or a buzzword on a slide. It's our operating reality, and it's how we build products that back drivers instead of the old insurance playbook. We don't do things slowly, and we don't do bureaucracy. We back high-performance builders who want ownership, early responsibility and the chance to do the most career-defining work of their lives. You'll get the space to try things, the tools to move fast, and the room to see your ideas reach millions of drivers. Do not take our word for it. Read what Zegons say about us on Glassdoor https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Overview/Working-at-Zego-Insurance-EI_IE1851459.11,25.htm. If you're ready to build the future of insurance, we're hiring. PURPOSE OF THE ROLE The External Reporting Manager is accountable for the delivery of statutory accounts, the SFCR narrative, the external audit cycle, the tax compliance pack and FCA / GFSC regulatory returns across the Group and MGA. You'll work directly with the Finance Director, the actuarial function, the Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, external auditors (Deloitte) and external tax advisors - and you'll have real visibility with the CFO, the Audit Committee and the Board. This is a hands-on role for someone who wants to own a meaty external reporting remit end-to-end, in a regulated environment, with the breadth of an insurance group and the pace of a tech company. WHY THIS ROLE AND WHY NOW? You'll be the single accountable lead for the full external reporting cycle of the Group and MGA, working directly with the Finance Director and CFO, with regular Audit Committee exposure. You'll be supported by, and expected to lead, a Finance function that's genuinely AI-native. If you want to build the technical depth of a Big 4 senior manager, with the breadth and pace of a scale-up, this is the seat. WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING Statutory accounts (FRS 102) & External audit management - Prepare and deliver annual statutory financial statements for the MGA and Group holding entities under FRS 102. - Draft technical accounting papers on judgemental areas (intangibles, going concern, intra-group transactions, R&D and other tax items) and own the disclosure checklist. - Maintain the group accounting manual and ensure consistent policy application across UK, Gibraltar and Portuguese entities. - Act as the primary day-to-day contact for Deloitte across the MGA and Group. Run the audit timetable, deliverables tracker and Prepared By Client list. - Manage substantive audit queries, draft responses on technical positions, and prepare the Audit Committee paper pack. - Close out management letter points within agreed timescales. SFCR (Solvency II Pillar 3 narrative reporting) - Own the production and consolidation of the annual SFCR narrative across Sections A to E, working closely with the actuarial team (who own the QRTs and technical provisions), risk and capital management, and the Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs. - Co-ordinate the cross-functional sign-off process and the external regulatory audit of the SFCR. Tax & FCA / GFSC regulatory reporting - Coordinate the corporation tax compliance cycle with external advisors (current and deferred tax computations, group relief, transfer pricing documentation). - Manage VAT (including any partial exemption and reclaim positions), PAYE/PSA, and the R&D tax credit cycle including any HMRC enquiry support. - Own the tax provisioning conversation in the year-end accounts and maintain the SAO sign-off file. - Prepare and submit FCA returns for the MGA and Group (RMAR / RegData), and group-level GFSC returns. Maintain the regulatory reporting calendar and the controls framework around submissions (data lineage, four-eyes review, evidence pack). Support ad hoc regulatory requests and thematic reviews. Controls, process and team - Operate and improve the financial reporting control framework (key controls catalogue, evidence packs, reconciliations). - Drive automation and the use of AI and reporting tools to compress close timelines and improve quality. - Mentor junior team members and act as a technical sounding board across the wider Finance team. WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL - ACA / ACCA qualified, ideally Big 4 or Top 10 trained with a financial services portfolio - 2-4 years post-qualified experience in industry or audit - Insurance, MGA or broader financial services background - Hands-on experience preparing statutory accounts under FRS 102 - Working knowledge of the SFCR narrative structure and the regulatory reporting environment - Experience working through an external audit, ideally from both auditor and auditee sides - Working knowledge of UK corporation tax, VAT and R&D tax credits - Strong technical writing - auditor-ready papers and clean disclosure prose - Advanced Excel; comfortable with large data sets and reconciliations - Active and curious user of AI tools in day-to-day work Desirable - Exposure to a multi-entity group structure, including offshore (Gibraltar / Guernsey) or European subsidiaries - Familiarity with FCA RMAR / RegData and GFSC returns - Python, SQL or Snowflake skills - Experience working in a fast-growth, scale-up or fintech / insurtech environment THE ZEGO WAYS OF WORKING 🏡 Teams work better with time to collaborate and space to get things done. We call it Zego Hybrid: some of us are in our office (central London or Halifax) weekly, others monthly or quarterly. It's about finding the balance between face time and focus that produces great work and a healthy life around it. We also make a point of getting everyone in the same room. Teams come together every quarter, and once a year the whole company does, properly. It's a serious investment and consistently one of the best parts of the year. Here is what the last one looked like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKOYDx6AMxQ. BENEFITS 🎁 💰 Market-competitive salary, benchmarked against your function and reviewed every year. 🏆 Annual performance bonus, linked to company performance and your contribution. 📈 Share options, a real stake in the company and a share in the future you build 🩺 Private medical insurance. 🏖️ Pension, generous holiday, and £1,000 a year to spend on getting to the office or learning something new. 💻 Cutting-edge systems and tools, so you always have what you need to drive your impact. Ready to do the most impactful work of your career? We want to hear from you. Zego, leading the AI evolution in insurance. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES 🌈 We're an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status.