Expense Analyst

Working hours: This role is available on a part-time, job-share or full-time basis

Location: Flexible – The Expenses team is based in Swindon and office presence will be required 1-2 days a week, in addition to adhoc office presence in our other locations (Whiteley/London)

The opportunity: 

The role is a great opportunity to join the PPM team as an Expense Analyst, supporting the business functions to deliver their strategy and expense targets.

To be successful in the role, you’ll be energetic and inquisitive, with a drive to develop and build on your existing skill set.  You’ll be confident in collaborating with multiple teams, resilient and able to adapt to changing priorities.  You’ll demonstrate clear ownership of tasks and an ability to effectively prioritise deliverables.

You’ll be working as part a team responsible for the accounting, reporting, forecasting and planning of the UK direct expense base, across both its P&C and Life businesses.  As a PPM team, we pride ourselves on providing real value add and delivering for our customers, being dynamic and agile with a thirst for learning.  You’ll be part of a diverse and dynamic team, operating in a place where you can develop and grow.

Many of our employees work flexibly in a variety of different ways, including part-time, flexible hours, job share, an element of working from home or compressed hours. This is because we want the best people for our roles, and we recognise that sometimes those people aren’t available full-time. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you may need.

What will you be doing? 

• Supporting the delivery of high quality expense partnering to enable the management of financial targets by working closely with the business to understand their expense needs and provide guidance on expense management best practices.
• Provide regular insight into business performance through variance analysis and interrogation of financial data.
• Support the delivery of monthly reporting to the business functions and key stakeholders, alongside ad hoc insight and analysis requests.
• Responsible for on time and accurate delivery of assigned regular tasks.
• Conduct detailed analysis of expense reports and financial statements to identify trends, variances, and opportunities to embed a cost-conscious culture across the function and actively manage spend.
• Support the preparation of annual budgets and forecasts, ensuring expenses are accurately projected and managed against budgeted amounts, company policies and external regulations.
• Work with the Expense Management Business Partner in consistently identifying opportunities to simplify and streamline processes and tasks, working with stakeholders to fully understand current process challenges and complexities.
• Work with the function to agree the cost allocation drivers for each cost centre within their remit, including allocations to channel/ product, admin, acquisition and claims handling, and fixed/ variable.

What are we looking for?

• Good customer focus – a keenness to understand other people’s challenges and help identify solutions.
• Willingness to challenge and get to the root cause.
• Excellent communication skills and a track record of building and managing relationships.
• Intermediate Microsoft Office user, experienced with Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP) and PowerPoint
• Experience of using data analysis tools such as Power BI / Power Query and/or a willingness to develop skills in this area
• Experience of SAP and IBM Planning Analytics, desirable but not essential.
• Good team player with strong communication skills
• Demonstrates curiosity
• Ability to provide accurate information within tight timescales
• Good level of analytical and problem-solving skills
• Commitment to deliver a high-quality service
• Willingness to learn and take ownership
• Proactive approach
• Good level of numeric ability to understand, evaluate and interpret data
• Experience in an accounting role within a Financial Services organisation would be desirable but not essential

What happens next?

As an inclusive employer we want to ensure that all candidates feel comfortable and are able to perform at their best during the interview. You’ll have the opportunity to let us know of any reasonable adjustment or practical support needed when you apply.

Who we are:

At Zurich we aspire to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world and the best global insurer. Together we’re creating a brighter future for our customers, our people and our planet.

With over 55,000 employees in more than 170 countries, you’ll feel the support of being part of a strong and stable company who are a long-standing player in the insurance industry.

We’ve made a promise to each other and every employee; to focus on sustainable impact, to care about each other’s wellbeing, to use our diverse expertise to be curious and optimistic and to develop the skills needed for our future.

If you're interested in working in a dynamic and challenging environment for a company that recognises and rewards your creativity, initiatives and contributions - then Zurich could be just the place for you. Be part of something great.

Our Culture:

At Zurich, our sense of community is strong and we’re particularly passionate about diversity and inclusion, which we’ve won numerous awards for. We want our people to bring the whole of themselves to work and ensure everybody is made to feel welcome, regardless of their background, beliefs or culture. We want our employees to reflect the diversity of our customers, and so are committed to treating all of our applicants fairly and with respect, irrespective of their actual or assumed background, disability or any other protected characteristic.

We’ve an environment that places a real importance on our people’s wellbeing from a physical, mental, social and financial perspective. We work with our wellbeing partners and industry experts to provide the best advice and access to a wealth of lifestyle support. We’re also committed to continuous improvement and we offer access to a comprehensive range of training and development opportunities.

We’re passionate about supporting employees to help others by getting involved in volunteering, charitable and community activity. Our charitable arm, Zurich Community Trust, is one of the longest-established corporate trusts in the UK. In that time, we’ve awarded grants and volunteered time to deserving causes in the UK valued at over £90 million. #li_hybrid

So make a difference. Be challenged. Be inspired. Be supported, Love what you do. Work for us.