Assistant Financial Controller

Ricardo; Eastleigh; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Assistant Financial Controller to join their dynamic finance team. This role offers the chance to lead a small team while managing critical financial operations, ensuring compliance with reporting standards, and driving continuous improvement in accounting practices. The company fosters a culture of inclusion and values diverse perspectives, making it a great place for professionals looking to make a meaningful impact. With flexible working arrangements and a comprehensive benefits package, this position is ideal for a results-driven individual eager to contribute to a sustainable future.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

8 flexible bank holidays

Competitive pension scheme

Life assurance

Professional subscriptions reimbursement

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• 2+ years PQE in a financial role with strong technical accounting skills.
• Experience in year-end processes, audits, and tax compliance.

Responsibilities

• Manage and mentor a team of Financial Accountants for accurate reporting.
• Prepare monthly Management Accounts and assist in audits.

Skills

Technical Accounting Skills

Communication Skills

Continuous Improvement Mindset

Leadership Skills

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA Qualified

Tools

Accounting Software

Job description

Overview

Role: Assistant Financial Controller

Location: Harwell, Oxford - Hybrid

Salary: £50,000 to £60,000 (plus benefits)

Role ID: 2025-2814

Our vision is to create a safe and sustainable world.

Ricardo plc is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company. With over 100 years of engineering excellence and employing close to 3,000 employees in more than 20 countries, we provide exceptional levels of expertise in delivering leading-edge and innovative cross-sector sustainable products and solutions. Every day, we enable our customers to solve the most complex and dynamic challenges to help achieve a safe and sustainable world.

The Role

We're looking to strengthen our senior finance team with a Financial Control & Performance Manager. Reporting to the Financial Controller and managing a team of 2, this role is ideal for a technically strong, results-driven individual with a focus on continuous improvement. The role will drive ownership and accountability of Ricardo's performance, overseeing reporting requirements, period close, posting accuracy, and ensuring compliance with statutory and group reporting standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage, mentor, and lead a small team of Financial Accountants to ensure accurate financial information across multiple territories.
• Drive team development and create career progression opportunities.
• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of monthly Management Accounts in group systems on an IFRS basis, including variance analysis and narrative reporting.
• Prepare and submit annual statutory filings, including accounts across multiple territories, and assist with main company statutory accounts.
• Play an integral role in the audit process, providing financial and management information for internal and external audits and liaising with auditors.
• Lead intercompany accounting, simplifying processes while ensuring compliance with statutory requirements.
• Ensure proper recording, filing, and reporting of all transactions; drive continuous improvement in accounting practices, including regular Balance Sheet reconciliations.
• Support the Financial Controller in managing day-to-day accounting operations, including Sales Invoicing, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Cash & Bank, and Financial Accounting.
• Assist in managing cash flow, working capital, debt collection, budgeting, KPI tracking, and forecasting.
• Oversee the control, maintenance, and development of accounting systems.
• Drive understanding and ownership of cost drivers across the business.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, statutory law, and financial regulations, including tax and VAT requirements.
• Support the annual budgeting process alongside the FD, FC, and Head of FP&A.
• Document business processes and accounting policies to maintain controls, driving simplification and standardisation.

Key Competencies and Experience

• ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified with 2+ years PQE.
• Strong technical accounting skills, with experience in year-end processes, audit, and tax.
• Experience in a Group/Listed PLC environment preferred.
• Experience within consulting or professional services organisations is desirable.
• Experience in multi-currency environments is a plus.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels within the business.
• Continuous improvement mindset and a focus on process improvement.
• Experience with system and process improvements.

Working here

You will be warmly welcomed into our workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, coming together to create a culture of inclusion. We will support you to find your place.

We will encourage you to use your passion and expertise to make a positive impact through the projects you work on. Your knowledge and desire to bring about change will be invaluable in helping deliver innovative solutions that support communities across the globe in becoming safer and more sustainable.

Work life balance

We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that is working from home, being in the office, or as a hybrid worker. We're happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential.

Benefits

We want you to know how much you are valued. Your remuneration and benefits package will reflect that. You will receive a range of benefits which include support for your physical and mental health.

Our core benefits include 25 days' annual leave, plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance and professional subscriptions reimbursement. We also offer a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person's potential, and we'll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach as explained here. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can. As part of our commitment to engage positively and pro-actively with all our employees and to ensure an inclusive culture, we are a recognised as a 'disability confident' employer.

Next steps

Once you have submitted your application a member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch. Please be aware that the timing can vary dependent on the volume of applications that we receive for each role and in some cases, we may start to review applications prior to the closing date.

Ricardo is a Disability confident employer please advise the recruitment team via [e-mail] if you require any adjustments to support you throughout the recruitment process.