Assistant Financial Controller

Headstar; Guiseley; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

30 days holiday

Enhanced parental leave

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Headstar is seeking an Assistant Financial Controller to join a high-growth e-commerce business now, with a clear path to take over the FC role in 2027. You’ll oversee a transactional finance function, own end-to-end management accounts and month-end reporting, and gain real commercial exposure through margin analysis, forecasting and budgets.

The role offers a hybrid working model, private healthcare, 30 days holiday and a structured route to Financial Controller as part of succession planning.

Qualifications

• 2+ years post-qualified experience (ACA / ACCA / CIMA).
• Strong management accounting background with commercial exposure.
• Experience overseeing or managing a small team is a plus.
• Confidence to build relationships with commercial stakeholders.
• Genuine interest in stepping up to FC level in the future, not just holding the title.

Responsibilities

• End-to-end management accounts and month-end reporting.
• Commercial insight for stakeholders - profit and margin analysis, forecasts, budgets.
• Stock costing and forecasting.
• Oversight of the transactional finance function beneath you.
• Working directly alongside, and shadowing, the current Financial Controller.
• Building towards full ownership of the FC role ahead of retirement in 2027.

Skills

Management accounting

Commercial insight

Stakeholder relationships

Team ownership

Ambition for FC role

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Job description

If you're a couple of years post-qualified and ready to step into a senior finance position then look no further.

You'll join a £55m turnover e-commerce business as Assistant Financial Controller, working directly under the current FC with a clear, mapped-out path to take over the role in 2027. This isn't a vague "progression opportunity" line in a job spec - there's a vacancy, a date, and a plan.

In the meantime, you'll get genuine oversight of a transactional finance function, ownership of end-to-end management accounts and month-end reporting, and real commercial exposure - margin analysis, forecasting, budgets, stock costing - the kind of work that actually prepares you to run a finance function rather than just report on one.

• Technically strong with a solid grip on management accounting fundamentals.
• Commercially minded - genuinely interested in the "why" behind the numbers.
• Comfortable taking ownership of a team, not just a set of numbers.
• Ambitious, but patient enough to learn the role properly before stepping into it.

This is a growing business that's serious about succession planning rather than just filling a seat. You'll be given the time and access to actually learn the FC role before you're expected to do it.

• End-to-end management accounts and month-end reporting.
• Commercial insight for stakeholders - profit and margin analysis, forecasts, budgets.
• Stock costing and forecasting.
• Oversight of the transactional finance function beneath you.
• Working directly alongside, and shadowing, the current Financial Controller.
• Building towards full ownership of the FC role ahead of their retirement in 2027.

• 2+ years post-qualified experience (ACA / ACCA / CIMA).
• Strong management accounting background with commercial exposure.
• Experience overseeing or managing a small team is a plus.
• Confidence to build relationships with commercial stakeholders.
• A genuine interest in stepping up to FC level in the future, not just holding the title.

• £55,000 - £62,000 basic salary
• 10% bonus scheme
• Private healthcare
• 30 days holiday
• Enhanced parental leave
• Hybrid working - 3 days per week in the office
• A clearly defined route to Financial Controller