Business Controller - Finance

Cooper Parry Finance Recruitment; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cooper Parry Finance Recruitment seeks an experienced Finance Business Controller to lead controls workstreams within a major Transformation programme. Reporting to the Group Financial Controls Leader, you will shape the future-state control environment and drive high-quality delivery across the Group.

The role focuses on standardisation, governance, and continuous improvement of complex Finance processes in a Shared Services/GBS setting, with senior stakeholder engagement and robust

Qualifications

• Qualified Accountant – ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
• Shared Services / Global Business Services experience in a large Finance Operations environment.
• Strong financial controls experience including design, operation and governance.
• Experience in Finance Transformation, business process analysis, controls, risk, compliance or audit.
• Proven ability to lead complex analysis, problem solving and process improvement.
• Experience applying LEAN to standardise processes and reduce waste.
• Experience developing controls frameworks and remediation processes.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing capability.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.
• Strong planning and delivery capability.
• The judgement and autonomy in a complex transformation environment.

Responsibilities

• Leading controls transformation across key Finance processes with future-state controls.
• Analysing the current control environment and friction points.
• Turning analysis into prioritised actionable recommendations.
• Developing core controls frameworks, inventories and KPIs.
• Driving simplification and standardisation of processes.
• Connecting Finance transformation with IT, Risk and Audit teams.
• Leading controls assessment and remediation activities.
• Supporting governance with clear risk and decision papers.
• Supporting implementation and embedding through go-live and hypercare.
• Influencing broader business ownership of controls.

Skills

Finance transformation

Controls design

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Data analysis

Education

Qualified Accountant – ACA, ACCA, CIMA

Job description

Our client is seeking an experienced Finance Business Controller to play a pivotal role in a major Finance Transformation programme in a developing shared services programme.

Reporting into the Group Financial Controls Leader, this role will act as a senior analyst and subject matter expert across finance controls design, assessment and improvement. The successful candidate will have significant influence in shaping the future-state control environment, translating transformation objectives into practical controls requirements and driving high-quality workstream delivery across the Group.

This is an excellent opportunity for a controls, risk, audit or finance transformation professional who enjoys solving complex problems, challenging existing ways of working and turning insight into meaningful, sustainable change. The ideal candidate is likely to have gained their experience within a large-scale Shared Services, Global Business Services (GBS) or Finance Operations environment, where they will have developed a strong understanding of standardisation, process governance, controls and continuous improvement across complex Finance processes.

The Role

The Business Controls Manager will take ownership of significant elements of the Controls workstream, providing structure, analysis and direction to ensure key deliverables are delivered at pace and to a high standard.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading controls transformation across key Finance processes, designing future-state controls with clear ownership, frequency, evidence requirements, escalation routes and monitoring arrangements.
• Analysing the current control environment, using activity analysis and other data sources to understand effort, identify friction points and uncover root causes.
• Turning analysis into action, developing prioritised recommendations and practical implementation plans that improve both control effectiveness and operational efficiency.
• Developing core controls frameworks and artefacts, including control inventories, process and control taxonomies, requirements, KPIs, reporting and governance materials.
• Driving simplification and standardisation, applying LEAN or similar methodologies to reduce manual activity, rework, chasing and approval delays while maintaining robust controls.
• Connecting Finance transformation activity, working closely with Finance process teams, IFS, BI/data and reporting teams, Risk, Internal Audit, external audit and wider programme stakeholders.
• Leading controls assessment and remediation activity, including risk register updates, control self-assessments, issue tracking, remediation planning and follow-up.
• Supporting senior governance, preparing clear and compelling papers, reporting and decision-support materials covering risks, issues, dependencies and key decisions.
• Supporting implementation and embedding, from detailed design and readiness through to go-live and hypercare, ensuring sustainable transition into business-as-usual.
• Influencing the wider business, helping to strengthen ownership, consistency and discipline around control operation, evidence and compliance.

Key Prerequisites:

The successful candidate will ideally meet the following criteria:

• Qualified Accountant – ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent. A strong technical understanding of financial processes, controls and the wider Finance environment is essential.
• Shared Services / Global Business Services experience – ideally gained within a large, complex Finance Operations environment, with exposure to standardisation, process governance and continuous improvement.
• Strong financial controls experience, including control design, operation, evidence, remediation and governance.
• Significant experience in Finance Transformation, business process analysis, controls, risk, compliance or audit.
• Proven ability to lead complex analysis, structured problem solving, process improvement and controls design.
• Experience applying LEAN or similar continuous improvement methodologies to standardise processes, eliminate waste and improve efficiency.
• Experience developing and implementing controls frameworks, operating models, risk registers, control assessments or remediation processes.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing capability, with the confidence to engage senior Finance leaders, programme teams, auditors and wider business stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to turn complex information into clear recommendations and practical actions.
• Strong planning and delivery capability, including managing dependencies, driving actions and maintaining momentum across multiple priorities.
• The judgement and autonomy to operate effectively in a complex transformation environment, challenge existing ways of working and elevate key risks or decisions appropriately.