UK Financial Controller Corporate Services

British Council; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The British Council is seeking a Financial Controller to oversee financial accounting activities and ensure accurate reporting. This role requires strong financial control experience, leadership skills, and the ability to influence stakeholders. The position is based in London with a competitive salary and benefits.

Benefits

32 days annual leave

3 days volunteering leave

Career average defined benefit pension scheme

Qualifications

• Significant years of financial controllership experience.
• Strong influencing and negotiating skills.
• Experience managing and developing teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee financial accounting activities ensuring integrity and accuracy.
• Lead retained financial processes across P2P, O2C, R2R, and CLM.
• Contribute to statutory reporting, audit processes, and cash flow reporting.

Skills

Financial Control

Influencing

Negotiation

Education

Qualified Accountant

Job description

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For over 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.
Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in the more than 100 countries.
We connect. We inspire.

Salary: Starting at £55,699 plus £3,300 London Market Allowance for those based in the London area.
Contract Type: Fixed term contract for 1 year
Location: London
Right to Work Requirements: Right to Work in the UK. The British Council is not able to support or sponsor work visa applications.
Closing Date: advert will close on Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 23:59.
Benefits Include, but are not limited to:

• 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
• 3 days volunteering leave
• Career average defined benefit pension scheme

Role Purpose
This role is responsible for overseeing the British Council's financial accounting activities and ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial reporting. The role works in close partnership with our Managed Service Provider (MSP), taking ownership of the relationship to ensure strong financial controls, risk management, and consistent delivery of services
The role plays a key part in overseeing retained financial processes across Procure to Pay (P2P), Order to Cash (O2C), Record to Report (R2R), and Cash and Liquidity Management (CLM). It ensures that financial accounting is delivered to a high standard, in line with corporate policies and accounting best practices. Acting as the UK-based lead for Corporate Services finance, the role supports specific retained activities and processes while managing escalations from both in-country teams and the MSP. The Controller also contributes to statutory reporting, audit processes, and cash flow reporting.
Beyond technical delivery, the role plays a vital part in improving communication and collaboration across operational areas and with the MSP. It also works closely with Group Controllership to drive continuous improvement and effective MSP performance management. This position requires the confidence and credibility to challenge senior stakeholders and uphold high standards of financial accuracy and compliance. It also involves leading the provision of expert advice and specialist retained financial services at a high professional level.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following

• Role model British Council values and EDI in day-to-day interactions with colleagues at all levels. Ensure high levels of professionalism are demonstrated by everyone and that client and customer needs are reflected in ways of working. Champion financial accounting, providing a good standard of financial insight and financial discipline. Build a culture of continuous learning and improvement and promote learning from our experience across the unit and wider organisation.
• Work closely with the MSP to ensure the financial accounts are completed correctly and in a timely manner, and numbers are reported accurately.
• Lead the delivery of retained financial processes supporting P2P, O2C, R2R and CLM ensuring consistent, accurate and robust financial accounting in line with accounting practices and corporate policies.
• Provide UK and Group in-country specific activities/processes, local, complex statutory/tax reporting, and management of escalations raised by in-country teams and the MSP.
• Contribute to statutory reporting, tax review/filing, cashflow reporting and audit processes.
• Provide guidance and direction to ensure high level of global financial compliance. Devise and implement key performance indicators for controls and compliance across the unit/area, reporting on them and leading initiatives for further improvements. Embed a culture of compliance and shared accountability.
• Play a key role on the Cash Committee in managing payment runs and debt management processes, and by extension, influencing these processes across the global network. Develop Cash flow forecasting and management and liaise with the central Treasury team.
• Manage the provision of information to internal / external auditors. Implement and report on the progress of audit recommendations. Identify and challenge issues and bring resolution in relation to financial accounting matters.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and business partnering for retained financial processes, building strong working relationships with key stakeholders and the MSP to ensure that activities comply with professional accounting standards, technical accounting issues and other external reporting requirements in British Council.
• Provide guidance and advice on professional accounting standards, technical accounting issues and other external reporting requirements in British Council. Liaise with other specialist finance functions such as Tax, Treasury, Finance Policy, and Global Process Owners as needed. Pro-actively identify unusual or complex transactions and recommend appropriate professional accounting treatments. Produce periodic reports relating to financial accounting.
• Develop, manage, and execute plans for implementation of new or updated accounting and reporting requirements in line with professional accounting standards; communicate change effectively with internal stakeholders, ensure appropriate training.
• Work alongside the transformation team to centralise and move activity to an MSP environment. Drive and ensure implementation of the financial procedures, policies, and systems necessary to meet the organisation's global reporting.

Requirements of the role

• A significant number of active years of financial controllership and related experience.
• Strong influencing and negotiating experience.
• Managing and developing teams.
• Strong Financial Control experience and knowledge of Professional Accounting Standards.
• Qualified accountant with considerable experience post-qualification.
• The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement
The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989. Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed in line with legal requirements and with the British Council's Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email [e-mail]