Finance Controller (Full Time)

Freshwater UK Limited; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Freshwater UK Limited is seeking an experienced Finance Controller to lead the finance function and partner with senior stakeholders. You will drive commercial insight, budgeting, forecasting and robust financial controls across the business, including the agency and events divisions.

You will manage a small finance team, oversee invoicing processes and VAT/tax matters, and collaborate with Directors to translate activity into realistic budgets and delivery plans.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• Master’s qualification would be an advantage.
• Strong understanding of financial principles and accounting standards.
• Excellent communication skills with the credibility to present financial information to non‑financial stakeholders.
• Proven experience in a Financial Controller role, ideally in the communications or creative sector.
• Experience with invoicing and managing accounting systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the finance function for the company and ensure compliance with financial regulations and billing standards.
• Prepare monthly management accounts across Freshwater and WCC, including P&L analysis, balance sheet reviews and key metric reporting.
• Analyse performance against budgets and forecasts and provide actionable commercial insights.
• Monitor and control costs and identify efficiency improvements and cost-saving opportunities.
• Line manage the Finance team and liaise with auditors and external suppliers.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and tender costing activities with Directors.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Deadline driven

Detail oriented

Process improvement

Stakeholder comms

Negotiation

Financial planning

Problem solving

Logical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Master’s degree (advantage)

Tools

Synergist

Active HR

Accounting software

Job description

This role is for an experienced and qualified (ACCA/CIMA/ACA) finance professional who can combine strong financial control with commercial judgement, operational problem-solving and a practical, hands‑on approach within a dynamic integrated marketing agency and events company.

Working closely with the Group MD and senior stakeholders, including the Board, SMT, Directors and senior clients, you will provide meaningful commercial insight, support strategic decision‑making and help non‑financial colleagues translate ideas and activity into realistic budgets, forecasts, costs and delivery plans.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for leading the finance function for the company, managing divisions to ensure that they adhere to all financial regulations and company billing, costing and invoice standards set.
• Preparation of monthly management accounts across Freshwater and WCC, including:
  • Profit & loss analysis
  • Balance sheet reviews and reconciliations
  • Key metric reporting and supporting schedules
• Analysis of financial performance against budgets and forecasts, providing clear commercial insights and actionable recommendations for all Directors.
• Responsible for monitoring and controlling costs, identifying efficiency improvements and cost‑saving opportunities on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.
• Responsible for line managing the Finance team including Finance Manager, Finance clerk and external stakeholders such as financial auditors and third‑party suppliers.
• Reviewing client profitability, playing an integral role in costing any new business tenders, highlighting margin performance and supporting commercial reporting.
• Supporting the annual budgeting and forecasting process in collaboration with Directors.
• To be responsible for leading the divisional calls every two weeks to update forecast. In addition to this, to be proactive in conducting regular financial review meetings with Directors to ensure alignment with budget, pipeline, hotbox updates and financial controls and company standards.
• Working with the Finance Manager to conduct the weekly review of creditors and WIP, escalating issues to the Group MD and Directors when necessary.
• Supporting all external audits and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and regulations.
• Preparing monthly/quarterly VAT returns and assisting with corporate tax processes.
• Supporting the implementation of invoicing processes.
• Managing cash flow.
• Developing expertise in the Synergist and Active HR system and driving continuous financial process improvements.
• Providing holiday cover within the finance team.
• Acting as a confident first point of contact for day‑to‑day business systems and IT issues, resolving straightforward problems where possible and coordinating effectively with external IT support and software providers when specialist input is required.
• To lead on ISO 9001 and Green Dragon audits for FW.
• To lead on office management, attending tenant meetings in the Cardiff office and supporting London office management as and when required.
• Delivering ad‑hoc reporting and analysis as required.

Person Specification:

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in relevant discipline.
• Master’s qualification would be an advantage.

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of financial principles and accounting standards.
• Excellent communication skills, with the credibility and knowledge to be able to present financial information clearly to non‑financial stakeholders.

Experience

• Proven experience in a Financial Controller role, ideally within the communications or creative sector.
• Experience of implementing standards and influencing colleagues to cost accurately and hit deadlines accordingly.
• Experience with invoicing and effectively managing accounting systems is essential.
• Experience in a similar fast paced role.
• Experience of constructively challenging colleagues, managing competing priorities and maintaining positive working relationships when deadlines or financial requirements are under pressure.

Skills & Abilities

• Advanced Excel skills (Pivot Tables, Lookups, IF statements, etc.)
• Ability to work to strict deadlines and manage multiple priorities
• Strong attention to detail and ability to perform under pressure
• Demonstrable experience of streamlining or implementing improved financial processes
• Ability to build trusted relationships across finance, creative, client service, events and operational teams, adapting communication style while maintaining clear financial standards and accountability.
• Ability to negotiate and influence at all levels within an organisation.
• Excellent financial planning skills.
• Problem solving skills and ability to use initiative.
• Excellent skills in logical thinking and application.

Other Requirements

• Prepared to travel to London and other locations around the UK occasionally.

Freshwater is an equal opportunities employer and we always welcome a broad diversity of talent to apply for our vacancies. If you need this information in braille or if you need support to complete the application, please contact our Freshwater main office line.