Finance Project Controller - Advanced Manufacturing Scale-Up

Unipart Manufacturing Group; Coventry; On-site; GBP 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car/Car allowance

33 days holiday

Pension

Bonus

Life assurance

Employee assistance programme

Wellbeing support

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

Unipart Manufacturing in Coventry seeks a Finance Project Controller to partner with project leadership and build scalable financial systems as production scales.

You will oversee governance, cost control, product costing, and cash flow while supporting rapid scale-up and governance across UK manufacturing operations.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with post-qualification experience.
• Experience in manufacturing finance and scale-up phases.
• Knowledge of UK GAAP, VAT, RDEC and corporate tax.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement scalable financial controls in line with statutory requirements.
• Deliver weekly financial reports to operational leadership and track KPIs.
• Lead monthly management accounts, variance analysis and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Maintain product costing models and inventory valuation with production and procurement teams.
• Monitor CAPEX, OPEX and cash flow against budget and forecast.

Skills

ACCA/ACCA/CIMA qualified

Manufacturing finance

Governance & controls

ERP/MRP adept

Education

Chartered accountant qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Unipart Manufacturing is launching a flagship, fast-paced manufacturing project in Coventry, combining high-volume electrification assembly with complex injection moulding inputs. Fully aligned with Unipart's Sector and Growth Strategy and The Unipart Way Forward Plan, this critical project is scaling from zero to over 200 production colleagues within just four months. We are seeking a driven, commercially astute Finance Project Controller to partner with project operational leadership. Reporting directly to the manufacturing Head of Finance with a dotted line into the Project General Manager, you will build scalable financial systems, manage supply chain commitments, control manufacturing costs, and enforce rigorous governance as we ramp up to full production volume.

• Financial Governance and Controls - Design, implement, and maintain scalable financial controls and accounting processes in full compliance with Unipart statutory requirements
• Operational Reporting and KPIs - Deliver weekly financial flash reports to operational leadership and track operational financial KPIs to drive contract profitability and cost control
• Month-End Execution and Management Accounts - Lead the accurate preparation of monthly management accounts, group reporting packages, variance analysis, and balance sheet reconciliations
• Product Costing and Inventory Valuation - Maintain precise product costing models, manage standard costing, and control material/process variation alongside production and procurement teams
• CAPEX, OPEX and Cash Flow - Closely monitor project capital and operational expenditure against budget while managing rolling cash flow forecasts to optimize working capital
• Commercial and Contract Growth - Partner on commercial negotiations, engineering change reviews, and strategic planning to secure long-term, margin-accretive growth
• Tax, Statutory and Customs Compliance - Oversee statutory records, UK GAAP, VAT, RDEC, and UK Customs/Duty deferment processes to minimise financial exposure on imported goods
• System Implementation and Scaling - Leverage manufacturing ERP/MRP systems to build robust data models, maintaining both hands-on detail and strategic oversight as the team grows

• Professional Qualifications - Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) with demonstrable post-qualification experience
• Manufacturing and Scale-Up Track Record - Proven background delivering finance control within a fast-paced manufacturing facility, ideally through a rapid scale-up phase
• Technical Accounting Mastery - In-depth knowledge of inventory accounting, standard costing, product costing models, UK GAAP, VAT, Corporation Tax, and RDEC
• ERP Systems and Implementation - Hands-on experience operating manufacturing ERP/MRP systems (system implementation or optimisation experience is highly desirable)
• Customs and Trade Exposure - Practical understanding of UK Customs, duties, and trade compliance processes for imported manufacturing components
• Data and Spreadsheet Capability - Advanced spreadsheet skills with the ability to manipulate large, complex operational datasets and build financial models
• Commercially Focused Leadership - Pragmatic business acumen with strong interpersonal skills to challenge operational teams, manage contract variations, and influence stakeholders

About Unipart

We are a supply chain performance improvement partner. We Design, Make, Move, and Improve components in our customers' supply chains, keeping their operations and assets moving and working better, for longer. Through our commitment to continuously driving operational efficiencies, we improve performance - saving time, cost, and carbon. Our ambition is to be the driving force behind efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We believe that a great workplace is one where you can bring your whole self to work. Our recruitment process is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and based entirely on merit. We define merit through a combination of technical skills and the core behaviours that help our people thrive at Unipart. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background or circumstances. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity that exceeds our statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and subsequent legislation. Whether it's your age, disability, neurodiversity, gender identity, family status, or any other characteristic that makes you 'you' - it is your talent and potential that we value most. Adjustments for you: We want you to perform at your best. If you require any reasonable adjustments or have specific accessibility needs at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know. We are here to support you.

• Up to £70,000 plus car / car allowance, 33 days holiday (including bank holidays), pension, bonus, life assurance, employee assistance programme, wellbeing support, and flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme