Financial Control Manager

England Rugby; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent sports organization in Greater London seeks a Financial Control Manager to lead essential financial processes. This role includes overseeing month-end accounting, managing stakeholder relationships, and ensuring compliance with statutory requirements. The ideal candidate should be a qualified accountant with a strong background in financial reporting and project management. The position operates in a hybrid model, promoting collaboration within a supportive finance team.

Qualifications

• Post qualification experience of at least 3 years.
• Knowledge of FRS102 reporting essential.
• Ability to work independently and with high levels of autonomy.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly and annual accounting processes for the organisation.
• Oversee the Group balance sheet reconciliations.
• Manage interactions with external and internal auditors.

Skills

Qualified accountant

Experience of periodic financial processes

Strong project management skills

Effective communicator

Proactive self-starter

Education

ACA or ACCA qualification

Tools

Oracle or similar ERP systems

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Smartsheet

Job description

Working at the RFU means being part of the 'bigger picture' at England Rugby: to be rooted in our purpose, which is to enrich lives, introduce more people to rugby union & develop the sport for future generations. If our purpose resonates with you, and you recognise the value that sport can bring to people's lives, we'd love to work with you. An opportunity has arisen for a Financial Control Manager to join the Finance team on a permanent basis. We are seeking a Financial Control Manager to join our Finance Team and play a key role as the RFU begins its journey to deliver its new strategy Plan 2030 and develops its stadium masterplan project. This role is central to ensuring the integrity of our month‑end processes, treasury activities and managing stakeholder relationships. The position offers a broad range of accounting responsibilities across both month‑end and year‑end cycles. It requires close collaboration with colleagues across the wider finance team to ensure accurate reporting and high‑quality financial outputs. The Finance team compromises Financial Control, Strategic Finance and Procurement. Our purpose is to ensure the RFU remains financially strong and able to support its organisational objectives. We maintain robust financial controls, provide insight to support effective decision making, and safeguard the RFU's assets. We work collaboratively to achieve our goals, continuously seeking opportunities for improvement while fostering a supportive and inclusive team environment. We typically operate in a hybrid working model, with time split between office and home.

• Lead monthly and annual accounting processes for the organisation, ensuring accuracy, completeness and compliance with relevant standards.
• Prepare and post accounting entries, ensuring appropriate documentation and review.
• Oversee the Group balance sheet reconciliations.
• Take ownership of the monthly management accounts, including variance analysis and performance insights.
• Lead on the production and review of statutory financial statements for the organisation, subsidiaries and related charities.
• Manage interactions with external and internal auditors, ensuring timely delivery of audit information.
• Preparation of technical accounting papers on complex transactions or new accounting standards.
• Guide stakeholders by responding to financial queries and providing clear, actionable insights.
• Work collaboratively with the Ticket Office to record, reconcile and analyse match‑related revenue.
• Oversee periodic financial projects, supporting continuous improvement and organisational initiatives.
• Actively collaborate with colleagues to contribute to the development and delivery of the current strategic, business and operational plans.
• Manage the treasury operations, including loan covenant compliance, monitoring and reporting.
• Lead on the forecasting for the group cash flow as the RFU enters a critical period of investment in the Stadium as part of the Masterplan project.
• Oversee working capital management, identifying opportunities for optimisation.
• Manage foreign exchange exposure and recommend appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Support in managing banking relationships.
• Review deposit placement strategies to maximise interest returns while maintaining appropriate liquidity.
• Manage the relationship and reporting of investment portfolio.
• Oversee BACs processes, acting as the owner of the BACs provider relationship and training team members on system use.
• Manage the relationship with the external tax advisors to ensure compliance with UK and international tax requirements.
• Ownership of the group fixed asset registers, ensuring accurate reporting at month end and throughout the year. Leading on the setting up the process for capturing the Stadium Masterplan project.
• Oversee loan books, including preparation of reporting for boards, trustees and the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS).
• Manage the Financial Accountant and Junior Financial Accountant, providing coaching, guidance and performance management.
• Foster a continuous improvement culture across the financial control team.
• Actively collaborate with colleagues to contribute to the development and delivery of the current strategic, business and operational plans.
• Act as an ambassador for, and promote the best interests of the RFU, including the promotion of our culture and core values - This Rose Means Everyone: Put The Team First, Shape The Future, Respect Each Other.
• Undertake other duties as may be required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the post and the needs of the organisation.
  The skills and attributes outlined in this description are not exhaustive and we welcome candidates who can bring different relevant experiences to the role.

Essential Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACA or ACCA) - post qualification experience of at least 3 years
• Experience of periodic financial processes (financial "close" processes, reporting etc.)
• Oracle experience preferable although candidates with exposure to similar ERP systems will be considered
• Knowledge of FRS102 reporting essential
• Knowledge of charities accounting preferred
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to work on several projects at once, prioritising and communicating priorities.
• Proactive self-starter with the perseverance and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently and with high levels of autonomy.
• Effective communicator able to confidently deliver clear written and verbal messages.
• Excellent judgement, a can‑do, problem‑solving attitude and ability to think creatively to reach desired goals.
• Self‑aware; committed to continuous professional and personal development.
• Proficient in working with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and proficiency with Smartsheet.
• Committed to embodying the ethos our culture by using our three core values - Put The Team First, Shape The Future, Respect Each Other - to guide your day‑to‑day decisions, actions and interactions.
• Committed to actively contributing and building an inclusive culture in your role and day to day behaviours.

Desirable Qualifications

• Ability to deliver administration and coordination, alongside strategic thinking and influence.
• An effective team member, with sufficient flexibility and willingness to take on roles outside their normal functional responsibility when required.
  We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential. If there is anything we could do to support you through your application or to provide the best environment for your interviews, including assistance or adjustment, please reach out to [e-mail].
• During your application, we will ask questions about your identity. This information is considered highly confidential and will not be seen by hiring managers. You can find out more about why we ask these questions here.