Financial Controller

Astrop Estate; Banbury; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A rural estate management company in England is seeking a Finance and Administration Manager. This role is pivotal in maintaining financial records and overseeing day-to-day finance operations, requiring 5+ years of experience and qualifications in accounting. The position offers a competitive salary, direct involvement in decision-making, and a values-led environment focused on both performance and stewardship.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Impactful role with autonomy

Collaboration with professional advisers

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in finance administration, ideally in a rural estate.
• Exposure to trust/partnership accounting and CGT/IHT is a plus.
• Proactive, highly organized, with excellent attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Maintain estate and farm financial records and supervise bookkeeping.
• Produce management accounts and support budgeting and forecasting.
• Partner with agents for property management and maintain records.
• Oversee administrative tasks related to farming operations.
• Act as liaison for external professionals and manage relationships.
• Support family meetings and maintain organized records.

Skills

Finance administration experience

Strong technical accounting skills

Proficient in Excel

Good communication skills

Education

Qualified (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)

Tools

KEYPrime accounting software

Job description

This is a hands-on finance and administration role at a privately owned 2,000-acre arable estate near King’s Sutton (South Northamptonshire). Alongside the in-house arable farming enterprise, we manage 26 residential properties and a growing number of commercial lets. You’ll provide end-to-end financial stewardship and estate administration—producing accurate records, timely reporting, robust compliance and decision-ready insight for the family—while working closely with our advisers and our managing/letting agent.

Key Responsibilities

• Finance leadership: Maintain farm, estate and trust records (Landmark KEYPrime). Supervise a part-time bookkeeper. Manage cash flow, debtors/creditors and payment runs. Oversee payroll and submit HMRC filings.
• Reporting and controls: Produce management accounts, KPIs and rolling forecasts. Support budgeting and variance analysis. Prepare and submit VAT returns. Coordinate year-end accounts and tax filings with external accountants. Track investments and performance.
• Property admin: Partner with the managing/letting agent on lettings, renewals, maintenance and issue resolution. Keep tenancy/licence and rent records current. Raise and issue rent invoices promptly and accurately; monitor arrears.
• Farm/estate admin: Oversee the administrative side of the farming enterprise. Manage insurance renewals (property, vehicles, machinery). Ensure farm-assurance records are kept (e.g., Countryside Stewardship, SFI, Red Tractor).
• External liaison: Act as main point of contact for accountants, solicitors, land agents, insurers and public bodies (e.g. RPA, local authorities); Instruct and manage advisers as required.
• Family office support: Prepare agendas, papers and minutes for periodic family meetings. Maintain well-organised digital/paper records.

About You

• Qualified (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) 5+ years or equivalent experience in finance administration—ideally in a farm or rural-estate context or at an accountancy practice specialising in farms and rural estates.
• Strong technical accounting skills combined with a commercial mindset. Trust/partnership accounting and CGT/IHT exposure a significant plus.
• Confident with accounting software (KEYPrime); advanced Excel with solid Word/Outlook skills.
• Proactive, highly organised, and an excellent communicator with attention to detail; comfortable working independently and liaising with advisers and stakeholders.
• Discreet, professional, trustworthy; genuine interest in farming and the countryside, with a commercial and practical, hands-on approach.

What We Offer

• A pivotal, varied and interesting role across finance, property and farm operations working on-site in a countryside setting with real scope for impact and autonomy.
• Direct involvement in decision-making with the family.
• Collaboration with high-calibre professional advisers.
• A competitive package commensurate with experience.
• A values-led environment balancing commercial performance, environmental stewardship and family legacy.

If this sounds like you, please apply with your CV and a short note on your relevant experience.