Financial Controller

Birmingham City FC; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dynamic hybrid set up

Matchday Tickets

Blues Store Discount

Life Assurance

Pension Scheme

Eye Care Voucher

Cycle to Work Scheme

Help@Hand

Job summary

Birmingham City Football Club is seeking a highly experienced Financial Controller to lead the Club's financial control environment, statutory reporting, month-end close, and cash management. The role reports to the CFO and drives process improvement, governance and digital transformation across finance.

You will oversee the finance function, support budgeting and board reporting, and mentor the finance team while ensuring compliance with regulatory obligations within sport and football industry

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA).
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling skills.
• Significant experience in a Financial Controller or senior finance leadership role.
• Strong technical accounting and financial reporting skills.
• Experience leading finance teams.
• Experience managing external audit processes.
• Experience within sport, entertainment, leisure or venue operations.
• Knowledge of football industry regulations and reporting requirements.
• Experience with ERP implementation and finance transformation programmes.
• Experience with NetSuite, Sage, or similar reporting tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the monthly and annual financial close process.
• Ensure accurate and timely production of management accounts, with insight.
• Maintain robust balance sheet reconciliations and financial controls.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and cash flow reporting processes.
• Manage statutory reporting and support the annual audit process.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards and regulatory requirements.
• Support Board, shareholder and executive reporting.
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable and treasury activities.
• Drive finance systems development, ERP implementations and finance transformation.
• Establish KPI dashboards and real-time management reporting.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Financial modelling

Stakeholder management

Commercial awareness

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Tools

NetSuite

Sage

Job description

Birmingham City Football Club is on the rise.

With an incredible history dating back to 1875, Birmingham City Football Club is part of an exciting period of accelerated growth and modernisation and is playing its part in once-in-a-generation opportunity to support the transformation of England’s second city as part of the Sports Quarter project.

With significant investment across our football, commercial, and community operations, we are rebuilding the Club for long-term success — on and off the pitch. The journey we’re on involves strengthening our structures, elevating our performance environments, growing our teams, and investing heavily in the people, processes and culture that will define the next chapter of Birmingham City FC.

The Financial Controller is responsible for leading the Club's financial control environment, statutory reporting, month-end close process, cash management and finance operations. The role will ensure the integrity of financial information, support strategic decision making and provide robust financial governance across the Club and will report directly to the CFO.

The Financial Controller will also play a key leadership role in driving finance systems, process improvement and digital transformation initiatives, ensuring the finance function operates efficiently and is scalable to support the Club's continued growth and ambitions.

About the Role

• Lead the monthly and annual financial close process
• Ensure accurate and timely production of management accounts, with insight
• Maintain robust balance sheet reconciliations and financial controls
• Support budgeting, forecasting and cash flow reporting processes
• Manage statutory reporting and support the annual audit process
• Ensure compliance with all relevant accounting standards and regulatory requirements
• Support the preparation of Board, shareholder and executive reporting

Finance Operations

• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable and treasury activities
• Manage working capital and cash flow requirements
• Review and improve financial policies, controls and governance procedures
• Ensure appropriate approval processes and delegated authorities are maintained
• Support commercial, operational and football departments with financial guidance and challenge

Regulatory & Compliance

• Support compliance with EFL, Premier League, FA and IFR financial reporting obligations
• Support VAT, Corporation Tax, PAYE and other statutory returns
• Maintain strong internal controls and risk management processes
• Support insurance, regulatory and compliance activities across the Club
• Manage, mentor and develop members of the finance team
• Drive a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and customer service
• Support succession planning and talent development within finance
• Establish clear objectives and performance standards for team members

Systems & Process Transformation

• Lead finance systems development, enhancement and optimisation activities
• Act as Finance Lead for ERP implementations, upgrades and business transformation projects
• Drive the transition from manual and spreadsheet-based processes to automated, scalable solutions
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, controls and reporting through technology
• Develop and maintain finance process documentation, procedures and workflows
• Champion data quality, governance and reporting standards across the organisation
• Work with IT and business stakeholders to integrate finance systems with operational platforms
• Deliver automation initiatives that reduce manual processing and improve control
• Establish KPI dashboards and management reporting tools that provide real-time business insight
• Promote a continuous improvement culture across finance and wider business functions
• Ensure compliance with all the Policies and Procedures contained within the Staff Handbook, paying particular regard to the Equality & Diversity, Safeguarding and Health & Safety Policies and procedures at all times
• Any other duties as deemed necessary by your Line Manager or Head of Department within the scope of the role

About the person

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA)
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling skills
• Significant experience in a Financial Controller or senior finance leadership role
• Strong technical accounting and financial reporting skills
• Experience leading finance teams
• Experience managing external audit processes
• Strong commercial awareness and stakeholder management ability
• Experience within sport, entertainment, leisure or venue operations.
• Knowledge of football industry regulations and reporting requirements.
• Experience of ERP implementation and finance transformation programmes.
• Experience with NetSuite, Sage, or similar reporting tools.

The Benefits of Being Blues

At Birmingham City Football Club, we put people at the heart of everything we do. When you join the Club, you become part of the Blues family — and that comes with a range of benefits designed to support you both inside and outside of work.

• Dynamic hybrid set up
• Matchday Tickets
• Blues Store Discount
• Life Assurance
• Pension Scheme
• Eye Care Voucher
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Help@Hand

Safeguarding

Birmingham City Football Club is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. The safety and wellbeing of all individuals within our care is paramount, and all staff are expected to share and uphold this commitment.

All successful applicants will be subject to appropriate pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, and will be required to complete safeguarding training as part of the recruitment and induction process.

EDI

Birmingham City FC is proud to be an Equal Opportunities and Disability Confident employer.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to ensuring a fair and inclusive recruitment process. Candidates are assessed solely on merit, regardless of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or caring responsibilities.

We value diversity and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. If you require any adjustments to support you during the recruitment or interview process, please let us know when applying.