Financial Controller

Story Decorating Group Ltd; Carlisle; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Story Decorating Group Ltd is seeking a Financial Controller to lead the finance function within the Senior Leadership Team in Carlisle. You will combine hands-on financial management with development of business intelligence, commercial reporting and digital systems integration.

The role focuses on continuous improvement through automation, data analytics and timely management information to support informed decision-making.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA or CIMA).
• CIPP qualification or equivalent payroll experience.
• Construction industry Financial Controller experience.
• Extensive CIS, VAT and construction accounting knowledge.
• Strong understanding of project costing and construction cash flow.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel.
• Advanced Power BI dashboard creation and reporting.
• Experience integrating data across multiple business systems.
• Strong Sage and Microsoft business application skills.
• Experience producing automated executive reporting.
• Confident operating as part of a Senior Leadership Team.
• Sage 200 experience.
• SQL, Power Query or equivalent BI tools.

Responsibilities

• Be an active member of the Senior Leadership Team.
• Support and challenge the Managing Director and SLT with commercially focused financial advice.
• Promote financial discipline, accountability and continuous improvement across the business.
• Lead by example and create a high-performing finance function.
• Foster collaboration between Finance, Commercial and Operations.
• Lead the company's financial strategy in line with business objectives.
• Ensure strong financial controls, governance and compliance.
• Oversee VAT, CIS, Corporation Tax, payroll and statutory obligations.
• Manage external accountants, auditors, banks, insurers and advisers.
• Develop financial policies and internal controls.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning.
• Prepare monthly and annual management accounts with meaningful commercial commentary.
• Produce financial modelling to support strategic decisions.
• Identify financial trends, risks and opportunities.
• Own the development and continuous improvement of financial and commercial reporting.
• Design, develop and maintain executive-level Power BI dashboards.
• Produce monthly SLT and Board reporting packs combining financial, commercial and operational KPIs.
• Present financial information through clear visual reporting.
• Develop real-time reporting to improve decision making.
• Lead integration between Sage, HubSpot, EQ2 and other business systems.
• Work with IT providers and software vendors to improve automation.
• Ensure data integrity across all business platforms.
• Reduce manual reporting through automation.
• Work closely with the Commercial Director to review profitability and contract performance.
• Support CVR reviews and project forecasting.
• Challenge project performance and identify margin improvement opportunities.
• Support commercial decision making through financial analysis.
• Manage cash flow and working capital.
• Produce rolling 12-month cash flow forecasts.
• Manage banking relationships and funding requirements.
• Research grants, levies and funding opportunities.
• Provide strategic oversight of payroll, benefits, CIS and P11Ds.
• Own finance systems including Sage.
• Manage company insurance and governance processes.
• Monitor project profitability, WIP and forecast final positions.
• Review aged debt, retentions and applications for payment.
• Support commercial recovery strategies.
• Lead finance process improvements.
• Automate reporting and improve efficiency.
• Drive innovation through technology and data.
• Lead, mentor and develop the finance team.
• Promote accountability and continuous improvement.
• Support training and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Fully qualified accountant (ACCA/ACA/C

Tools

Sage

HubSpot

EQ2

Power BI

Job description

As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Financial Controller leads the finance function, providing strategic financial leadership, commercial insight and robust governance to support profitable growth and informed decision-making.

The role combines hands-on financial management with the development of business intelligence, commercial reporting and digital systems integration. The Financial Controller will drive continuous improvement through automation, data analytics and the production of meaningful management information that enables the Senior Leadership Team to make timely, evidence-based decisions.

Line Manager

• Finance Assistant

Key Contacts

Senior Leadership Team, Operational Managers, Commercial Team, Estimating Team, HR, IT providers, external accountants, auditors, banks, insurers and third-party software providers.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Be an active member of the Senior Leadership Team.
• Support and challenge the Managing Director and SLT with commercially focused financial advice.
• Promote financial discipline, accountability and continuous improvement across the business.
• Lead by example and create a high-performing finance function.
• Foster collaboration between Finance, Commercial and Operations.
• Lead the company's financial strategy in line with business objectives.
• Ensure strong financial controls, governance and compliance.
• Oversee VAT, CIS, Corporation Tax, payroll and statutory obligations.
• Manage external accountants, auditors, banks, insurers and advisers.
• Develop financial policies and internal controls.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning.
• Prepare monthly and annual management accounts with meaningful commercial commentary.
• Produce financial modelling to support strategic decisions.
• Identify financial trends, risks and opportunities.

Business Intelligence & Executive Reporting

• Own the development and continuous improvement of financial and commercial reporting.
• Design, develop and maintain executive-level Power BI dashboards.
• Produce monthly SLT and Board reporting packs combining financial, commercial and operational KPIs.
• Present financial information through clear visual reporting.
• Develop real-time reporting to improve decision making.

Digital Systems & Data Integration

• Lead integration between Sage, HubSpot, EQ2 and other business systems.
• Work with IT providers and software vendors to improve automation.
• Ensure data integrity across all business platforms.
• Reduce manual reporting through automation.

Commercial Business Partnering

• Work closely with the Commercial Director to review profitability and contract performance.
• Support CVR reviews and project forecasting.
• Challenge project performance and identify margin improvement opportunities.
• Support commercial decision making through financial analysis.

Cash Flow & Risk Management

• Manage cash flow and working capital.
• Produce rolling 12-month cash flow forecasts.
• Manage banking relationships and funding requirements.
• Research grants, levies and funding opportunities.

Payroll, Systems & Governance

• Provide strategic oversight of payroll, benefits, CIS and P11Ds.
• Own finance systems including Sage.
• Manage company insurance and governance processes.
• Monitor project profitability, WIP and forecast final positions.
• Review aged debt, retentions and applications for payment.
• Support commercial recovery strategies.
• Lead finance process improvements.
• Automate reporting and improve efficiency.
• Drive innovation through technology and data.
• Lead, mentor and develop the finance team.
• Promote accountability and continuous improvement.
• Support training and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA or CIMA).
• CIPP qualification or equivalent payroll experience.
• Construction industry Financial Controller experience.
• Extensive CIS, VAT and construction accounting knowledge.
• Strong understanding of project costing and construction cash flow.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel.
• Advanced Power BI dashboard creation and reporting.
• Experience integrating data across multiple business systems.
• Strong Sage and Microsoft business application skills.
• Experience producing automated executive reporting.
• Confident operating as part of a Senior Leadership Team.
• Sage 200 experience.
• SQL, Power Query or equivalent BI tools.

Personal Attributes

• Commercially aware with strong business acumen.
• Strategic thinker with excellent analytical skills.
• Data-driven and naturally inquisitive.
• Excellent communicator able to influence senior stakeholders.
• Solutions-focused with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Collaborative leadership style.
• Passionate about technology and business intelligence.