Financial Controller

Acadia; Hertford; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Acadia is seeking an experienced Financial Controller to lead our UK finance function, based at our Head Office in Harlow before relocating to Hertford later this year. The role requires strong technical accounting, commercial insight and hands-on leadership to improve profitability and cash flow.

You will own month-end close, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and reporting, while developing the finance team and ensuring robust controls in a fast-moving, project-based live events environment.

Qualifications

• ACCA/ACA/CIMA qualification required.
• Strong technical accounting and financial reporting experience.
• Experience across month-end, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow and working capital.
• Experience leading and developing a Finance team.
• Strong financial controls, audit and statutory compliance.
• Commercial mindset with ability to drive performance.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to challenge processes and drive improvements.
• Ownership mindset with delivery focus.
• Interest in process improvement and automation.
• Attention to detail with broad commercial view.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management.
• Excellent organisation and time management.
• Resilience in fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative leadership style.
• Experience in project-based/live events is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end month-end close and prepare monthly management accounts.
• Analyse performance against budget/forecast and provide commentary.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and commercial analysis.
• Manage cash flow forecasting and working capital.
• Improve invoicing and cash collection with other teams.
• Oversee payroll, pensions and employee benefits with controls.
• Maintain banking, payment and card controls and authorisations.
• Lead and develop the Finance team.
• Review processes, systems and controls for automation.
• Maintain robust financial control and risk management.
• Partner with business to provide financial advice and challenge decisions.

Skills

ACCA/ACA/CIMA

Financial reporting

Month-end close

Cash flow management

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

Process improvement

Education

Professional accounting qualification

Job description

We are a global video and lighting service provider with multiple locations across the UK and the US. We bring unrivalled service and technical know-how to every project we deliver, supporting exhibitions, concerts, touring, conferences, theatre, TV, film and retail.

We are seeking an experienced Financial Controller to join our finance team and play a key role in the effective management and continued development of our UK finance function. This role is currently based at our Head Office in Harlow, Essex; however, it will relocate to our new Hertford facility towards the end of this year.

Reporting to the Finance Director, the Financial Controller will oversee the day-to-day finance operation, ensuring accurate financial reporting, robust controls, effective cash flow management and compliance with all relevant financial and regulatory requirements. This is a hands-on role within a fast-moving business, combining strong technical accounting with commercial insight, team leadership and continuous improvement.

The role is not simply about producing accurate numbers. We are looking for someone who understands the story behind the numbers, can identify risks and opportunities, challenge the business where appropriate and turn financial information into practical actions that improve performance, profitability and cash flow.

Primary Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end month-end close process and prepare accurate monthly management accounts, ensuring balance sheet reconciliations and accounting treatments are complete and appropriately supported.
• Analyse financial performance against budget, forecast and prior periods, identifying trends, risks and opportunities and providing clear commentary and recommendations.
• Support the Finance Director with budgeting, forecasting and commercial analysis, providing financial insight into revenue, margin, profitability and project performance.
• Own daily, weekly and rolling 13-week cash flow forecasting, monitoring working capital, cash collection, supplier payments and liquidity.
• Work with Sales, Project Management and other teams to improve invoicing, resolve billing issues and support stronger cash collection.
• Oversee payroll, pensions and employee benefits, ensuring accurate processing, appropriate controls and legislative compliance.
• Maintain effective banking, payment and corporate card controls, including appropriate authorisation and segregation of duties.
• Lead, manage and develop the Finance team, creating a positive, accountable and collaborative environment.
• Continuously review Finance processes, systems and controls, identifying opportunities to automate, simplify and improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Maintain a robust financial control environment, proactively identifying financial, operational, tax and compliance risks and ensuring appropriate action is taken.
• Build strong relationships across the business and act as a trusted Finance partner, providing clear financial advice and constructively challenging decisions where appropriate.
• Promote greater financial accountability and early Finance involvement in commercial and operational decision-making.
• Take ownership of accounting issues and discrepancies, ensuring problems are investigated and resolved rather than simply reported.

Working hours

Full time, 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday with the ability to facilitate regular overtime.

About You

We are looking for an experienced Financial Controller who combines strong technical accounting skills with commercial awareness, leadership ability and a genuine desire to improve the way things are done.

• A formal accountancy qualification such as ACCA, ACA or CIMA.
• Strong technical accounting and financial reporting experience
• Significant experience across month-end, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow and working capital management
• Experience leading, developing and supporting a Finance team
• Strong financial controls, audit and statutory compliance experience
• A commercially minded approach and an interest in understanding how the business makes money and how Finance can improve performance
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to understand the story behind the numbers.
• Confidence to constructively challenge processes, assumptions and decisions where appropriate
• A natural ownership mindset, with the ability to follow issues through to resolution and deliver results
• A strong interest in process improvement, automation and finding better, more efficient ways of working.
• Excellent attention to detail without losing sight of the wider commercial picture.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain financial information clearly to colleagues at all levels.
• Excellent organisation and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Resilience and the ability to remain calm and effective in a fast-paced and changing environment.
• A positive, approachable and collaborative style, with the ability to build a high-performing team and contribute positively to the wider company culture.
• A willingness to get involved and roll up your sleeves when required.
• Experience of within a project based, rental, service led or live events environment would be advantageous but is not essential.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Financial Controller to make a genuine impact within a growing business, helping to develop a Finance function that is accurate, controlled, efficient and commercially focused.

If you are someone who takes ownership, enjoys solving problems and is always looking for a better way of doing things, we’d welcome your application.