Financial Controller

Karter Thomas Limited; Hinckley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Karter Thomas Limited is seeking an experienced Financial Controller to lead financial control, reporting and compliance across UK and European entities. This hands-on leadership role focuses on month-end close, balance sheet integrity, statutory reporting and strong governance.

You will oversee audits, implement process improvements, and drive efficiencies in finance operations while developing a capable team and ensuring robust financial discipline across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Experience in Financial Controller or similar senior finance position.
• Experience managing month-end close and reporting.
• Strong financial controls, reconciliations and statutory reporting.
• Experience in multi-entity and/or multi-currency environments.
• Experience managing external audits and working with professional advisors.
• Strong VAT and financial compliance knowledge.
• Experience leading, supporting and developing finance teams.
• Strong commercial awareness with understanding of cashflow and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Lead the month-end close process across multiple entities.
• Ensure timely and accurate production of management accounts.
• Review and challenge P&L, balance sheet and cashflow reporting.
• Maintain a strong financial control framework across the business.
• Support delivery of accurate financial reporting to senior stakeholders.
• Take ownership of balance sheet reconciliations and reviews.
• Ensure all balance sheet accounts are supported, accurate and regularly reconciled.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Maintain robust audit trails and supporting documentation.
• Support the preparation of statutory accounts across multiple entities.
• Act as a key contact for external auditors and professional advisors.
• Ensure compliance with VAT, tax and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee group-wide VAT processes and submissions.
• Support audit preparedness and compliance activities.
• Monitor cashflow performance and liquidity requirements.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and cash reporting processes.
• Work with Accounts Payable and Credit Control teams to improve working capital management.
• Ensure cash forecasting information is accurate and reliable.
• Support and develop finance team members across reporting, AP and AR functions.
• Promote clear ownership, accountability and financial discipline.
• Drive process improvements, efficiencies and standardisation across finance operations.
• Support cross-training and knowledge sharing within the team.
• Support finance systems enhancements and optimisation projects.
• Assist with ERP improvements, including Business Central and related finance platforms.
• Contribute to shared service and finance transformation initiatives.
• Ensure finance processes remain scalable, controlled and fully documented.
• Lead the external audit process from a finance perspective.
• Ensure accurate and timely provision of audit information.
• Identify control weaknesses and implement corrective actions.
• Strengthen financial governance and operational controls across the business.

Skills

Financial reporting

Month-end close

Reconciliations

Audit management

Stakeholder management

Education

Qualified by Experience or ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Tools

ERP systems

Excel

Job description

Salary: £60,000 to £62,000 Reporting To: Group Finance Director
Location: Hinckley

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Financial Controller to play a key role in leading the financial control, reporting and compliance activities across a multi-entity UK and European business.

This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for ensuring the integrity, accuracy and robustness of financial reporting, while maintaining a strong financial control environment. Working closely with the Group Finance Director and wider finance team, you will oversee month-end reporting, balance sheet management, statutory compliance, audit processes and continuous improvement initiatives.

The successful candidate will combine strong technical accounting expertise with excellent organisational skills, commercial awareness and the ability to drive efficiencies across finance operations.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Control

• Lead the month-end close process across multiple entities.
• Ensure timely and accurate production of management accounts.
• Review and challenge P&L, balance sheet and cashflow reporting.
• Maintain a strong financial control framework across the business.
• Support delivery of accurate financial reporting to senior stakeholders.

Balance Sheet & Reconciliations

• Take ownership of balance sheet reconciliations and reviews.
• Ensure all balance sheet accounts are supported, accurate and regularly reconciled.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Maintain robust audit trails and supporting documentation.

Statutory Reporting & Compliance

• Support the preparation of statutory accounts across multiple entities.
• Act as a key contact for external auditors and professional advisors.
• Ensure compliance with VAT, tax and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee group-wide VAT processes and submissions.
• Support audit preparedness and compliance activities.

Cashflow & Working Capital

• Monitor cashflow performance and liquidity requirements.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and cash reporting processes.
• Work with Accounts Payable and Credit Control teams to improve working capital management.
• Ensure cash forecasting information is accurate and reliable.

Team Leadership & Process Improvement

• Support and develop finance team members across reporting, AP and AR functions.
• Promote clear ownership, accountability and financial discipline.
• Drive process improvements, efficiencies and standardisation across finance operations.
• Support cross-training and knowledge sharing within the team.

Systems & Transformation

• Support finance systems enhancements and optimisation projects.
• Assist with ERP improvements, including Business Central and related finance platforms.
• Contribute to shared service and finance transformation initiatives.
• Ensure finance processes remain scalable, controlled and fully documented.

Audit & Governance

• Lead the external audit process from a finance perspective.
• Ensure accurate and timely provision of audit information.
• Identify control weaknesses and implement corrective actions.
• Strengthen financial governance and operational controls across the business.

Essential Experience

• Experience in a Financial Controller, Finance Manager or similar senior finance position.
• Experience managing month-end reporting and financial close processes.
• Strong background in financial controls, reconciliations and statutory reporting.
• Experience working within multi-entity and/or multi-currency environments.
• Experience managing external audits and working with professional advisors.
• Strong VAT and financial compliance knowledge.
• Experience leading, supporting and developing finance teams.
• Strong commercial awareness with an understanding of cashflow, profitability and operational performance.

Qualifications

• Qualified by Experience (QBE), part-qualified or fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA).
• Advanced Excel skills and strong financial analysis capability.
• Experience working with ERP and finance systems.
• Professional accounting qualification desirable but not essential for experienced candidates.

Desirable Experience

• Experience supporting European operations.
• Experience in retail, manufacturing, wholesale, distribution or other fast-paced commercial environments.
• Exposure to shared service environments and finance transformation projects.
• Experience supporting acquisitions, integrations or business growth initiatives.

Key Skills

• Strong attention to detail and financial control mindset.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to prioritise and manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Process-driven with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Confident working independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• Ability to translate financial information into meaningful business insight.

What's on Offer?

• Opportunity to join a growing international business.
• Broad and varied role with exposure to UK and European operations.
• Significant involvement in finance transformation and process improvement initiatives.
• Leadership opportunity within a high-performing finance team.
• Collaborative environment with genuine opportunities for development and progression.