Financial Controller

JAM Recruitment Ltd; Langham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Management bonus

Private medical insurance

25 days' annual leave

5% employer pension contribution

Job summary

JAM Recruitment Ltd in Colchester is seeking a permanent Financial Controller to lead a small finance team and own end-to-end financial reporting, forecasting, and cash flow management. This office-based role sits on the Senior Leadership Team and reports to the CFO, with responsibility for robust controls and strategic insight.

You will drive month-end close, budgeting, and variance analysis, collaborate with sales, production and projects, and support growth with commercial analysis.

Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing/engineering/project-based environments.
• Proven ability to produce accurate management accounts to tight deadlines.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting, cash flow and balance sheet control.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with ability to explain financial information clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
• Proactive and commercially focused with the confidence to challenge and support colleagues at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a small finance team, ensuring high standards of financial control and reporting.
• Own month-end close and produce timely management accounts (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, WIP).
• Prepare information for monthly Board/Group reporting with variance analysis.
• Lead annual budgeting, rolling forecasts and short-term cash flow forecasting; manage working capital.
• Collaborate with sales, estimating, production and project management on costs, margins and performance.
• Provide commercial analysis to support pricing, capacity planning and capital investment.
• Improve project costing, WIP and margin reporting for visibility across projects.
• Drive finance improvements, automate processes, strengthen controls and integrate finance systems.
• Coordinate year-end audit and statutory/tax matters with external advisers.
• Contribute as a full member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Skills

Excel modelling

Education

ACCA/ACA/CIMA qualification or equivalent

Tools

Sage

Job description

Financial Controller

Based in Colchester, this permanent, full-time Financial Controller position carries a salary of £50,000–£60,000 plus a management bonus. Working on an office-based basis, you will lead a small finance team and join the Senior Leadership Team. Your remit spans financial reporting, commercial finance, forecasting, and cash flow management. You will deliver precise reporting and commercial insight to guide business performance and strategic decisions. The role requires strong leadership, analytical skill, and proficiency in managing end-to-end finance operations. You will take full ownership of the function, ensuring robust controls and supporting growth. This is a key appointment within an established organisation.

Financial Controller Colchester, Essex | £50,000–£60,000 + Management Bonus | Office-based | ASAP "Control your own destiny or someone else will." Jack Welch.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing a small finance team, ensuring a high standard of financial control and reporting.
• Owning the month-end close and producing timely management accounts, including P&L, balance sheet, cash flow and WIP reporting.
• Preparing financial information for monthly Board and Group reporting, including meaningful variance analysis.
• Leading the annual budgeting process, rolling forecasts and short-term cash flow forecasting, while overseeing working capital management.
• Working closely with sales, estimating, production and project management teams to understand costs, margins and project performance.
• Providing commercial analysis to support pricing, capacity planning, capital investment and other key business decisions.
• Improving project costing, WIP and margin reporting to give greater visibility of performance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Leading finance improvement projects, including process automation, strengthening controls and improving the integration between finance systems.
• Managing year-end audit requirements and coordinating statutory, tax and VAT matters with external advisers.
• Contributing as a full member of the Senior Leadership Team, supporting wider business decisions beyond the finance function.

About You

• A recognised accountancy qualification or be part-qualified, with ACA, ACCA or CIMA studies.
• Experience in a manufacturing, engineering, construction or other project-based environment, with an understanding of WIP, job costing and project margins.
• Proven experience of producing accurate management accounts to tight deadlines.
• Strong knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, cash flow and balance sheet control.
• Experience of delivering finance process, reporting or system improvements.
• External audit experience and a good understanding of statutory and tax requirements.
• Strong Microsoft Excel modelling skills and a good working knowledge of Sage.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to explain financial information clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
• A proactive and commercially focused approach, with the confidence to challenge and support colleagues at all levels.

What's on Offer

• Salary: Up to £60,000 per annum
• Management bonus scheme
• 25 days' annual leave , plus bank holidays
• 5% employer pension contribution
• Private medical insurance

Start date: ASAP

You are required to be eligible to work in the UK full time without restriction.