Financial Controller

Kirkland Associates; Leicester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kirkland Associates is seeking an experienced Financial Controller to oversee day-to-day finance operations for a growing organisation in Leicester. Reporting to the Director of Finance, you will maintain strong controls, deliver accurate reporting and support strategic decision-making across the business.

You will lead and mentor the finance team, supervise month-end and year-end close, and provide insightful variance analysis, budgeting and forecasting to drive informed decisions.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
• Experience leading a finance team in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information to non-finance stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Oversee monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements with accurate close processes.
• Lead month-end and year-end close, ensuring robust controls.
• Provide variance analysis against budgets and forecasts.
• Support financial planning, forecasting and strategic analysis.

Skills

Leadership

Financial reporting

Variance analysis

Strategic planning

Communication with stakeholders

Advanced Excel

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Tools

Excel

Job description

My client is seeking an experienced and proactive Financial Controller to oversee the day-to-day financial operations of a growing organisation. Reporting directly to the Director of Finance, this role will play a key part in maintaining strong financial controls, delivering accurate reporting, and supporting strategic decision-making across the business.

A significant focus of this position is leadership. The Financial Controller will lead, mentor, and develop the finance team, fostering a high-performance culture built on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. They will allocate responsibilities, provide guidance and support, and ensure best practices are embedded across the finance function. As a senior member of the department, the successful candidate will play an important role in strengthening processes, maintaining robust controls, and driving the ongoing development of the team.

From a technical perspective, the Financial Controller will oversee the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, ensuring accuracy and compliance with relevant accounting standards. They will manage the month-end and year-end close processes, monitor financial performance, and provide variance analysis against budgets and forecasts. Working closely with the Director of Finance, the role will also support financial planning, forecasting, and strategic analysis.

The Candidate:

The successful candidate will be a professionally qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent) with proven experience in a Financial Controller, Finance Manager, or similar leadership role. They will bring strong technical accounting knowledge, excellent analytical skills, advanced Excel capability, and the ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.

This role would suit a highly organised, proactive professional with strong leadership capability who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is motivated by the opportunity to lead a team while contributing to the continued growth of the business.

INDC