Financial Controller

Axon Moore; Penwortham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Axon Moore are partnering with a growing, private equity-backed business to recruit a Financial Controller into its finance leadership team. This role owns the management accounts function, strengthens financial controls and drives improvements across finance operations.

The successful candidate will lead a high-quality, commercially focused finance function, delivering accurate and timely reporting, insightful business partnering and robust end-to-end financial processes.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with PQE in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge including month-end close and reporting.
• Proven ability to lead finance operations and drive process improvements.
• Experience developing finance teams and partnering with senior stakeholders.
• Proactive, commercially focused mindset with ability to turn data into insight.

Responsibilities

• Lead management accounts, accounts payable, bank reconciliations and cash management.
• Own and streamline month-end close with accurate, timely reporting across entities.
• Produce consolidated monthly management accounts aligned to the business needs.
• Drive cash flow forecasting and working capital improvements.
• Develop understanding of cost of sales and gross profit, identify improvement opportunities.
• Deliver profitability reporting across sites, services and cost centres for decision-making.
• Partner with budget holders on forecasts and financial performance.
• Provide clear P&L and cash flow analysis to improve profitability.
• Strengthen financial controls through robust processes and governance.
• Lead finance process improvements including automation and digitisation.
• Manage and develop the finance team and ensure high service standards.
• Support senior leaders with ad-hoc analysis and strategic initiatives.

Skills

Management accounting

Financial reporting

Financial controls

Business partnering

Advanced Excel

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Axon Moore are delighted to be partnering with a growing, private equity-backed business to recruit a Financial Controller into its finance leadership team.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced finance professional to take ownership of the management accounts function, strengthen financial controls and drive improvements across the wider finance operation.

The successful candidate will lead a high-quality, commercially focused finance function, delivering accurate and timely reporting, insightful business partnering and robust end-to-end financial processes.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Lead finance operations across management accounts, accounts payable, bank reconciliations and cash management.
• Own and streamline the month end close process, ensuring accurate, timely and well controlled reporting across multiple entities.
• Produce insightful consolidated monthly management accounts aligned to the needs of the wider business.
• Drive working capital performance through effective cash flow forecasting, payment management, stock control and banking processes.
• Develop a strong understanding of cost of sales and gross profit across the business, identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Deliver detailed profitability reporting across sites, services and cost centres to support senior leadership decision-making.
• Partner with departmental and operational leaders on budgets, forecasts and financial performance.
• Provide clear and commercially focused P&L and cash flow analysis, identifying opportunities to improve profitability.
• Strengthen the financial control environment through robust processes, reconciliations and governance.
• Lead and deliver finance process improvements, including opportunities to automate and digitise processes and systems.
• Manage, develop and motivate the finance team, ensuring high standards of performance and service delivery.
• Support senior finance leaders with ad-hoc analysis, projects and wider strategic initiatives.

Essential experience:

• ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent qualification, with significant post-qualification experience.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including month-end close, financial reporting and financial controls.
• Proven experience leading finance operations and driving process improvements within a fast‑paced environment.
• Experience managing and developing finance teams, with a focus on performance and service delivery.
• A strong track record of business partnering with operational leaders and senior stakeholders.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong experience with financial reporting tools.
• Experience working with integrated finance/ERP systems.
• Demonstrable experience improving, automating and digitising finance systems and processes to increase efficiency, accuracy and control.
• A proactive, inquisitive and commercially focused approach, with the ability to turn financial information into meaningful business insight.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing, PE‑backed organisation at an exciting stage of its development. The role offers significant scope to influence the finance function, improve processes and controls, and work closely with senior stakeholders to drive business performance.