Financial Controller

Sowena Group; Preston; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Sowena Group based in Preston is seeking a Financial Controller to take full responsibility for the financial management, control, and reporting of one of the group’s largest divisions. Reporting into senior finance leadership, the role is hands-on in a fast-paced environment, driving governance, cash generation, and business partnering with operational stakeholders.

This senior role will evolve to more commercial support, working with Group Finance, Treasury, Systems and Compliance teams to

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent.
• Strong experience in management accounting, financial control, and month-end reporting.
• Experience in operational or project-based environments (construction, civil engineering, contracting, or related).
• Experience supporting finance transformation initiatives or systems implementations desirable.
• Strong understanding of UK GAAP.
• Knowledge of contract accounting including WIP reporting and margin recognition advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the monthly management accounts process, including P&L, balance sheet reconciliations and variance analysis.
• Maintain and strengthen financial controls across the division and drive governance and accuracy.
• Oversee cashflow forecasting, working capital management, and cash collection activities.
• Lead annual budgeting and forecasting, develop KPIs and enhance reporting quality.
• Ensure timely preparation of statutory accounts, support external audits and manage relationships with advisers.
• Act as primary finance contact for operational leadership and deliver commercially focused financial support.

Skills

Attention to detail

Stakeholder management

Commercial mindset

Strong communication

Organisational skills

Hands-on approach

Resilience

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Job description

Sowena Group has been exclusively retained to support a high-growth group of companies based in Preston in the search for a Financial Controller.

Reporting into senior finance leadership, the Financial Controller will take full responsibility for the financial management, control, and reporting of one of the Group’s largest divisions.

This is a hands-on position within a large, complex, and evolving business. The successful candidate will be comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment, willing to immerse themselves in the detail, and capable of driving high standards of financial control and reporting.

As the Group continues to enhance its finance processes and systems, the role will evolve to include greater commercial support and business partnering responsibilities, working closely with operational stakeholders to drive performance, profitability, and cash generation.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the monthly management accounts process, including profit and loss reporting, balance sheet reconciliations, and detailed variance analysis within a complex, high-volume environment.
• Maintain and strengthen financial controls across the division, ensuring alignment with Group standards while driving continuous improvement in governance, accuracy, and financial discipline.
• Oversee cashflow forecasting, working capital management, and cash collection activities in collaboration with Group credit functions.
• Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting processes, while developing meaningful KPIs and enhancing the quality of financial reporting and analysis.
• Ensure the timely and accurate preparation of statutory accounts, supporting the external audit process and managing relationships with external advisers.

Operational Finance & Business Partnering

• Act as the primary finance contact for operational leadership teams, providing practical and commercially focused financial support.
• Deliver insightful analysis to support decision-making around cost control, margin improvement, operational efficiency, and business performance.
• Support contract accounting activities, including work-in-progress (WIP) reporting and profitability analysis across large-scale earthworks and related contracts.
• Translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights for non-financial stakeholders.

Systems, Integration & Transformation

• Ensure ongoing alignment with Group finance systems, reporting standards, and control frameworks.
• Drive improvements in financial processes, reporting consistency, and operational efficiency in preparation for a future shared services model.
• Support the transition from manual processes to scalable, system-led reporting and controls.

Team & Stakeholder Management

• Provide oversight and guidance to the transactional finance team, ensuring the effective delivery of core finance processes.
• Support and advise non-finance colleagues involved in finance-related activities across the business.
• Collaborate closely with Group Finance, Treasury, Systems, and Compliance teams to maintain consistency and alignment across the wider organisation.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).
• Strong experience in management accounting, financial control, and ownership of month-end reporting processes.
• Experience within an operational or project-based environment, such as construction, civil engineering, contracting, or a related sector.
• Proven ability to work effectively within fast-paced businesses with evolving or developing finance processes.
• Experience supporting finance transformation initiatives or systems implementations is desirable.
• Strong understanding of UK GAAP.
• Knowledge of contract accounting, including WIP reporting and long-term project revenue and margin recognition, would be advantageous.

Skills & Attributes

• Hands-on, resilient, and comfortable operating in a demanding and fast-moving environment.
• Strong attention to detail, with a commitment to accuracy, control, and timely delivery.
• Highly organised, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Confident communicator with the ability to build relationships and influence both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Commercially minded, with the potential to develop into a broader business partnering and finance leadership role.