Financial Controller

CMA Recruitment Group; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-related bonus

Generous pension (up to 12%)

Hybrid and flexible working

28 days’ annual leave + bank holidays

Job summary

CMA Recruitment Group is partnering with a high-profile, long-established, data and technology-led organisation to appoint a Financial Controller in the United Kingdom. The role leads a team of 20 across Technical Accounting, Management Reporting and Finance Operations, shaping the control environment and driving automation.

The successful candidate will bring strong technical accounting expertise, a proven leadership track record, and the ability to partner with senior stakeholders to improve

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent.
• Significant experience in senior financial control, group accounting or financial reporting within a complex organisation.
• Proven leader of leaders with a track record of building high-performing finance teams.
• Deep technical accounting expertise, including statutory accounts, annual reports and audits end to end.
• Experience driving finance systems improvement, automation or digital transformation.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing the central finance teams, including leading other leaders, and creating a high-performing culture.
• Owning the financial control framework, ensuring policies, controls, governance meet regulatory and shareholder requirements.
• Leading end-to-end annual report, statutory accounts and external audit processes and setting delivery frameworks.
• Building strong relationships with leadership, Board Audit & Risk Committee and audit partners as trusted adviser.
• Overseeing core accounting activity, including month-end and year-end close, finance operations and compliance.
• Acting as business owner for the finance ERP (Dynamics 365) and delivering roadmap with Tech Services for improved reporting integrity and control.

Skills

Leadership

Financial reporting

Statutory accounting

Audit liaison

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Tools

Dynamics 365

Job description

CMA Recruitment Group is partnering with a high-profile, long-established, data and technology-led organisation to appoint a Financial Controller.

This is a senior leadership role within a complex organisation. You will lead a team of 20 through three direct reports across Technical Accounting, Management Reporting and Finance Operations, setting the direction that gives the business confidence in its financial information and supports better decision-making.

It is a role for someone who sees leadership and culture as central to their impact. You will bring a fresh perspective to how finance operates and lead the function towards a more automated, AI-enabled future.

What will the Financial Controller role involve?

• Leading and developing the central finance teams, including leading other leaders, and creating a positive, high-performing and accountable culture.
• Owning the financial control framework, ensuring accounting policies, controls and governance processes operate effectively and meet statutory, regulatory and shareholder requirements.
• Leading the end-to-end annual report, statutory accounts and external audit process, and setting the frameworks for delivery across the team.
• Building strong relationships with the leadership team, Board Audit & Risk Committee and audit partners, acting as a trusted adviser on control, governance and technical accounting.
• Overseeing all core accounting activity, including month-end and year-end close, financial operations and compliance.
• Acting as business owner for the finance ERP, Dynamics 365, and setting the delivery roadmap with Technology Services to improve reporting integrity, automation and control effectiveness.
• Leading the transformation of finance roles and processes, using automation and AI to create capacity for higher-value activity.

Suitable Candidate for the Financial Controller vacancy:

• A recognised professional accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Significant experience in senior financial control, group accounting or financial reporting within a complex organisation.
• A proven leader of leaders, with a track record of building high-performing finance teams and a positive team culture.
• Deep technical accounting expertise, with experience leading statutory accounts, annual reports and audits end to end.
• Confidence engaging with senior leadership, Audit & Risk Committees and audit partners.
• Experience driving finance systems improvement, automation or digital transformation, ideally including Dynamics 365.

Additional benefits and information for the role of Financial Controller:

• Performance-related bonus.
• Generous pension, with employer contributions of up to 12%.
• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with service.
• Enhanced family leave, including paid partner leave.
• Hybrid and flexible working.
• Strong learning and development support, including coaching and mentoring.
• Wellbeing support, volunteering leave and matched fundraising.