Financial Controller

Lime Talent; Southampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Lime Talent is assisting a growing branded foods business in Southampton to recruit a Financial Controller. The role takes ownership of the finance function, ensuring robust cash flow, margins, and controls while influencing strategic decisions alongside the CEO.

The position offers hands-on financial leadership, end-to-end accounting responsibility, and scope to shape a small finance team as the business scales in the UK and abroad.

Qualifications

• Experience as Financial Controller or Finance Manager with hands-on control of the numbers.
• Strong commercial mindset with focus on cash, cost and margin.
• Ability to lead a small finance team and work with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Build rolling cash forecasts to fund operations and manage working capital.
• Lead month-end, management accounts, reconciliations and variance commentary.
• Coordinate VAT, corporation tax, audit and financial controls.
• Analyse profitability by product, channel and distributor and advise on cost of goods and spend.
• Develop and mentor a small transactional finance team.
• Review systems and processes and drive improvements for growth.

Skills

Financial control

Cash flow management

Commercial mindset

Leadership

Stakeholder communication

Tools

Xero

Sage

SAP Business One

Job description

Financial Controller

Southampton

Salary - £60,000 - £70,000

Lime Talent is working with a growing branded food and drink business that sells through several channels in the UK and overseas. They now want a Financial Controller to take ownership of the finance function, reporting directly to the CEO.

The role combines hands-on control of the numbers with real commercial influence. You’ll make sure the business always knows where it stands on cash, cost and margin, and you’ll help shape decisions as it scales. You’ll also play an active part in a senior leadership team that is still taking shape, so this suits someone who wants their work to make a visible difference.

Key responsibilities:

• Build and maintain rolling cash forecasts that keep production and purchasing properly funded, while managing debtors and supplier terms to protect working capital
• Lead the month-end process, producing timely management accounts, reconciliations and clear variance commentary
• Manage VAT, corporation tax and other statutory filings, coordinate the annual audit, and put robust financial controls in place
• Give the business a sharper view of profitability by analysing margin by product, channel and distributor, and challenging cost of goods, stock provisions, logistics and promotional spend
• Lead and develop a small transactional finance team
• Review current systems and processes, then introduce improvements that will support further growth in the UK and abroad

This role would suit someone who:

• Has experience as a Financial Controller, Finance Manager or similar, ideally within FMCG, food and drink or another product-led business
• Is confident across the full finance cycle, from the ledgers through to statutory compliance and audit
• Has a commercial mindset, with experience of stock control, product costing and margin analysis
• Has managed or developed a small team and enjoys being hands-on when needed
• Is comfortable with finance and ERP systems such as Xero, Sage or SAP Business One, and has helped improve them
• Communicates well with senior colleagues and non-finance stakeholders

We are committed to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces, and we encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that a variety of viewpoints fosters innovation and strengthens teams. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age.

Lime Talent is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy.

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