Financial Controller

Royal Shakespeare Company; Stratford-upon-Avon; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working (3 onsite days, 2 days/

Great benefits

Job summary

Royal Shakespeare Company is seeking an experienced Financial Controller to lead and strengthen transactional finance, delivering accurate, timely and well-controlled operations. The role, reporting to the Head of Financial Accounting and Control, focuses on AP/AR management, cash forecasting and enhanced controls across a collaborative finance team.

Based in Stratford-upon-Avon, the full-time position involves a 35-hour week, with a requirement of at least 3 days in the office and 2 days

Qualifications

• Qualified accounting professional (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) or part-qualified with significant experience.
• Significant experience managing finance operations or transactional accounting in a medium/large organisation.
• Proven leadership of AP and AR functions.
• Strong understanding of accounting principles, controls and month-end close.
• Experience in improving and automating financial processes and systems.
• Strong cash management, cash flow forecasting and liquidity management.

Responsibilities

• Leading day-to-day financial operations, including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, cash, and month-end close
• Managing and developing AP and AR teams, setting priorities and supporting performance and progression
• Overseeing cash management and liquidity
• Cash flow forecasting, with clear reporting to senior stakeholders
• Driving process improvement, automation, and system optimisation across financial operations
• Strengthening financial controls, risk management, and compliance with audit and regulatory requirements
• Acting as a key finance contact for departments, auditors, banks, and suppliers

Skills

Leadership experience in finance

Accounts Payable management

Accounts Receivable management

Month-end close proficiency

Process improvement & automation

Cash management & liquidity

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Job description

Are you an experienced Financial Controller with excellent leadership skills? Have you found ways to deliver process improvements and automation in financial operations? Are you looking for a hands‑on, operational role that you can shape and develop?

In this newly developed role, we are looking for an experienced Financial Controller to lead and strengthen the organisation's financial transactional operations, ensuring accurate, timely, and well‑controlled transactional finance, strong cash management, and continuous process improvement.

Reporting to the Head of Financial Accounting and Control, key areas of responsibility include (please see the Role Profile for the comprehensive list):

• Leading day‑to‑day financial operations, including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, cash, and month‑end close
• Managing and developing AP and AR teams, setting priorities and supporting performance and progression
• Overseeing cash management and liquidity
• Cash flow forecasting, with clear reporting to senior stakeholders
• Driving process improvement, automation, and system optimisation across financial operations
• Strengthening financial controls, risk management, and compliance with audit and regulatory requirements
• Acting as a key finance contact for departments, auditors, banks, and suppliers

To be suitable for this role, it is essential that you have the following:

• A professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), or are part‑qualified with significant relevant experience
• Significant experience managing finance operations or transactional accounting in a medium or large organisation
• Proven leadership of Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions
• Strong understanding of accounting principles, financial controls, and month‑end close processes
• Demonstrable experience of improving and automating financial processes and systems
• Strong cash management, cash flow forecasting, and liquidity management capability

This is a full‑time, permanent position based in Stratford‑upon‑Avon.

You will be working 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with a minimum of 3 days onsite in the office and 2 days remote working.

The role sits within a collaborative finance team, working closely with colleagues across the organisation to support effective financial management and decision‑making.

About the RSC

The RSC strives for excellence, and values creativity, inclusivity, sustainability, collaboration, and accountability.

We can offer great benefits and aim to create a welcoming, supportive environment which is happy, healthy and safe. We place great importance upon developing a diverse, highly motivated and energised workforce to help achieve our priorities. We put our values at the heart of everything we do.

We are committed to building a diverse workforce and welcome applications from all individuals.

We believe that safeguarding children and adults is everyone's responsibility, and everybody working at the RSC has a duty to place safeguarding at the heart of their work. We welcome candidates who will support and advocate the RSC's environmental objectives continuing to improve our sustainability work and actions both on and off stage.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (no. 212481) is a registered charity.