Financial Controller

The Collective Network Limited; Westry; On-site; GBP 68,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

The Collective Network Limited seeks a Financial Controller in Cambridgeshire to lead the finance function, work closely with the MD and leadership team, and own the financial performance.

You will drive budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and profitability analyses, turning financial data into strategic actions, while developing the finance team and ensuring robust controls.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with ACA, ACCA or CIMA and relevant senior finance experience.
• Experience in financial controller or finance manager roles.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting and cash management capability.
• Commercial mindset with ability to challenge stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end finance function with strong financial control.
• Lead management information production to show performance.
• Drive annual budget, forecasting and long-term planning.
• Monitor cash, working capital and financial performance.
• Analyze product and customer profitability and cost movements.
• Collaborate with operations to identify efficiencies.
• Develop KPIs and reporting for the senior leadership team.
• Oversee year-end audit, statutory accounts and tax/compliance.
• Manage and develop the finance team.
• Continue to improve processes, controls and systems.

Skills

Management accounting

Financial control

Budgeting & forecasting

Cash management

Commercial awareness

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Financial analysis

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

Financial Controller

Location: Cambridgeshire
Salary: £75,000 + benefits

The Role

We're working with a successful food manufacturing business that is looking to strengthen its senior finance capability with the appointment of a Financial Controller.

This is a key position within the business, giving you a seat close to the senior leadership team and genuine ownership of the financial performance of the organisation.

You’ll be responsible for ensuring the finance function operates effectively, but equally important will be your ability to turn financial information into actions that improve performance.

Working closely with the Managing Director and wider leadership team, you’ll have visibility across the operation and the opportunity to influence decisions around profitability, costs, cash, investment and growth.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Take ownership of the end-to-end finance function and ensure strong financial control.
• Lead the production of management information that gives the business a clear view of performance.
• Drive the annual budget, forecasting and longer-term financial planning process.
• Monitor cash, working capital and financial performance, identifying areas requiring attention.
• Analyse product and customer profitability, margins and cost movements to support better commercial decisions.
• Work alongside operational teams to identify efficiencies and improve financial performance.
• Develop meaningful KPIs and reporting for the senior leadership team.
• Oversee the year-end audit, statutory accounts and wider tax and compliance requirements.
• Manage, support and develop the existing finance team.
• Continue to improve the processes, controls and systems underpinning the finance function.

What You’ll Bring

We're looking for a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) who has developed beyond purely technical finance and enjoys understanding how a business actually operates.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Experience at Financial Controller, Finance Manager or equivalent level.
• Strong management accounting and financial control experience.
• Solid budgeting, forecasting and cash management capability.
• Commercial awareness and the confidence to challenge senior stakeholders.
• Experience working closely with operations and non-finance teams.
• Previous experience within food, FMCG or manufacturing.
• Experience managing and developing a finance team.
• Strong analytical and systems skills.

Why Consider It?

This is a role for someone who wants to be close to the decision-making rather than sitting on the sidelines producing reports.

You’ll have the opportunity to build on what is already in place, improve the visibility and effectiveness of the finance function and become a trusted partner to the MD and wider leadership team.

If you’re a commercially minded finance professional looking for a role where your experience, judgement and ideas will genuinely be listened to, this is worth a conversation