Financial Controller / Accountant - Freelance / Contract - Part Time

Real Group Ltd; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 65,000; Part time

Job summary

Real Group Ltd is seeking a part-time Financial Controller with a strong focus on controls, governance, and technical accounting. You will lead financial operations within a dynamic apprenticeship business, ensuring accuracy and efficiency across all financial processes. If you're passionate about driving meaningful change in education and possess advanced Excel skills along with solid experience in financial management, we want to hear from you!

Benefits

Flexible working

Competitive salary and benefits package

Supportive team environment

Opportunity for professional growth

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant post-qualified experience required.
• Strong focus on controls, governance, and technical accounting.
• Experience leading financial operations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead all month-end close activities, including ledger management.
• Deliver accurate, timely group Management Accounts.
• Drive budgeting and forecasting across the group.

Skills

Advanced Excel skills

Data consolidation skills

Attention to detail

Controls and governance focus

Technical accounting

Education

Qualified Accountant (CIMA, ACA, ACCA)

Job description

Financial Controller / Accountant - Freelance / Contract - Part Time

Financial Controller / Accountant - Freelance / Contract - Part Time

1 week ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Join a mission-driven team making a real impact in education.

Real Group is looking for a talented and detail-focused Interim Financial Controller to take the lead on financial operations within our dynamic and growing apprenticeship business.

Reporting to the Group Finance Director, you’ll ensure accuracy, integrity, and efficiency across all core financial processes-from ledger management to insightful monthly reporting.

If you thrive in a fast-paced, purpose-led environment and are passionate about using your financial expertise to support meaningful change, we’d love to hear from you.

The Role at a Glance:

Stevenage Office – 1 to 2 days in office

Reporting to: Group Finance Director

Awards: 2022 Education Investor Award for ‘Exporting Excellence” and Several Courses Shortlisted for the 2023 and 2024 Teach Awards

Product / Service: Innovative fusion of psychology, education and technology

Purpose: Develop and execute the marketing strategy for our key brands and educational courses in order to achieve ambitious growth targets.

Your Skills: Minimum 10+ years of relevant post-qualified experience. Strong focus on controls, governance, and technical accounting. Strong data consolidation skills.

Advanced Excel skills.

About Us:

At Real Group, we’re all about empowering educators and changing lives. Whether it’s teachers, education professionals, or psychologists, we deliver cutting-edge development and training courses that inspire and transform. Delivered face-to-face, online, or blended, our innovative approach fuses psychology, education, and technology to push boundaries and make a real difference across the globe.

Globally recognised as trailblazers in our field, we’re on an exciting growth journey—expanding our existing courses and creating new products and services to help shape the future of education.

Founded by educational psychologists, we pride ourselves on a positive, people-first culture where our values drive everything we do. Diversity, inclusion, and ethical practice aren’t just words to us—they’re our foundation.

Every day, we focus on what matters most: empowering educators, promoting inclusive practices, and positively impacting children’s lives. If you’re ready to join a forward-thinking, values-driven company making waves in education, let’s talk!

The Financial Controller role:

We're looking for a driven Financial Controller to join our growing team on a temporary basis! In this key role, you'll lead all financial operations for our apprenticeship business-owning everything from ledger management to month-end close. You'll ensure accuracy, efficiency, and integrity across all financial processes, while delivering timely, insightful monthly management accounts that help drive strategic decisions. If you're passionate about making an impact and love turning numbers into meaningful analysis, we want to hear from you!

Key tasks and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead all month-end close activities, including ledger management, payroll, bank payments, and reconciliations.

• Maintain rolling P&L and cashflow forecasts, including projected staff costs.

• Deliver accurate, timely group Management Accounts - P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow.

• Reconcile apprenticeship levy payments with learner data; track key KPIs by standard, age, and funding.

• Drive budgeting and forecasting across group, entity, and departmental levels.

• Analyze financial performance, explain variances, and recommend actions.

• Reconcile monthly bank balances and resolve outstanding items promptly.

About you:

• You will be a qualified accountant (CIMA, ACA, ACCA) with a minimum 10+ years of relevant post-qualified experience

• You’ll have a strong focus on controls, governance, and technical accounting

• Advanced Excel skills

• Excellent attention to detail

You’ll be looked after:

We build our team with talented, positive-thinking and experienced individuals from diverse backgrounds. Working with us brings many benefits including:

+ Flexible working within a friendly, supportive team

+ Competitive salary and benefits package

+ Hybrid work environment (60% in office / 40% at home) with flexibility

+ Opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing organization

Your Background / Previous Roles May Include: Management Accountant, Financial Accountant, Assistant Financial Controller, Finance Manager, Senior Accountant

Application notice... We take your privacy seriously. As you might expect you may be contacted by email, text or telephone. Your data is processed by our talent partner RR (Recruitment Revolution) on the basis of their legitimate interests in fulfilling the recruitment process. Please refer to their Data Privacy Policy & Notice on their website for further details.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Part-time

Job function

• Job function

  Accounting/Auditing and Finance

• Industries

  Education Administration Programs

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