Financial Controller (Maternity Cover)

RD Financial Recruitment; Marlow; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

Group Life Assurance

Group Income Protection

Employee Assistance Programme

Staff discount

Job summary

RD Financial Recruitment is seeking a Senior Management Accountant for a fixed-term maternity cover in Marlow. You will lead monthly management accounts, forecasting, and cashflow, while maintaining strong financial controls and commercial insight across a fashion brand.

You will report to the CFO, manage a small finance team, and work across buying, merchandising, operations and marketing to drive informed decisions. Hybrid work with office days 2–3 per week.

Qualifications

• Strong Excel and analytical skills required.
• Experience producing month-end management accounts.
• ACCA/CIMA/ACA or equivalent professional qualification.
• Experience managing or developing a small finance team.

Responsibilities

• Produce monthly management accounts, comparing performance against budget, forecast and prior year.
• Provide commercial analysis and recommendations to support business decision‑making.
• Analyse profitability across e‑commerce and retail channels including margins and KPIs.
• Work with Buying and Merchandising on purchasing, margins, inventory and supply-chain finance.
• Monitor margins at SKU/category level, including markdown planning and sell-through targets.
• Analyse supply-chain costs including freight, duty and warehousing.
• Lead and develop a small finance team and oversee balance sheet reconciliations.
• Support budgeting, audit and statutory reporting.

Skills

Excel

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Stakeholder management

Month-end accounting

Education

ACCA/CIMA/ACA or equivalent

Tools

NetSuite

ERP systems

Job description

Senior Management Accountant Marlow Full-Time Fixed-Term Contract 6-9 months £70k-£80k

Are you an experienced Management Accountant who enjoys working closely with a wider business and using financial information to drive better decisions? Do you have strong experience across management accounts, forecasting, cashflow and financial control?

This company is looking for a Senior Management Accountant to join their Finance team on a fixed-term maternity cover contract. Reporting directly to the CFO, this is a hands‑on role with responsibility for the day‑to‑day running of the finance function, while providing commercial insight across a fast‑growing, purpose‑led fashion brand.

If you enjoy working in a varied role where you can make a genuine commercial impact, we'd love to hear from you.

The Role

Reporting into the CFO, you will take ownership of monthly management accounts, financial reporting, forecasting and cashflow management, while ensuring strong financial controls are maintained across the business.

You'll work closely with teams including Buying, Merchandising, Operations, Digital Marketing and Retail, providing financial insight across areas such as profitability, margins, inventory, marketing performance and supply‑chain costs.

You'll also manage and develop a small finance team, oversee balance sheet reconciliations and support budgeting, audit and statutory reporting.

This is a varied role combining financial control, commercial analysis, forecasting and team leadership within a fast‑paced retail environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Produce monthly management accounts, comparing performance against budget, forecast and prior year.
• Provide commercial analysis and recommendations to support business decision‑making.
• Analyse profitability across e‑commerce and retail channels, including margins and key performance indicators.
• Work with Buying and Merchandising teams on purchasing, margins, inventory and supply‑chain finance.
• Monitor margins at SKU and category level, including markdown planning and sell‑through targets.
• Analyse supply‑chain costs including freight, duty and warehousing.
• Work with Digital Marketing on promotional activity, discounting strategies and marketing ROI.
• Produce monthly cost centre reports and lead cost reviews.
• Prepare monthly reforecasts, identifying key risks and opportunities.
• Manage and forecast company cashflow, ensuring effective cash management.
• Oversee monthly balance sheet reconciliations and maintain strong financial controls.
• Manage and develop a small finance team.
• Support the annual budgeting process and provide analytical support across key cost areas.
• Prepare statutory accounts and support the external audit process.
• Work with external accountants throughout the year‑end accounts process.
• Complete quarterly VAT returns.
• Maintain day‑to‑day oversight of financial systems, including ERP, POS, inventory and e‑commerce systems.

About You

You'll be a commercially minded finance professional who is comfortable taking ownership and working closely with senior stakeholders. You'll be equally confident producing accurate financial information as you are using it to identify risks, opportunities and areas for improvement.

You will ideally have:

• Previous experience as a Senior Management Accountant, Senior Finance Manager or Financial Controller.
• Strong experience producing month‑end management accounts.
• Experience across forecasting, cashflow management, cost control and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience managing or developing a small finance team.
• Qualified or part qualified ACCA, CIMA or ACA, or equivalent experience.
• Strong Excel and analytical skills.
• Experience using an ERP system, with NetSuite experience highly desirable.
• Excellent communication skills and confidence working with Directors, senior leadership teams and operational managers.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to turn financial data into meaningful business insight.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to remain organised in a fast‑paced environment.

Experience within fashion, retail or e‑commerce would be advantageous, although candidates from other commercially focused environments with relevant experience are encouraged to apply.

The Offer

• Competitive salary
• Full‑time fixed‑term maternity cover
• Based in Marlow
• Hybrid working, with 2-3 days per week in the office
• Opportunity to work closely with the CFO and wider senior leadership team
• Staff discount
• Pension scheme
• Group Life Assurance and Group Income Protection
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Collaborative and creative working environment
• Opportunity to join a growing B Corp‑certified brand with a strong sense of purpose

The ideal candidate will be available to start around November 2026.

If you're looking for a commercially focused Management Accountant role where you can take ownership, work closely with senior stakeholders and make a genuine impact within a growing business, we'd love to hear from you.