Financial Controller – North Europe

JD GROUP; Bury; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Financial Controller to oversee financial reporting and governance across Europe. This pivotal role involves leading a team, enhancing financial processes, and collaborating with various finance teams to ensure operational excellence. The ideal candidate will possess a strong accounting background, leadership skills, and a passion for the retail or fashion industry. Join this dynamic organization and contribute to its ongoing success while enjoying a range of employee benefits and opportunities for personal development.

Benefits

Incremental Holiday Allowance

Staff Discount

Bike Discount Scheme

Discounted Gym Membership

Personal Development Opportunities

Access to Apprenticeships

Qualifications

• 5+ years of post-qualification experience in a senior commercial finance role.
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and financial practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the financial reporting team, ensuring accurate results.
• Implement operational controls and improve balance sheet reconciliation.

Skills

Financial Management

Leadership

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Time Management

Education

Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tools

Financial Software

Job description

Financial Controller – North Europe

12month FTC

Responsible to: Head of Reporting – Europe

Department: Finance

Location: Bury, Gtr Manchester. BL9 8RR

The Company:

The JD Group is a leading omnichannel retailer of Sports Fashion, Street & Premium Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms with over 90,000 colleagues over 4,500 stores across several retail fascia's in over 36 countries around the world.

We are an equal opportunities employer who embraces and values differences. We recognise the importance of an inclusive workplace culture in which everyone can thrive irrespective of their background or identity.

To be a part of this successful and continuously growing company, you will have the desire to ingrain our strategic goals of being a people first, a digital leader and customer focused organisation which provides operational excellence and is continuous with identifying new areas of growth into our day-to-day.

We know our employees work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits:

• Incremental Holiday Allowance
• Staff Discount on qualifying purchases across Group retail stores and online
• Exclusive Colleague Bike Discount scheme
• Discounted Gym membership
• Personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work
• Access to Apprenticeships and accredited qualifications

Role overview:

As the Financial Controller, you will play a key role in the Europe reporting team across financial reporting, controls & governance, external audits whilst supporting the Finance Transformation programme. This role requires excellent financial management skills, collaboration with cross-functional teams whilst ensuring sound financial decisions are made across the business.

You will work closely with the UK & ROI Reporting team, Group Reporting team, Internal Controls team, Europe Commercial Finance team, our external auditors (Deloitte) and the Finance Transformation team.

You will lead a team of 9 people (3 direct reports) and play an active role in supporting your team’s continuous professional development.

Key duties & responsibilities:

• Leadership and Management:

o Lead and manage the team, overseeing all aspects of financial reporting and encouraging continuous improvements across the team.

• Financial Reporting:

o Develop processes and a team structure to delivery accurate results within the group reporting deadlines.

• Controls & Governance:

o Play a key role in implementing the Group Internal Controls programme and developing operational controls on a timely basis.

• Balance Sheet Reconciliation:

o Review current processes and implement plans to improve the Balance Sheet Reconciliation process in line with the Group Internal Controls requirements.

• Audit:

o Work closely with the external audit teams to ensure that the audits are managed and are on plan per the required timescales.

• Collaboration with specialist Finance Teams:

o Work closely with specialist Finance teams (Shared Service Centre, Distribution, Digital, Property) to deliver a coherent Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet.

• Budget and Forecast Management:

o Work closely with the Commercial Finance team to understand performance vs plan and provide insight to Budget and Forecast processes.

• Team Culture and Development:

o Embed a team culture aligned with the Group’s core values.

o Support the continuous development of your team.

• Financial Transformation:

o Influence in the implementation of financial systems, processes, and controls to improve efficiency and accuracy.

This role requires a blend of financial expertise, leadership, and effective communication to drive successful outcomes within the Reporting Finance team.

Skills/Experience/Knowledge required:

• Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or Equivalent):

o Possess a recognized accounting qualification with a minimum of 5 years of post- qualification experience in a senior commercial finance role.

• Industry Expertise (Retail or Fashion):

o Ideally, have experience in the retail or fashion industry.

• Financial Acumen:

o Strong knowledge of accounting principles, standards, and practices.

o Proficiency in using financial software, systems, and tools.

• Analytical and Communication Skills:

o Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

o Attention to detail and effective communication skills with your team, senior management and Group departments

• Leadership and Team Development:

o Ability to lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing finance team.

• Time Management and Resilience:

o Comfortable working under pressure, meeting tight deadlines, and managing multiple projects and priorities.

• Passion for Sports Fashion:

o Enthusiasm for the sports fashion industry and awareness of its trends.

• Positive Attitude and Drive:

o Exhibit positivity, enthusiasm, resilience, and a proactive approach to challenges.

These competencies will contribute to success in the role and drive impactful outcomes.