Fractional Financial Controller VC-Backed Hardware Tech

Harmonic Group Ltd; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 74,000 - 92,000; Part time

Job summary

Harmonic is partnering with a VC-backed hardware technology business to appoint a Fractional Financial Controller in London, on a part-time, 1–2 day per week basis. The role is to design a scalable chart of accounts and establish accounting policies for WIP, inventory, fixed assets and leases ahead of a permanent hire.

This hands-on, technical accounting position excludes payroll and broader finance operations; you will deliver a robust structure and process framework, handed to the incoming

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) with hands-on experience in manufacturing settings.
• Experience implementing WIP and inventory accounting including job costing and overhead absorption.
• Strong fixed asset knowledge and depreciation in capital-intensive environments.
• Practical lease accounting under IFRS 16 and/or FRS 102 lease requirements.
• Designed or redesigned a chart of accounts for a growing business.
• Available to start immediately on a part-time basis and deliver within a short scope.

Responsibilities

• Design a chart of accounts for a multi-site, multi-entity manufacturing business with reporting by site, product line and customer.
• Set up WIP accounting: labour, machine time and overheads, WIP valuation and month-end release.
• Establish inventory accounting for raw materials, WIP and finished goods, including costing method and provisioning.
• Build the fixed asset register and depreciation policy for machinery, tooling and site fit-outs.
• Implement lease accounting for property and financed equipment, including right-of-use assets and lease liabilities.
• Write accounting policies and month-end procedures for a smooth handover to the permanent Financial Controller.
• Collaborate with Finance Director, operations and auditors to ensure robust, audit-ready treatment.

Skills

Qualified accountant

WIP accounting

Inventory accounting

Fixed assets depreciation

IFRS 16 lease accounting

Chart of accounts design

Job description

Fractional Financial Controller VC-Backed Hardware Tech Scale-Up London / Hybrid

The Client

Harmonic is delighted to be partnering with a well-funded, VC-backed hardware technology business that combines its own software with physical manufacturing. The business has grown quickly into an international, multi-site operation and is now at the point where its accounting foundations need to catch up with the scale of its operations.

The Role

Reporting into the Finance Director, the Fractional Financial Controller will come in part-time between now and the end of January to own a focused set of manufacturing accounting work ahead of a permanent Financial Controller hire. The scope is narrow, specialist and high impact: designing a chart of accounts that fits a growing manufacturing business, and setting up the accounting policies and processes for work in progress, inventory, fixed assets and leases. This is a hands‑on technical accounting role, not a general finance lead role; fundraising, payroll and wider finance operations are out of scope. You will leave behind a structure and set of policies the permanent Financial Controller can run from day one.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement a chart of accounts built for a multi‑site, multi‑entity manufacturing business, supporting reporting by site, product line and customer.
• Set up WIP accounting, including how labour, machine time and overheads are captured and absorbed into jobs, and how WIP is valued and released at month end.
• Establish inventory accounting covering raw materials, work in progress and finished goods, including costing method, valuation and provisioning.
• Build the fixed asset register and depreciation policy for machinery, tooling and site fit‑outs, including useful lives, capitalisation thresholds and componentisation where relevant.
• Implement lease accounting for property and financed equipment, including calculating right‑of‑use assets and lease liabilities, and the ongoing journals.
• Write clear accounting policies and month‑end procedures so the work can be handed over to the incoming permanent Financial Controller.
• Work with the Finance Director, operations and the external auditors to make sure the treatment is robust and audit‑ready.

Essential Experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA).
• Hands‑on experience of WIP and inventory accounting in a manufacturing, engineering or industrial business, including job or standard costing and overhead absorption.
• Strong fixed asset and depreciation experience in a capital‑intensive environment.
• Practical lease accounting experience under IFRS 16 and/or the amended FRS 102 lease requirements.
• Has designed or redesigned a chart of accounts for a growing business.
• Able to start immediately and deliver a defined scope within a short timeframe on a part‑time basis.

Desirable Experience

• Multi‑site or multi‑entity manufacturing, including overseas entities.
• Hardware, engineering or contract manufacturing background.
• Experience linking accounting to operational or ERP data (job costing, MRP or shop‑floor systems).
• Previous interim or project work setting up manufacturing accounting ahead of a permanent hire.

Day Rate: £400-£500 per day

Commitment: 1-2 days per week

Location: London, hybrid

Duration: 3 Months (potential to extend)

Start Date: Immediate

At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to race, religion, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation.