Group Financial Controller

WHITAKER SMITH RECRUITMENT LTD; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Whitaker Smith Recruitment Ltd is partnering with an ambitious investor-backed organisation in Lancashire to appoint a Group Financial Controller. The role collaborates with the CFO to lead financial control, group reporting and the development of the finance function across UK and international operations.

You will own the year-end cycle, consolidate entities, manage audits and enhance the control environment as the Group scales, with exposure to acquisitions and systemic improvements.

Qualifications

• ACA qualified Accountant with FC/Group FC experience in industry.
• Experience across multi-entity consolidation and statutory reporting.
• Strong understanding of financial controls and balance sheet management.
• Experience with audits and liaising with external advisors.
• Exposure to acquisitions and integration projects would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Produce accurate and timely financial information for a multi-entity Group.
• Manage consolidation and high-standard Group reporting.
• Own year-end reporting, co-ordinate audits and liaise with external Advisors.
• Maintain balance sheet integrity through robust reconciliation and controls.
• Oversee cash and liquidity planning, including banking activity.
• Coordinate tax across entities including VAT and transfer pricing.

Skills

Consolidation

Financial controls

Stakeholder management

Education

ACA qualification

Job description

Group Financial Controller

Based: Lancashire (1-2 days office, rest from home, flexible working)

We are partnering with an ambitious, investor-backed organisation that has experienced significant growth and is continuing to develop both its UK and international operations.

As part of that journey, the business is looking to appoint a Group Financial Controller to work closely with the CFO and take a lead role across financial control, Group reporting and the continued development of the finance function.

This is far more than a traditional reporting position. Alongside ensuring the fundamentals of finance are delivered to a high standard, you will help develop the processes, systems and controls needed for a larger and increasingly complex organisation. There will also be exposure to acquisitions, integration activity and wider strategic projects as the Group continues to evolve.

Role:

• Responsibility for producing accurate and timely financial information across a multi-entity Group.
• Manage the consolidation process and ensure Group reporting is delivered to a consistently high standard.
• Own the year-end reporting cycle, coordinating audit requirements and working closely with external advisors.
• Ensure the integrity of the balance sheet through strong review, reconciliation and control processes.
• Maintain oversight of cash across the organisation, supporting short and medium-term liquidity planning and banking activity.
• Coordinate tax and statutory requirements across the Group's different entities, aiming to bring tax in-house overseeing corporation tax, VAT, overseas VAT, transfer pricing and any tax requirements
• Act as a technical accounting point of contact for the wider finance team on more complex reporting matters.
• Develop and improve the Group's financial control environment as the organisation continues to scale.
• Review existing finance processes and identify opportunities to simplify, automate and improve the quality of reporting.
• Provide high-quality financial information to the CFO, senior leadership and investment stakeholders.
• Support the finance workstreams associated with acquisitions and help successfully integrate newly acquired businesses.
• Get involved in wider projects including finance systems, reporting improvements and other initiatives arising from the Group's continued growth.

Experience:

• ACA qualified Accountant from practice with strong experience at FC/Group FC level in industry
• Comfortable working across multiple legal entities and dealing with consolidation and statutory reporting requirements.
• Strong understanding of financial controls, balance sheet management and the year-end audit process.
• Previous experience within an investor-backed, rapidly growing or changing organisation would be particularly relevant.
• International or multi-jurisdictional finance exposure would be beneficial.
• Any experience supporting acquisitions or integrating businesses following a transaction would be advantageous.
• Able to combine strong technical accounting skills with a practical and commercially aware approach.
• Confident dealing with senior internal stakeholders alongside auditors, banks, advisors and investors.
• Tax experience essential - understanding of corporation tax, VAT, transfer pricing highly desirable