Group Financial Controller

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Old Woking; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

Holiday entitlement

Pension scheme

Bonuses

Private medical insurance

Life insurance

Sabbatical

Lifestyle benefits

Parental leave

Wellbeing programmes

Job summary

McLaren Automotive Ltd is seeking a Group Financial Controller to lead the Controllership function for the McLaren Group. You will own end-to-end financial control, month-end close, consolidation, statutory reporting, external audit management, and financial governance across the Group.

This senior role partners with executive leadership and the Audit & Risk Committee, driving internal control, policy development, and transformation projects including SAP S/4HANA and related finance systems,

Qualifications

• ACA, ACCA or equivalent Chartered Accountant qualification.
• Experience operating at Group Financial Controller level within a large, complex international group.
• Experience presenting financial matters to Exec Leadership, Boards and Audit & Risk Committees.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end monthly, quarterly and annual close and reporting across the Group, including consolidation, intercompany and related party accounting and disclosure.
• Act as Group authority on IFRS and technical accounting, including impairment, revenue recognition, financial instruments, leases, provisions and going concern; maintain accounting policy and papers.
• Lead the relationship with external and internal auditors, ensuring timely audits and delivery of findings.
• Prepare Audit & Risk Committee materials, Board papers and executive briefing materials with clear recommendations.
• Own the design and operation of the Group’s financial control framework, including delegation of authority and segregation of duties; monitor controls and lead internal audit actions.
• Lead, develop and hold to account the Controllership leadership team and build capability and succession planning.
• Oversee Group balance sheet integrity, robust reconciliations and substantiation across entities.
• Drive transformation to simplify, standardise and automate close, control and reporting processes; support SAP S/4HANA, SAC/EPM and wider finance systems.
• Own shareholder and lender reporting obligations and covenant compliance in partnership with treasury, tax and advisers.

Education

ACA/ACCA or equivalent Chartered Accountant qualification

Job description

As Group Financial Controller, you will be the senior operational leader of the Controllership function for the McLaren Group and the principal owner of the Group Control agenda. You will hold end-to-end responsibility for financial control, month-end close, Group consolidation, statutory and external reporting, technical accounting, external audit management, financial governance, and support to the Audit & Risk Committee. You will be accountable for ensuring the integrity of financial reporting, maintaining a robust and effective control environment, and delivering high-quality financial stewardship across the Group, with significant exposure to executive leadership, the Board and external stakeholders. You will be primarily responsible for:

• Setting the standards for financial integrity, governance, control and reporting across the Group.
• Ensuring the Group's books and records are maintained accurately and in compliance with applicable accounting standards, legislation and internal policy.
• Acting as a trusted adviser and authority on financial control, reporting and technical accounting matters, providing clear direction and effective decision-making across the Group.
• Leading a high-performing Controllership organisation with the capability and depth to support the Group's evolving needs and ambitions.

What You’ll Do – Group control and reporting

• Own the end-to-end monthly, quarterly and annual close and reporting cycle across the Group, including the reporting timetable, consolidation, intercompany and related party accounting and disclosure, and the delivery of complete, accurate and compliant financial results that are trusted and well understood by leadership across a complex group structure comprising subsidiaries, associates and affiliated entities.
• Technical accounting: Act as the Group authority on IFRS and technical accounting matters, including complex transactions, impairment, revenue recognition, financial instruments, leases, provisions and contingencies, and going concern; own Group accounting policy and reporting standards, ensuring consistent application across the Group, and prepare the technical accounting papers that support key judgements and reporting conclusions.
• Audit and assurance: Lead the relationship with external and internal auditors, ensuring the successful delivery of Group and statutory audits, timely resolution of findings, and effective management of audit quality, fees, scope and timetable.
• Board, Audit & Risk Committee and executive support: Own the preparation and coordination of Audit & Risk Committee materials, technical accounting papers, Board papers and executive briefing materials, providing clear, insightful and well-supported recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Internal control and risk: Own the design, operation, documentation and continuous enhancement of the Group’s financial control framework, including delegation of authority, segregation of duties, entity-level controls, fraud risk management and controls monitoring; lead the internal audit relationship and closure of actions.
• Leadership and capability: Lead, develop and hold to account the Controllership leadership team, building a high-performance, visible leadership culture; own talent development, succession planning, coaching and performance management, whilst building sustainable capability and bench strength across the function.
• Balance sheet governance: Own the integrity of the Group balance sheet, ensuring robust reconciliation, substantiation and review processes are in place across all entities and that significant judgements, estimates and exposures are appropriately understood and governed.
• Transformation and continuous improvement: Drive simplification, standardisation and automation across close, control and reporting processes; improve reporting quality, control effectiveness and cycle times; support the SAP S/4HANA, SAC/EPM and wider finance systems agenda as the senior control voice, ensuring controls are embedded within scalable processes and system designs.
• Shareholder and lender reporting: Own shareholder and lender reporting obligations, covenant compliance and financial information requirements, partnering with treasury, tax and external advisers to support the Group’s broader funding and governance agenda.

Key qualifications and experience

• ACA, ACCA or equivalent Chartered Accountant qualification, with significant post-qualification experience gained within complex international organisations.
• Demonstrable experience operating at Group Financial Controller, Head of Financial Control, Director of Controllership, Group Reporting Director or equivalent level within a large, complex, multi-entity international group.
• Extensive experience leading Group consolidation, statutory reporting, annual report and accounts preparation and external audit delivery across multiple legal entities and jurisdictions.
• Proven ability to operate credibly with Executive Leadership Teams, Boards and Audit & Risk Committees, presenting complex financial matters in a clear and commercially relevant manner.
• Proven experience leading external audit relationships, including planning, execution and successful delivery against demanding reporting and statutory filing deadlines.
• Substantial people leadership experience, including leading multi-layered teams through managers, building capability, improving performance and developing succession pipelines.

Culture

No restraints. No limitations. We don't simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars. It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks. McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.

Benefits

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days' holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years' service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice