Group Financial Controller

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Structured career development

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Enhanced pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Job summary

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

You will act as a trusted adviser on IFRS and technical accounting, lead a high-calibre Controllership team, and interface with the Board and Audit & Risk Committee to support strategic

Qualifications

• ACA, ACCA or equivalent Chartered Accountant qualification.
• Post-qualification experience in complex international organisations.
• Experience operating at Group Financial Controller/Head of Financial Control level in a large, multi-entity group.
• Proven ability to work with Executive Leadership Teams, Boards and Audit & Risk Committees.
• Proven experience leading external audit relationships and delivering timely reporting.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end monthly, quarterly and annual close and reporting across the Group; consolidate intercompany and related party accounting.
• Act as Group authority on IFRS, technical accounting, and policy development.
• Lead external and internal audit relationships and ensure audit quality and timely delivery.
• Prepare Audit & Risk Committee materials, Board papers and executive briefs.
• Design and strengthen the Group's financial control framework and risk management.
• Lead Controllership leadership team; develop talent and succession planning.
• Oversee balance sheet integrity with robust reconciliations and governance.
• Drive transformation, standardisation, and automation across close and reporting processes.

Skills

Group consolidation

Statutory reporting

External audit management

Leadership

Executive stakeholder communication

Education

ACA/ACCA or equivalent

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

SAC/EPM

Job description

What to Expect

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.

What You'll Bring

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.

What We’ll Do for You

We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:

• 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

Who Are We?

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.