Group Financial Controller

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Enhanced pension scheme

Life assurance

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

McLaren Automotive in Woking seeks a Group Financial Controller to lead the Controllership function across the McLaren Group. You will own end-to-end control, monthly close, consolidation, reporting and technical accounting, acting as the trusted adviser on financial control to executive leadership and the Board.

The role requires extensive experience in Group reporting, external audits, internal controls and governance, plus the ability to lead a multi‑entity team and drive continuous

Qualifications

• ACA, ACCA or equivalent Chartered Accountant qualification with significant post‑qualification experience.
• Experience operating at Group Financial Controller/Head of Financial Control level in a large multi‑entity international group.
• Extensive experience in group consolidation, statutory reporting, annual reports and external audit delivery.
• Proven ability to interact with Executive Leadership Teams, Boards and Audit & Risk Committees.
• Proven external audit management, including planning and delivering within deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end monthly, quarterly and annual close and reporting across the Group, including consolidation and intercompany accounting.
• Act as the Group authority on IFRS and technical accounting matters and prepare supporting papers.
• Lead relationships with external and internal auditors to ensure timely audits and issue resolution.
• Coordinate Audit & Risk Committee materials, Board papers and executive briefing materials.
• Design and enhance the Group's financial control framework and monitor controls.
• Lead and develop the Controllership leadership team and build bench strength.
• Govern the Group balance sheet with robust reconciliation and substantiation processes.
• Drive transformation and automation across close and reporting, including SAP/ERP initiatives.
• Oversee shareholder and lender reporting obligations and governance support.

Skills

ACA/ACCA qualification

Group financial control experience

Stakeholder communication

Audit management

Leadership

Education

Qualified CA (ACA/ACCA)

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

SAP SAC

IFRS

Consolidation software

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.

• 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.