Group Financial Controller (6-month contract)

Sophos Group; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Sophos Group is seeking a Group Financial Controller to lead global accounting, financial controls, payroll, and statutory reporting. The role partners with the SVP Finance and interacts with our shared services in India, driving accuracy and timely reporting across the group.

The successful candidate will manage a multinational finance team, oversee audits and tax compliance, and drive continuous process improvements while supporting budgeting and forecasting for the business.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of IFRS and financial reporting standards.
• Proven leadership of multinational finance teams.
• Experience working with external auditors and tax advisers.
• Experience reviewing commercial contracts and financial terms.
• Strong financial controls, payroll, AP/AR management.
• Experience handling payroll and statutory filings.
• Familiarity with corporate tax and indirect tax processes.
• Experience in a software/technology company is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead all accounting operations, including month-end close and statutory reporting.
• Own financial controls, reconciliations, variance analysis, and quarterly reviews with SVP Finance.
• Oversee payroll, AP, AR, inventories, and cash flow across global entities.
• Ensure compliance with policies, audits, and government reporting; act as primary audit contact.
• Manage SGWI contract governance and related filings to ensure local compliance.
• Maintain and improve accounting, payroll, and AP processes and controls.
• Partner with Tax teams on compliance, reporting and optimization.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and management reporting for SMT and Board.
• Lead cross-functional finance initiatives and develop the team through coaching.

Skills

IFRS knowledge

Leadership

External audits

Contract review

Financial control

Payroll

Tax compliance

Tech industry exp

Job description

About Us

Sophos is a cybersecurity leader defending 600,000 organizations globally with an AI-driven platform and expert-led services. Sophos meets organizations wherever they are in their security maturity and grows with them to defeat cyberattacks. Its solutions combine machine learning, automation, and real-time threat intelligence with frontline human expertise from Sophos X-Ops to deliver advanced, 24/7 threat monitoring, detection, and response.

Sophos offers industry-leading managed detection and response (MDR) alongside a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity technologies — including endpoint, network, email, and cloud security, extended detection and response (XDR), identity threat detection and response (ITDR), and next-gen SIEM. Together with expert advisory services, these capabilities help organizations proactively reduce risk and respond faster, with the visibility and scalability needed to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Sophos goes to market with a global partner ecosystem, including Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), resellers and distributors, marketplace integrations, and cyber risk partners, giving organizations the flexibility to choose trusted relationships when securing their business. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com.

Role Summary

The Group Financial Controller reports to the Senior Vice President of Finance and has key responsibility for all aspects of accounting for the Group’s global operations. This includes all elements of the financial control functions including payroll, general accounting and balance sheet control; also managing the relationship to the Group’s shared service centre in India that covers accounts payable, purchasing and accounts receivable. The position is also the main contact for annual audits of the global subsidiaries (though not the consolidation).

The position is also responsible for all month end processes, analysis of variances to plan and forecast, and ensuring timely and accurate reporting for all statutory returns including VAT, WHT, CIT and statutory accounts. The position will manage the financial control team across the globe and hence strong people management skills are essential. In addition the job holder is expected to develop strong working relationships with the business and other back office departments.

This role also involves interface on a day-to-day basis with the Senior Vice President Finance; the CFO; and, the other global finance departments as required.

What You Will Do

• Finance & Accounting:
• Lead all accounting operations, including month-end close, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to strict deadlines
• Own financial controls, balance sheet reconciliations, variance analysis, and quarterly reviews with SVP Finance
• Oversee payroll, AP, AR, commissions, inventory, receivables, and cash flow processes globally
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, statutory requirements, audits, and government reporting; act as primary audit contact
• Manage SGWI contract and related procedures; ensure local compliance and filings
• Maintain best-practice processes across accounting, payroll, and AP functions
• Taxation:
• Ensure local indirect tax compliance and filings
• Partner with Group and Sophos Tax teams on compliance, reporting, and tax optimization
• Reporting:
• Support monthly management accounts and ad hoc reporting for SMT and Board
• Partner with Group Finance and local leadership to improve performance and business support
• Provide guidance to the finance team on reporting matters
• Projects & Leadership:
• Partner with Finance IT on system enhancements, UAT, and successful deployments
• Lead financial control and process improvement initiatives
• Support budgeting and forecasting as required
• Manage, coach, and develop the finance team; conduct performance reviews and talent planning
• Director Responsibilities:
• Act as resident Director for local entities, signing contracts and filings in line with legal and signature policies
• Special Conditions:
• Flexibility required during month-end, year-end, and peak periods
• Occasional travel and short-notice availability for document signing

What You Will Bring

• Regulatory and compliance matters from a financial perspective
• Previously operated as a Director; or have had strong exposure to the requirements
• Working with external auditors and tax advisors
• Commercial experience, e.g. contract review
• Practical long-term experience of all aspects of the month end and annual closing accounting and planning processes
• Understanding of IFRS accounting practices
• Improving processes and controls
• Management of a team
• Management of the functions of financial control, accounting, payroll, management and financial reporting
• Working within a software or technology company, ideally a global organisation
• Familiar with corporation tax and VAT filing requirements.
• Minimum of 7 years post qualification experience
• Experience of a quoted company environment

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Ready to Join Us?

At Sophos, we believe in the power of diverse perspectives to fuel innovation. Research shows that candidates sometimes hesitate to apply if they don't check every box in a job description. We challenge that notion. Your unique experiences and skills might be exactly what we need to enhance our team. Don't let a checklist hold you back –we encourage you to apply.

What's Great About Sophos?

• Sophos operates a remote-first working model, making remote work the primary option for most employees. However, some roles may necessitate a hybrid approach. While we are a remote first organization, applicants must have legal authorization to work in the jurisdiction where the position is posted, without requiring employer sponsorship.
• Our people – we innovate and create, all of which are accompanied by a great sense of fun and team spirit
• Employee-led diversity and inclusion networks that build community and provide education and advocacy
• Annual charity and fundraising initiatives and volunteer days for employees to support local communities
• Global employee sustainability initiatives to reduce our environmental footprint
• Global fitness and trivia competitions to keep our bodies and minds sharp
• Global wellbeing days for employees to relax and recharge
• Monthly wellbeing webinars and training to support employee health and wellbeing

Our Commitment To You

We’re proud of the diverse and inclusive environment we have at Sophos, and we’re committed to ensuring equality of opportunity. We believe that diversity, combined with excellence, builds a better Sophos, so we encourage applicants who can contribute to the diversity of our team. All applicants will be treated in a fair and equal manner and in accordance with the law regardless of gender, sex, gender reassignment, marital status, race, religion or belief, color, age, military veteran status, disability, pregnancy, maternity or sexual orientation. We want to give you every opportunity to show us your best self, so if there are any adjustments we could make to the recruitment and selection process to support you, please let us know.

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