Group Financial Controller (FTC) Creative Agency London

Harmonic Group Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Harmonic Group Ltd. seeks a Group Financial Controller for a 12-month fixed-term contract in London with hybrid working.

You will own month-end close, consolidation, statutory accounts, and the year-end audit across UK entities, leading a finance team and collaborating with group finance and leadership. The role requires you to manage intercompany, controls and cash, with a focus on delivering timely, accurate UK group reporting and driving process improvements.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA)
• Experience as Financial Controller or Group Financial Controller in a multi-entity business
• Experience reporting into a group or international parent with group reporting timetables and control requirements
• Strong technical accounting, including UK GAAP (FRS 102) statutory accounts and audit management
• Team leadership experience in an established finance function

Responsibilities

• Own the month-end close and consolidation across the UK group, delivering accurate reporting to the parent group within tight deadlines
• Lead the financial control team, reviewing work and acting as escalation point on technical and operational matters
• Own statutory accounts across the UK entities and manage the year-end audit relationship
• Maintain a robust control environment with balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany and internal control compliance
• Oversee revenue recognition, WIP and client billing across retainer and project-based work
• Drive continuous improvement across finance processes, systems and controls
• Partner with commercial finance and senior leadership on forecasting, cash and working capital
• Act as a key point of contact for group finance, tax and treasury teams

Skills

Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)

Multi-entity group FC experience

Group reporting experience

UK GAAP (FRS 102) knowledge

Team leadership

Education

Professional accounting qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)

Job description

Group Financial Controller (12-Month FTC) Iconic Creative Agency London / Hybrid

The Client

Harmonic are delighted to be partnering with one of London's most respected creative agencies on the search for a Group Financial Controller to cover a 12 month period. The agency has built a long-standing reputation for brand-building work, creating campaigns for some of the UK's best-known brands, and is home to a creative culture that attracts and keeps exceptional people.

The business runs across multiple UK entities with a broad mix of retained and project-based client work. Finance is a well-established, high-performing function and a trusted partner to the leadership team. They highly value workplace culture, often hosting social events and a great office atmosphere.

The Role

Reporting into the senior finance leadership, you will take full ownership of financial control and reporting across the UK group for the duration of the cover. This is a hands-on role with real breadth: you will run month-end and consolidation, deliver accurate reporting to group deadlines, and own statutory accounts and the year-end audit across the UK entities.

You will lead the financial control team day to day, acting as their escalation point on technical and operational matters. Working closely with commercial finance and the leadership team, you will keep the balance sheet, controls and cash position in good order. The agency is looking for someone who can step in quickly, build credibility with the team and stakeholders, and hand back a function in even better shape. It would suit an experienced Financial Controller who is comfortable hitting the ground running.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the month-end close and consolidation across the UK group, delivering accurate reporting to the parent group within tight deadlines
• Lead and support the financial control team, reviewing work and acting as the escalation point on technical and operational matters
• Own statutory accounts across the UK entities and manage the year-end audit relationship
• Maintain a robust control environment in line with group requirements, including balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany and internal control compliance
• Oversee revenue recognition, WIP and client billing across retainer and project-based client work
• Drive continuous improvement across finance processes, systems and controls
• Partner with commercial finance and senior leadership on forecasting, cash and working capital
• Act as a key point of contact for group finance, tax and treasury teams

Essential Experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA)
• Experience as a Financial Controller or Group Financial Controller in a multi-entity business, owning month-end, consolidation and statutory reporting
• Experience reporting into a group or international parent, with a strong grasp of group reporting timetables and control requirements
• Strong technical accounting, including UK GAAP (FRS 102) statutory accounts and audit management
• Team leadership experience and the confidence to step into an established team quickly

Desirable Experience

• Background in advertising, marketing services, music, film, design, media or another people-led professional services business
• Exposure to US GAAP and SOX controls
• Audit or practice background

Package

Salary: £90,000 - £100,000 + company benefits
Contract: 12-month fixed term contract
Location: Central London
Start Date: November ideal

At Harmonic, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We actively welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and assure you that every candidate will be thoughtfully considered for the roles we represent, without regard to race, religion, gender expression, disability, or sexual orientation.