Head of Group Financial Control

Michael Page; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Inclusive environment

On-site in Cheltenham

Job summary

Michael Page is recruiting a senior Head of Group Financial Control for an FCA-regulated financial services business in Cheltenham. You will lead financial control, statutory reporting, governance and audit, and drive improvements across finance systems and processes while shaping the control environment as the Group grows.

You will manage a reporting team, ensure UK GAAP compliance, oversee external audits, tax and payroll reporting, and act as a trusted adviser to the CFO and Executive team on

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with post-qualification experience in senior financial control.
• Experience leading month-end, year-end closes and audits.
• Proven track record in FCA-regulated environments and governance.
• Strong commercial focus with ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial control, governance and statutory reporting for the Group.
• Direct month-end, quarter-end and year-end close activities to deadlines.
• Oversee external audits, balance integrity and reconciliations.
• Drive improvements across finance processes, systems and controls.
• Develop and mentor a high-performing finance team for scalable growth.
• Advise CFO and Executive team on technical accounting and strategy, including M&A integration.
• Ensure compliance with UK GAAP and regulatory obligations (FCA, HMRC, Companies House).

Skills

Financial control

Statutory reporting

Governance

Team leadership

Regulatory compliance

M&A integration

Accounting standards

External audit

Risk management

Process improvement

Education

ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

This is a senior Group Financial Control opportunity within a growing, FCA-regulated financial services business, reporting directly to the CFO. You'll lead financial control, statutory reporting, governance and audit while also driving improvements across finance systems, processes and the wider control environment offering significant scope to develop the finance function, lead a team and act as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders as the Group grows.

Client Details

Our client is an established, privately owned financial services business specialising in wealth management and financial planning. With a strong reputation for delivering highly personalised advice and putting clients at the heart of its proposition, the business has ambitious plans for continued growth and is investing in its people, systems and finance infrastructure to support its next phase.

Description

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Head of Group Financial Control to lead the financial stewardship of the Group. As a key member of the finance leadership team, you will oversee the Group's financial control framework, statutory and management reporting, financial governance, and finance operations. You will lead and develop a team of reporting accountants, drive continuous improvement across finance processes and systems, and ensure the business has scalable controls and reporting capabilities to support future growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensuring robust financial controls, governance, accounting policies, and procedures are in place to safeguard the integrity and accuracy of financial information.
• Leading the month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes, delivering timely, accurate statutory and management reporting in accordance with UK GAAP and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain compliance with FCA, HMRC, Companies House, and other statutory obligations, including oversight of corporation tax, VAT, and payroll tax reporting.
• Leading external audit relationships, overseeing balance integrity and reconciliations, and ensuring effective financial risk management and control remediation.
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing finance team while creating a scalable finance function capable of supporting future business growth.
• Oversee finance operations and champion continuous improvement, automation, and optimisation of finance systems, controls, and reporting capabilities.
• Act as a trusted adviser to the CFO and Executive team on financial control, technical accounting, governance, and strategic business matters, including M&A integration activities.
• Enhance the control environment through best practice governance, documentation, audit trails, enterprise risk management, and ongoing monitoring of regulatory and accounting developments.

Profile

You are a qualified accountant with significant experience leading financial control, reporting, and governance within a complex organisation. Combining strong technical expertise with a commercial mindset, you have a proven track record of delivering robust financial controls, statutory reporting, audit management, and high-quality financial information.

You bring deep knowledge of accounting standards, regulatory compliance, and financial governance, together with a disciplined approach to risk management and balance sheet control. A confident leader, you are experienced in developing high-performing teams and building strong relationships with senior stakeholders, auditors, advisers, and regulators.

Highly organised, resilient, and delivery-focused, you thrive in fast-paced environments and are passionate about driving continuous improvement across finance processes, systems, and controls. Experience within an FCA-regulated, professional services, acquisitive, or private equity-backed business would be advantageous.

Essential skills and experience

• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified
• Trained within a Top 10 or mid-tier accountancy practice before moving into industry
• Significant post-qualified experience in a senior financial control role
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and financial reporting
• Understanding of financial controls, governance frameworks, and statutory reporting requirements
• Proven experience leading complex month-end and year-end close processes
• Experience managing external audits and technical accounting matters
• High attention to detail with strong balance sheet and control discipline
• Highly organised, resilient, delivery-focused, and commercially aware

Job Offer

• Exceptionally competitive salary and benefits, dependent on the level of experience.
• Permanent role based in Cheltenham (ideally 3-days on site, can be 2 for someone further afield)

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment. As an inclusive recruiter we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. If you require any adjustments or accommodations during the recruitment process, we'll work with you to ensure you can perform at your best.