Interim Financial Controller

Eaton Syalon; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Eaton Syalon is partnered with a high growth SME manufacturing group to appoint an Interim Financial Controller for an initial six‑month period in Swadlincote, hybrid setup. The role focuses on ownership of management accounting and financial reporting, with potential for breadth as the assignment evolves.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience in monthly management accounts, P&L and balance sheet control within manufacturing or SME environments, and be comfortable operating in a

Qualifications

• Strong experience producing and owning monthly management accounts.
• Solid understanding of P&L, balance sheet and month-end process.
• Experience within manufacturing, engineering or similar operational environment.
• Experience within SME where responsibilities are broad and priorities can change quickly.
• Strong financial control and balance sheet experience.
• Confidence investigating variances and getting underneath the numbers.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of monthly management accounts.
• Manage month-end process with accurate, timely reporting.
• Review P&L and balance sheet for robustness.
• Prepare and review journals, accruals and prepayments.
• Complete and review balance sheet reconciliations.
• Provide financial analysis and insights to support decisions.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and cash‑flow requirements.
• Assist UK finance across management accounting, reporting and control.
• Support year-end, audit and statutory reporting as needed.

Skills

Management accounts

P&L analysis

Balance sheet

Month-end process

Autonomy

Stakeholder communication

Financial controls

Variance analysis

Job description

Interim Financial Controller

Swadlincote - Hybrid

6 Months

High Growth SME Manufacturing

£300-£400 per day

The Opportunity

Eaton Syalon is partnering exclusively with a high growth SME manufacturing business to recruit an experienced Interim Financial Controller for an initial six-month period.

The business is currently going through a period of transition within its finance team, creating the need for an experienced and dependable finance professional who can come in, quickly understand the operation and provide stability across the finance function.

This is very much a hands-on interim assignment. The successful individual will need to be comfortable operating within a fast-moving SME environment, taking ownership of the numbers and providing additional support wherever required.

The remit will naturally evolve during the six months, but the immediate priority will be taking ownership of the management accounting and financial reporting requirements. Alongside this, there will be a variety of responsibilities and projects requiring support.

Key Responsibilities

The role will include:

• Taking ownership of the monthly management accounts
• Managing the month-end process, ensuring reporting is accurate, timely and well controlled.
• Reviewing the P&L and balance sheet and ensuring the underlying numbers are robust.
• Preparing and reviewing journals, accruals and prepayments.
• Completing and reviewing balance sheet reconciliations.
• Investigating monthly variances and providing clear commentary around business performance.
• Developing a strong understanding of revenue, gross margin, manufacturing costs and overhead performance.
• Working closely with operational and commercial stakeholders to understand movements within the numbers.
• Supporting budgeting, forecasting and cash-flow requirements where required.
• Providing financial analysis and insight to support management decision-making.
• Supporting the UK finance operation across management accounting, reporting and financial control activities.
• Helping to ensure continuity within the finance function during a period of team change.
• Reviewing existing finance processes and controls and identifying practical opportunities for improvement.
• Supporting year-end, audit and statutory reporting requirements where these fall within the assignment.
• Working closely with the wider finance team, providing guidance and support where required.
• Taking ownership of ad hoc finance projects and analysis as priorities evolve.

The Person

We are looking for an experienced Financial Controller or senior Financial Professional who is comfortable stepping into an SME environment and making an immediate impact.

The successful individual is likely to demonstrate:

• Strong experience producing and owning monthly management accounts.
• A solid understanding of the P&L, balance sheet and month-end process.
• Previous experience within manufacturing, engineering or a similarly operational environment.
• Experience working within an SME where responsibilities are broad and priorities can change quickly.
• Strong financial control and balance sheet experience.
• Confidence investigating variances and getting underneath the numbers.
• The ability to work autonomously and take ownership without requiring significant direction.
• Strong communication skills and the confidence to work with finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• A pragmatic, hands-on approach with a willingness to support outside of a narrowly defined job description.
• Experience of international or US-based operations would be advantageous but is not essential.

What We Are Looking For

The business needs an experienced finance professional who can quickly integrate into the team, take ownership of key areas and provide confidence that the finance function continues to operate effectively throughout a period of transition.

It would particularly suit someone who enjoys being close to the numbers, likes getting into the detail and is comfortable working in a changing SME manufacturing environment where no two weeks are necessarily the same.