Senior Financial Controller - Personnel FP&A

Sony Corporation; Weybridge; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company in Weybridge is seeking a Senior Financial Controller to manage personnel expenses budget and provide strategic financial insights. The role requires extensive experience in finance and strong analytical skills. Candidates should have expertise in financial modeling and familiarity with ERP systems like SAP. The position offers a vibrant work environment with competitive salary and benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Onsite gym

Flexible working policies

Learning and personal development programs

Volunteering days

Qualifications

• Progressive experience in finance or accounting.
• Prior experience in strategic planning or business development is highly desirable.
• Advanced expertise in financial modelling, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation of the personnel expenses budget helping align with requirements.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to enhance financial literacy.
• Oversee month-end close processes and conduct thorough variance analysis.
• Lead initiatives to continuously improve and modernize financial systems.

Skills

Financial modelling

Budgeting

Forecasting

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Proficiency in ERP systems (SAP)

Advanced Excel

Data visualization tools (Power BI)

Job description

Overview

As our Senior Financial Controller, you will have full ownership of the SEU personnel expenses budget (~420M EUR), leading budgeting and forecasting processes while ensuring alignment with CAP and local statutory requirements. This role will serve as a strategic financial partner to executive leadership, providing actionable insights on personnel costs, financial performance, and aligning financial strategies with business objectives. You will also oversee month-end close processes, conduct variance analysis, and deliver reports that identify trends, risks, and opportunities. Additionally, you can drive continuous improvement and modernization of financial systems and models, ensuring compliance with reporting requirements while enhancing operational efficiency. You can play a critical role in shaping financial decisions, improving financial literacy across the organization, and supporting sustainable growth and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Full Ownership of Personnel Expenses Budget & Forecasting

  Lead the preparation of the SEU (LTD and BV) personnel expenses budget (~420M EUR), ensuring alignment with CAP and local statutory requirements. This includes the consideration of all pay elements such as mobility allowances, lease car benefits, statutory payments, etc. Prepare and maintain monthly forecasts in line with evolving business needs.

• Strategic Financial Partnership

  Collaborate with executive leadership teams (President's Office and business unit heads) to enhance financial literacy across the organization. Provide actionable insights on personnel costs, financial performance bridges, and strategic alignment with budget targets and MRP plans, driving better decision-making.

• Month-End Close & Variance Analysis

  Oversee month-end close processes and conduct thorough variance analysis (actual vs. budget, actual vs. forecast). Compile detailed financial bridges and management reports (for both SEU management and Tokyo) to identify trends, risks, and opportunities. Offer valuable guidance on financial risks and opportunities to senior management, supporting informed decisions.

• Continuous Improvement & Financial System Modernization

  Lead initiatives to continuously improve and modernize financial systems and models (budgeting, forecasting, Workday, SAP). Implement best practices in financial control and risk management to increase operational efficiency, ensuring ongoing compliance with CAP and SEU reporting requirements.

Your qualifications

• Progressive experience in finance or accounting.
• Prior experience in strategic planning or business development is highly desirable.
• Advanced expertise in financial modelling, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in ERP systems (SAP) and advanced Excel; familiarity with data visualization tools (Power BI).
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.

Location

Based at the Weybridge office, you will enjoy a vibrant and friendly working environment. We have an onsite canteen with a wide range of options available, and a barista style coffee shop. There is a well-provisioned onsite gym run by our own Sony Wellbeing Coordinator, with classes on set days in the mornings, at lunch and after work hours. We have a staff car park which includes electric charging points, an undercover and secure bike rack (useful if you\'ve made the most of the Cycle-to-Work scheme), or if you will use public transport we have a shuttle bus service that regularly runs between train station and the office at peak times.

Take a look at our video tour of the Weybridge site here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lwbMOzjoVA

Life at Sony

We ensure competitive salaries and benefits by using established benchmarking. We encourage healthy work-life balance supported by hybrid and flexible working policies. We are a positive community who dream big together, respect each other, and enjoy a collaborative culture. We like to celebrate our colleagues who make a real difference using our recognition platform. We also provide access to numerous services and platforms for all aspects of wellbeing. We listen to our people through conversations and surveys, respect their suggestions, then act on them. We also provide allowances for volunteering days so that our staff can support the causes they are most passionate about.

You can build your career around you with our fantastic range of learning & personal development programs to enhance your skills. We also encourage our staff to try exciting new roles, in a wide range of countries, with a supportive mobility team to support you if you take that leap!

Bring your uniqueness to Sony

We are passionate about creating a culture that promotes equity and cultivates inclusion, diversity, and belonging. We want employees with diverse backgrounds and perspectives that will stimulate innovation and have a direct impact on our creation of social value to fulfil Sony\'s purpose - \'to fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology\'. We want you to bring your unique self to work and help shape our culture.

We are Sony Europe

Our people collaborate in an environment of respect, integrity, and open-mindedness. Diverse teams from all over Europe are the driving force for our business, and we embrace the differences that make each of us original and unique. With offices in 28 European countries, Sony Europe caters to consumer, professional, semiconductor and healthcare markets with innovative electronics products and solutions. Our European laboratories research and develop new technologies and capabilities that contributes to the Sony Group and important issues on a planetary scale.

Bring your passion, creativity and ambitions to Sony Europe. Apply now, and let\'s create the future together.

Equal Opportunity

Sony Europe is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, colour, religion, gender, citizenship, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, medical condition, or any other protected characteristics.

Disability Accommodation for Applicants to Sony Europe

Sony Europe will provide reasonable accommodation for any qualified individuals with disabilities in the application process. For reasonable accommodation requests, please contact us by email at [e-mail] or by mail to: Sony Europe Limited, Human Resources Department, the Heights, Brooklands, Surrey, KT13 0XW, UK. When contacting us please indicate the position you are applying for, and the accommodation required.

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