Head of Financial Control in Manchester

The Head of Financial Control is responsible for leading the UK Management Accounts team and overseeing Group Reporting and Cost Control activities. The role entails hands-on responsibility for all aspects of accounting, financial control, and statutory compliance, alongside supporting strategic financial planning initiatives.

Working closely with senior leadership, the Head of Financial Control provides clear, insightful analysis of financial performance, ensures the timely and accurate delivery of management information and regulatory reporting, and maintains a robust financial controls framework to mitigate financial risk. The role plays a key part in ensuring the organisation meets its financial and strategic objectives.

Ownership of the accounting and financial control for all trading entities and holding companies including:

• Ensuring all Balance Sheet reconciliations are completed and reviewed on a monthly basis.
• Management of the month-end reporting cycle ensuring timely cut-off procedures are in place, transactions are accounted for correctly, journals are appropriately approved and supporting documentation maintained as evidence.
• Overseeing the preparation of the Group’s consolidation including any acquisition accounting, impairment reviews, and intercompany eliminations.
• Maintain, develop and ownership of costs and Overheads costs models.
• Ensure proper cost allocation across entities to reflect true profitability.
• Maintain strong internal controls to ensure accurate recording of capital expenditure, carrying out project assessments to ensure adherence with IFRS.
• Ensure the timely and accurate production of the Group’s monthly management accounts, including timely submissions to investors, banks, and regulators.
• Lead the annual external Group audit process and preparation of the UK statutory accounts, liaising with external auditors and providing necessary documentation.

Compliance:

• Oversee the preparation and submission of all UK tax obligations including Corporation tax & VAT.
• Co-ordination of the Group’s insurance program, leading on annual renewals.

Lead, mentor, and develop the UK finance team, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement. Set clear objectives for team members, conduct regular performance reviews, and provide training and development opportunities. Foster a collaborative working environment and support cross-departmental collaboration on financial matters. Lead by example in promoting a culture of accountability, integrity, and continuous improvement within the finance team. Drive continuous improvements in financial reporting processes, cost accounting systems, and data integrity for better decision-making. Drive automation and process improvements to increase efficiency and reduce manual tasks. Ensure that financial data is accurate, timely, and easily accessible to stakeholders.

Ideal for a qualified Chartered Accountant (ICAEW or equivalent) with a strong financial control & audit background who is looking for a varied leadership role with a defined route to Finance Director.