Financial Controller in Burgess Hill

Financial Controller - Multisite
Worksop or Burgess Hill
Defence Manufacturing
Circa £80,000 + profit share
We are recruiting on behalf of a growing, internationally backed defence manufacturing group for a commercially minded, hands-on Financial Controller / Head of Finance to lead finance across two UK businesses.
This newly created role offers genuine influence, working closely with the Managing Director and Senior Leadership Team to strengthen financial control, improve visibility and support operational and strategic decision-making.
The Role
A deliberately hands-on finance leadership position covering:
Monthly and annual close, reporting and IFRS compliance.
Statutory accounts, VAT and external audit.
Financial controls, processes and reporting improvements.
Manufacturing costs, product costing, margins and profitability.
Stock accounting, inventory and working capital.
Budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and cash flow.
Commercial analysis and business partnering with senior leadership.
Leadership and development of existing finance teams.
ERP and finance systems/process improvement.
Liaison with external advisers and the wider international group finance function.
You will be expected to roll up your sleeves, understand the detail, challenge performance and improve how finance operates, rather than simply manage through others.
The Business
An established international manufacturing group with approximately 270 UK employees and £30m combined turnover, operating across multiple UK locations and a European site.
The businesses operate in high-reliability, technically demanding manufacturing, supplying sectors where quality, compliance and precision are critical.
The UK operation is currently going through a period of growth and development, providing significant scope for the successful candidate to influence and shape the finance function.
Location & Travel
Initial preference: Burgess Hill, with the longer-term potential for the role to move towards Worksop.
This is not an inflexible relocation requirement. Candidates based in Worksop may also be considered if comfortable travelling to Burgess Hill.
Travel between UK sites is expected, depending on business requirements, with occasional European travel. The role requires a meaningful on-site presence rather than being predominantly remote.
About You
We're interested in experienced finance professionals who enjoy ownership, autonomy and commercial involvement.
You could be a:
Finance Manager ready for a broader leadership role.
Head of Finance within an SME/mid-sized business.
Standalone or highly autonomous finance lead.
Finance professional comfortable managing a small team while remaining hands-on.
Ideally, you'll have solid and relevant experience covering financial control, budgeting/forecasting, manufacturing or engineering, costing, inventory, ERP systems, Excel and commercial business partnering.
CIMA, ACCA or ACA is advantageous but not essential - practical capability is key.
Package
Circa £80,000 depending on experience , with flexibility for an exceptional candidate, plus:
Profit share bonus.
Company pension.
Healthcare/wellbeing support.
Employee discount programme.
Cycle to Work scheme.
Optional company car, subject to requirements.
Free parking.
Bank holidays and Christmas shutdown.
Financial wellbeing and mental health support.
Every 4th Friday off.
Hours: 38.75 per week - Monday-Thursday 7:45am-5:00pm, Friday 7:45am-12:45pm. No weekends. Some flexibility around reduced hours may be considered.
The Opportunity
A genuine seat at the leadership table, with the autonomy to influence two growing UK businesses and develop the finance function alongside them.
If you're ready to move beyond traditional reporting and become a trusted commercial partner to the MD, we'd like to hear from you.
Apply with your CV for a confidential discussion and further details.
At Morgan Ryder we can provide you with a full range of employment opportunities from short term and fixed term temporary vacancies to permanent positions.
We recruit for companies that operate in the following industries: Defence Equipment, Food and Drink Manufacturers, FMCG, Packaging, Engineering, Automotive, Aerospace, Warehousing, Logistics, Waste Management, Petro Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Power & Renewable Energy.
Our commitment:
Equal opportunities are important to us. We believe that diversity and inclusion at Morgan Ryder Associates are critical to our success as DE&I positive company, so we want to recruit, develop, and keep the best talent. We encourage applications from everyone, regardless of background, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, ethnicity, belief, age, family or parental status, and any other characteristic.
Please note that calls to and from the offices of Morgan Ryder Associates Ltd. may be monitored or recorded. This is to ensure compliance with regulatory procedures, record business transactions and for training purposes.