Financial Controller

Apleona is a leading provider of integrated facilities management. With a client base across over 500 UK and IE operational sites, we employ over 5000 talented people to deliver service solutions that work for our clients. Our culture is fast paced, challenging, and above all, friendly and we are looking for you to join us!

Apleona is seeking an experienced and technically strong Financial Controller Governance & Control to sit at the heart of our Financial Controllership function. Reporting to the Finance Director, this is a senior role owning the integrity, accuracy, and compliance of group financial reporting across a complex, multi-entity environment, with responsibility for financial controls, audit coordination, and technical accounting oversight.

Some of the Key Responsibilities of the Financial Controller include:

• Provide independent, evidence-based review of monthly and annual group reporting outputs, ensuring submissions are technically compliant, fully supported, and free from material misstatement.
• Embed the existing Control Self-Assessment (CRSA) process; perform periodic testing of key controls and track remediation of any deficiencies identified.
• Own the balance sheet review framework, including risk-based account prioritisation and a structured deep dive programme; identify risks early and drive timely resolution.
• Develop and maintain a financial risk register covering reporting risks, control weaknesses, and compliance exposures; provide regular reporting to the Finance Director and CFO.
• Act as the central coordination point for external audit fieldwork, managing the PBC list, owning relationships with external auditors, and ensuring timely and high quality responses throughout the year-end and interim audit cycles.
• Support the preparation and review of annual statutory financial statements, ensuring positions are technically robust, disclosures are complete, and documentation is audit ready.
• Provide review and challenge on complex accounting areas including revenue recognition, lease accounting (IFRS 16), provisions, estimates, and tax-sensitive areas.
• Stabilise indirect tax processes (VAT & CIS) through process review and preparation, then transition these areas to junior team members.
• Act as the primary interface with Internal Audit and ensure risks are escalated appropriately, with clear ownership and resolution tracking.
• Collaborate with Finance Operations, Commercial Finance, and the External Reporting team to maintain consistent, well-documented controls across all entities.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Fully qualified chartered accountant (ACA, ACCA or equivalent).
• Strong working knowledge of IFRS, with experience reviewing complex accounting areas and judgements, including revenue recognition, IFRS 16, provisions, and estimates.
• Experience operating within a financial controls framework, with an understanding of control design, documentation, and testing.
• Proven ability to perform rigorous review and challenge of financial results, accounting treatments, and estimates in a complex, multi-entity or group environment.
• Demonstrable track record of maintaining strong controls and governance standards.
• Confident communicator, able to present complex technical issues clearly to finance and non-finance audiences and to challenge constructively.
• Experience with ERP environments (e.g. SAP, Navision, InforBI) and reporting tools would be advantageous; experience supporting or operating through ERP migrations is a plus.
• Exposure to M&A integration, group restructuring activity, or experience operating across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously would be desirable.

Benefits:

• 25 holiday days, plus bank holidays
• Healthcare cover
• Life assurance
• Employee discounts via Perkbox
• Access to a virtual GP and a health & wellbeing app

Apleona is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to recruiting a diverse and inclusive workforce and base all employment decisions on merit, job requirements, and business needs.