Financial Controller in Cambridge

This role offers an exciting opportunity to step into a highly strategic finance leadership role within a business undergoing significant transformation. Following the transition from family ownership to private equity backing, the organisation is focused on driving growth, enhancing operational performance, and strengthening financial governance. This role sits at the heart of that journey, working as a key member of the Land leadership team to shape strategy, influence decision‑making, and deliver value creation.

Responsibilities in this role include:

• Strategic & Operational Leadership
  • Contribute to the development and delivery of divisional strategic and operational plans
  • Act as a key member of the Land leadership team, influencing business direction and performance
  • Support sales and investment decision‑making through financial, commercial, and tax
• Planning & Performance
  • Support multi‑year business planning processes
  • Deliver robust budgeting and forecasting
  • Provide insightful analysis to support performance improvement and value creation
• Financial Control & Governance
  • Maintain full accountability for the financial control environment across the division
  • Ensure robust, compliant, and efficient financial processes and controls
  • Oversee balance sheet integrity, risk management, and audit processes
• Reporting & Analysis
  • Lead the design and delivery of the financial reporting framework
  • Provide high‑quality periodic and ad‑hoc reporting to internal leadership and parent
  • Deliver meaningful insights to enhance operational and financial decision‑making
• Commercial & Operational Finance
  • Support complex project‑based delivery, including cost control, margin management, and risk mitigation
  • Oversee financial aspects of international operations, including foreign exchange and credit
  • Provide financial oversight of supply chain activities and contract performance
• Transformation & Continuous Improvement
  • Proactively lead and support business change and improvement initiatives
  • Drive efficiencies across Financial Control within the Finance directorate and wider operational processes
  • Support ERP and systems optimisation initiatives
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Develop, lead and mentor a high‑performing Financial Control team
  • Foster a culture of customer service, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
  • Operate effectively within a matrix structure, influencing beyond direct reporting

Apply if you have most of the following:

• Significant experience in a senior finance leadership role (Financial Controller, Deputy FD, or equivalent)
• Proven experience within a private equity‑backed environment
• Background in defence, engineering, manufacturing, or complex project‑based industries (defence highly desirable)
• Experience operating in international businesses, including exposure to foreign currency and cross‑border operations
• Strong track record in financial control, reporting, and governance in complex environments
• Experience supporting strategic planning, investment decisions, and business
• Demonstrated success working within matrix organisations and influencing senior

Technical skills/Education

• Fully qualified accountant (FCA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
• Strong technical accounting expertise (UK GAAP / IFRS)
• Experience managing foreign exchange risk, credit risk, and financial instruments
• Understanding of international trade considerations (e.g. bonds, guarantees, overseas deployment models)
• Excel and financial modelling capability
• Experience with ERP systems and finance transformation initiatives
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into commercial insight

Additional local requirements:

• Hybrid role, onsite around 70% of the week
• Successful candidates will need to be eligible to obtain SC (Security Clearance)

The Benefits this role can offer you include:

• Opportunity to play a key leadership role in a PE‑backed transformation journey
• Clear progression pathway to Finance Director or Divisional FD roles
• Direct exposure to board‑level and investor interactions
• Involvement in strategic decision‑making and value creation initiatives
• Opportunity to shape and enhance financial control and reporting frameworks

The benefits we will offer you include:

• 27 days holiday increasing with service up to 30 days (option to buy/sell)
• Pension contributions up to 9%
• Private medical insurance for you and your partner
• Company car allowance
• Extensive flexible benefit programme including Cycle to Work
• Life assurance at 4x basic salary
• Enhanced parental leave and pay
• Paid volunteering leave
• Access to industry leading wellbeing resources and tools

Marshall Land Systems is a Canadian‑owned global company with an unrivalled pedigree of British engineering excellence. From its origins in Cambridge, UK, through more than a century of innovation, pioneering advances from the nose of Concorde to the early Hydrogen fuel cell technology that ultimately powered the moon landings, Marshall engineers now continue to innovate specialist vehicles and infrastructure for NATO forces across the world. From bomb disposal vehicles to deployed shelters, from command and control to CT scanners on the battlefield, Marshall Land Systems protects people in critical situations with the very best in engineering. It employs 600 people with major facilities in the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands.

Marshall Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, colour, religion, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.