European Financial Controller — Hybrid Role with Growth

European Financial Controller — Hybrid Role with Growth

Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Medium

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead financial control for a dynamic ecommerce company across multiple markets.
  • Company: Join Pattern, a leader in ecommerce acceleration with innovative technology.
  • Benefits: Enjoy 28 days holiday, hybrid work, and competitive salary.
  • Other info: Be part of a vibrant team that values innovation and collaboration.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in the fast-paced world of ecommerce finance.
  • Qualifications: Qualified accountant with experience in financial control and ecommerce preferred.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

Pattern accelerates brands on global ecommerce marketplaces leveraging proprietary technology and AI. Utilising more than 66 trillion data points, sophisticated machine learning and AI models, Pattern optimizes and automates all levers of ecommerce growth for global brands, including advertising, content management, logistics and fulfillment, pricing, forecasting and customer service. Hundreds of global brands depend on Pattern’s ecommerce acceleration platform every day to drive profitable revenue growth across 60+ global marketplaces—including Amazon, Walmart.com, Target.com, eBay, Tmall, TikTok Shop, JD, and Mercado Libre.

We are looking for a Financial Controller to take ownership of the core financial control environment for Pattern Europe. This is a senior, hands-on role with broad accountability — spanning revenue recognition, partner invoicing, statutory reporting, audit, and the operational finance infrastructure that underpins a complex multi-brand, multi-marketplace business across 3 legal entities.

The successful candidate will lead 2 accountants in India, partner with the Global accounting team in Utah, as well as work closely with commercial finance and operational teams based in London. The role will play an important role in shaping how tools, controls and reporting evolve alongside the business.

What is the day in the life of a Financial Controller?

  • Own the month-end close process for the UK, German and Polish entities, including review of journals, management of close deadlines, and collation of schedules and supporting reports — working in close partnership with the Global Accounting Team and the Europe Finance Director.
  • Regularly maintain detailed reconciliations of all balance sheet accounts, including intercompany positions, accruals, and prepayments, ensuring completeness and accuracy at each period end.
  • Manage the statutory audit processes and lead the preparation of the annual statutory financial statements in accordance with UK GAAP / FRS 102, coordinating with external auditors and functional teams.
  • Oversight of AR function and ensuring timely collections and aged debt management.
  • Ensure effective internal controls are in place to support compliance with GAAP and applicable regulatory requirements for financial and fiscal reporting.
  • Partner with the commercial and operations teams to ensure financial data accurately reflects the economics of the business — including marketplace revenue, marketplace fees, storage costs, and internal operational costs.
  • Respond to ad-hoc information requests from internal and external stakeholders; exercise sound judgement in addressing or escalating issues as appropriate.
  • Support unit economics analysis and brand-level profitability reporting, by ensuring the integrity of underlying data flowing into Netsuite.
  • Relationship with the centralised AP function, ensuring coding accuracy, timely supplier payments, and that the Europe team's needs are well represented.
  • Support the Finance Director and work directly with the accounting team to ensure accuracy and consistency across all financial outputs.
  • Identify and implement solutions to streamline and accelerate the month-end close cycle, reducing manual effort and improving reliability.
  • Support the development of automated and scalable financial processes, working alongside the finance team's data and tooling workstreams, with a focus on improving the control framework and reporting efficiency as the business grows.
  • Partner with central Support Global Tax teams in corporation tax calculations and liaising with external tax advisors on planning and compliance matters.
  • Develop a strong working knowledge of intercompany processes, and how they impact on the European P&Ls.
  • Review lease accounting and ensure appropriate local GAAP adjustments are recorded for UK GAAP / FRS 102 and German HGB purposes, working closely with Global Accounting.

What will I need to thrive in this role?

  • Qualified accountant (ACA or ACCA), ideally Big-4 trained and with post-qualification experience in industry a financial control or similar role.
  • Prior exposure to ecommerce, marketplace, or consumer goods businesses preferred — comfort with high transaction volumes and revenue recognition.
  • Experience preparing or managing statutory accounts under UK GAAP / FRS 102; German HGB and IFRS familiarity an advantage.
  • Experience working with external auditors and managing year-end audit processes.
  • Exposure to multi-entity or multi-jurisdictional structures.
  • High attention to detail with a structured, methodical approach to financial control.
  • Strong analytical capability — comfortable interrogating large datasets and working with finance systems and BI tools.
  • Confident communicator, able to translate financial information for non-finance stakeholders and manage relationships with external advisors and auditors.
  • Self-starter with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
  • Collaborative team player who can also work independently and take ownership of complex deliverables.
  • Curiosity about data, tooling, and process improvement — an interest in how finance teams leverage technology is a genuine advantage in this role.

What is the hiring process?

  • An initial phone interview with Pattern’s talent acquisition team
  • Interview with Finance Director (1 hour)
  • Interview with Accounting Manager (30 minutes)
  • Interview with VP of Accounting (45 minutes)
  • Final focus and Top Grading Interview
  • Reference collection
  • Offer/Decision

How can I stand out as an applicant?

  • Be clear, concise and specific when explaining a point (STAR model and answer first are the suggested frameworks).
  • Be prepared to talk about professional accomplishments with specific data to quantify examples.
  • Be ready to talk about how you can add value and be the best addition to the team.
  • Focus on mentioning how you would make a difference at Pattern.
  • Be prepared to discuss your experience building new channels or functions, and what you learned along the way.

We are looking for individuals who are:

  • Game Changers - A game changer is someone who looks at problems with an open mind and shares new ideas with team members, regularly reassesses existing plans and attaches a realistic timeline to goals, makes profitable, productive, and innovative contributions, and actively pursues improvements to Pattern’s processes and outcomes.
  • Data Fanatics - A data fanatic is someone who recognises problems and seeks to understand them through data, draws unbiased conclusions based on data that lead to actionable solutions, and continues to track the effects of the solutions using data.
  • Partner Obsessed - An individual who is partner obsessed clearly explains the status of projects to partners and relies on constructive feedback, actively listens to partner’s expectations, and delivers results that exceed them, prioritises the needs of your partners, and takes the time to create a personable experience for those interacting with Pattern.
  • Team of Doers - Someone who is a part of a team of doers uplifts team members and recognises their specific contributions, takes initiative to help in any circumstance, actively contributes to supporting improvements, and holds themselves accountable to the team as well as to partners.

Why should I work at Pattern?

Pattern offers big opportunities to make a difference in the ecommerce industry! We are a company full of talented people that evolve quickly and often. We set big goals, work tirelessly to achieve them, and we love our Pattern community. We also believe in having fun and balancing our lives, so we offer awesome benefits that include:

  • 28 days Holiday (increasing to 32 days with each year of service)
  • Competitive salary
  • Hybrid working (3 days a week in the office Tues-Thurs)
  • Private Medical Insurance
  • Enhanced Pension Scheme
  • Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave and pay
  • Nursery Scheme
  • Cycle to Work Scheme
  • Regular company socials

European Financial Controller — Hybrid Role with Growth employer: Medium

At Pattern, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, where innovation and collaboration thrive. Our hybrid working model allows for flexibility while our commitment to employee growth is evident through comprehensive benefits, including enhanced leave policies and opportunities for professional development. Join us in London, where you can make a significant impact in the ecommerce industry while enjoying a supportive community and a balanced work-life environment.

Medium

Contact Details:

Medium Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land European Financial Controller — Hybrid Role with Growth

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Show us you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate how you can be a game changer at Pattern!

Tip Number 3

Practice your STAR responses! We love hearing about your achievements, so be ready to share specific examples of how you've added value in past roles.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive!

We think you need these skills to ace European Financial Controller — Hybrid Role with Growth

Qualified Accountant (ACA or ACCA)
Financial Control
Revenue Recognition
Statutory Reporting
Audit Management
UK GAAP / FRS 102
German HGB

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Financial Controller role. Highlight your experience with financial control, statutory reporting, and any relevant ecommerce exposure. We want to see how your skills align with what we do at Pattern!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the role and how you can contribute to our team. Be specific about your achievements and how they relate to the responsibilities outlined in the job description.

Showcase Your Data Skills:Since we're all about data at Pattern, make sure to highlight your analytical capabilities. Talk about your experience with large datasets and finance systems, and how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining the Pattern community!

How to prepare for a job interview at Medium

Know Your Numbers

As a Financial Controller, you'll need to be comfortable with data. Brush up on your financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles. Use specific examples that highlight your analytical skills and how they can benefit Pattern.

Master the STAR Technique

When answering questions, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses. This will help you provide clear and concise answers that demonstrate your experience and problem-solving abilities, especially in high-pressure situations.

Showcase Your E-commerce Knowledge

Since Pattern operates in the e-commerce space, be prepared to discuss your understanding of marketplace dynamics and revenue recognition. Share any relevant experiences you've had in similar environments, and how you can leverage that knowledge to add value to the team.

Be a Team Player

Highlight your collaborative spirit during the interview. Discuss how you've worked with cross-functional teams in the past and how you plan to partner with commercial and operational teams at Pattern. Emphasise your ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.