Financial Controller in Royal Tunbridge Wells

• Reports to the Finance Director / Managing Director

Group: Sylvagen Limited and its subsidiaries, 777 Recycling Limited and Olus Biomass Limited

• Direct Reports: Finance team (management accountants, purchase/sales ledger, credit control staff, database management and entry team)
• Full-time, permanent
• Role Purpose

Sylvagen Limited is the Group parent company, trading alongside its subsidiaries 777 Recycling Limited and Olus Biomass Limited as a growing wood and waste, recycling and processing business operating across multiple sites in the South East of England.

The Group collects and processes waste wood, arboriculture and forestry residues, general waste, paper/cardboard and plasterboard.

The Financial Controller is a senior finance leadership role, responsible for the integrity of financial reporting and control across the Group's three trading entities.

The role overseas the month-end close, management accounts schedules, statutory reporting and year-end audit process, and drives improvements in financial systems, controls and commercial insight across a multi-entity, multi-site business.

Reporting directly to the Finance Director/Managing Director, the Financial Controller will act as a key business partner to operational managers across the Group while leading and developing the finance team.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the month-end close process across Sylvagen Limited, 777 Recycling Limited and Olus Biomass Limited, producing timely and accurate management account schedules.
• Maintain a robust financial control environment, including balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting and eliminations across the three Group entities.
• Lead preparation of statutory accounts for all Group entities and manage the year-end audit process and relationship with external auditors.
• Ensure compliance with UK GAAP, Companies Act requirements, and all relevant statutory filing deadlines.
• Develop and maintain Group accounting procedures and internal controls, ensuring consistent application across all trading entities.
• Management Information & Business Partnering
• Assist with the production of monthly management accounts, KPI reporting and variance analysis to the Finance Director and Managing Director.
• Support annual budgeting and periodic forecasting/re-forecasting, working closely with operational management across each site and entity.
• Business partner with operational managers to improve cost control, margin visibility and operational decision-making.
• Treasury, Tax & Compliance
• Oversee Group cash flow forecasting and working capital management.
• Manage VAT, PAYE, corporation tax compliance and liaise with external tax advisers on Group tax matters.
• Ensure compliance with HMRC requirements and other regulatory obligations across all Group entities.
• Oversee fixed asset accounting across a substantial site processing equipment base.
• Provide financial oversight of costs and liabilities associated with environmental permits, waste-carrier licensing and other regulatory compliance requirements across Group sites.
• Systems, Process & Team Leadership
• Lead, develop and manage the finance team, including management accounts, credit control and payroll functions.
• Drive continuous improvement of finance systems, reporting tools and processes to support a growing, multi-site Group.
• Act as a key point of contact for insurers, and HMRC and other external stakeholders on financial matters.
• Deputise for the Finance Director/Managing Director on financial matters as required, and support ad hoc project and due diligence work, including acquisitions where relevant.

Person Specification

• ACA/ACCA qualified, with training and post-qualification experience gained at a Big 4 accountancy firm preferable.
• Proven experience operating as a Financial Controller (or senior finance manager progressing to Controller) within a multi-entity, multi-site group structure.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge (UK GAAP) and hands‑on experience managing statutory accounts and external audit.
• Experience of group consolidation, intercompany accounting and management reporting across multiple legal entities.
• Confident, credible communicator, able to business partner effectively with non-finance operational leaders.
• Strong Excel skills and experience implementing or improving finance systems and processes.
• A hands‑on, pragmatic approach suited to a fast-moving, privately-owned business environment.
• Experience within waste, recycling, biomass/waste energy environmentally regulated sector preferable.
• Experience working within a privately-owned business.
• Prior line management experience of a finance team of five or more.
• Experience supporting acquisitions and business integration.

What We Offer

A senior, high-visibility role reporting directly to the Finance Director/Managing Director within a well-established and growing privately-owned Group.

Competitive salary (dependent on experience), together with benefits to be confirmed on application.

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