Group Finance Controller — Multi-Entity, Hands-On Leader in Coalville

An outstanding opportunity for an accuracy-obsessed finance professional to join a growing group of businesses at a pivotal stage in their development. This is a senior, hands-on financial control role spanning three entities, with real breadth, genuine responsibility, and the chance to shape the financial backbone of a successful, ambitious group.

About the group

The BakeRite Company (The Tradelink International Group Ltd) is an experienced importer, stockist, and distributor of high-quality, healthy, natural, and free-from ingredients for the specialist bakery and food and drink markets. Fixfire (Avansys LLP) is a growing fire safety and compliance services business. Octado Ltd is the group holding company. Family owned, this is a group of businesses that value honesty, trust, professionalism, and people who go the extra mile. You will be joining a supportive environment where your contribution genuinely makes a difference and where high standards are the norm, not the exception.

The role

This is a critical, hands-on financial control role responsible for the full books of three entities within the group. You will oversee bookkeeping functions in BakeRite and Fixfire, managing a small team of finance staff to produce fully reconciled accounts through to trial balance, and deliver monthly management accounts to the Board. The role carries genuine breadth: you will manage landed costs and significant foreign exchange activity in BakeRite, ensure work-in-progress is accurately costed in Fixfire, and maintain robust financial controls across the group. You will also lead on audit liaison, budgeting, cash flow management, and statutory reporting. This role is expressly office-based in Coalville, with some flexibility around hours.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee and review day-to-day bookkeeping across BakeRite and Fixfire, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
• Produce fully reconciled accounts through to trial balance for each entity monthly.
• Perform and review all balance sheet reconciliations, including intercompany transactions between all three entities.
• Produce monthly management accounts for each entity within agreed timescales.
• Present clear, insightful commentary to support Board decision-making.
• Develop and maintain a robust WIP valuation methodology.
• Ensure WIP is accurately captured and released at each month-end in line with project progress.
• Manage the allocation and accounting treatment of landed costs across BakeRite’s import activity.
• Accurately record and revalue significant FX balances; experience in transacting in foreign currencies including forward contracts or hedging is a plus.
• Collaborate with team leaders in each entity to build annual budgets and then provide ongoing financial forecast updates.
• Monitor performance against budget and produce variance analysis highlighting cost-saving opportunities.
• Track daily liquidity and forecast working capital requirements.
• Supervise bank reconciliations and support management of credit facilities.
• Design and enforce financial policies to prevent fraud and protect group assets.
• Act as principal point of contact for external auditors, managing the end-to-end audit process.
• Liaise with external accountants to support preparation and filing of statutory accounts.
• Support VAT return preparation; manage packaging regulations reporting and ONS enquiries.
• Administer incentive and profit share schemes in BakeRite and Fixfire.
• Line manage and develop bookkeeping staff across the group.

Skills and experience

• Significant experience in a financial controller, management accountant, or similar senior finance role.
• Proven track record producing fully reconciled accounts to trial balance, ideally across multiple entities.
• Experience of monthly management accounts preparation and Board-level presentation.
• Familiarity with work-in-progress accounting, preferably in a project-based or services environment.
• Experience handling landed costs or import accounting within a trading or distribution business.
• Foreign exchange experience is highly desirable.
• Proficiency with SAP Business One (BakeRite) and/or Sage (Fixfire and Octado) preferred.
• Part or fully qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), or QBE with demonstrable capability at the required level.
• Obsessively accurate – you find errors before anyone else does, and you fix them.
• Competent and confident in utilising AI tools to improve efficiency and financial insight.
• A genuine team player who actively contributes to a culture of continuous improvement.
• Able to coach and bring out the best in your team, raising standards through example and support.
• Prepared to be accountable – including to key performance metrics – expecting the same from those around you.

Benefits

• Competitive remuneration package
• Enhanced pension contributions
• Company-funded private medical insurance for you and your family
• 20 days holiday plus your birthday off, plus bank holidays (29 days per annum)
• Additional holiday entitlement for long service
• Opportunity to purchase additional holiday via salary sacrifice
• Free breakfast and lunch when working in the office and all refreshments
• A positive, high-performance working environment in our modern Coalville office
• Funded opportunities for ongoing professional development
• Stable, family-owned business with open communication and collaborative culture
• Free on-site parking with EV charging

How to apply for the role: If you feel you have the skills and experience to succeed in this varied and important Group Financial Controller role, please apply now with your CV and we will be in touch. You must be authorised to work in the UK. No agencies please.