Senior Financial Controller: Strategy, Reporting & Growth in Manchester

Financial Controller based in Manchester. 5 days on site. We're looking for a Financial Controller to join a growing business in Manchester. This is a senior role with real visibility across the organisation, offering the opportunity to shape financial reporting, influence decision‑making, and support continued growth. Reporting directly to the Finance Director, you'll take ownership of financial control and reporting, while acting as a key partner to operational teams. You'll lead a capable team and play a hands‑on role in driving improvements across processes, systems, and commercial insight.

The Role

You'll be responsible for leading a small team, covering core finance activities including management accounts, statutory reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow. Alongside this, you'll have oversight of transactional finance teams, ensuring alignment and efficiency across the wider function. This is more than a reporting role - you'll work closely with senior stakeholders to challenge, support, and guide decision‑making. There's a strong focus on improving margin visibility, understanding profit drivers, and helping the business make better, more informed choices both in the short and long term. You'll also play a key role in driving process improvements, strengthening financial controls, and ensuring consistency with company practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Reporting & Control: Deliver timely and accurate monthly management accounts. Take full ownership of the P&L and Balance Sheet, ensuring a deep understanding of underlying transactions. Ensure robust financial controls are in place, with reconciliations completed and reviewed thoroughly. Oversee statutory accounts preparation and year‑end audit. Manage VAT returns and other compliance requirements.
• Commercial Insight & Analysis: Provide clear, insightful analysis of performance, including variance commentary and emerging trends. Develop and enhance KPI reporting across financial and operational metrics. Support business leaders with meaningful financial insight to improve profitability and performance. Drive improvements in management information, ensuring consistency.
• Business Partnering: Act as a key interface between finance and the wider business. Support budgeting and forecasting processes, ensuring risks and opportunities are clearly identified. Work closely with operational teams to challenge assumptions and improve financial understanding. Present financial information to stakeholders in a clear and engaging way.
• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve systems, processes, and reporting efficiency. Increase the use of automation and standardisation across finance activities. Collaborate with the finance team to share best practice and drive consistency.
• Team Leadership: Lead, develop, and support a team, with indirect oversight of a larger transactional team. Set clear objectives and KPIs, with regular performance reviews and coaching. Build capability within the team and ensure strong succession planning. Support recruitment and resource planning where needed.

About You

• Fully qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA or ACA).
• Strong technical grounding with a keen eye for detail.
• Commercially minded, with the confidence to challenge and influence senior stakeholders.
• Advanced Excel skills and comfortable working with data to generate insight.
• Clear and confident communicator, both written and verbal.
• A proactive, hands‑on approach with a focus on continuous improvement.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys being close to the business, wants to make a tangible impact, and is comfortable operating at both a strategic and detailed level.