Financial Controller- Creative Agency in London

As the financial Controller, you will have responsibility for the finance function across six offices including period reporting, budgeting, forecasting and other ad hoc responsibilities.

To succeed, you will demonstrate an ability to hit the ground running and work confidently with non-financial budget holders from day one. It is essential you have a professional accounting qualification and proven experience as a Management Accountant or Financial Controller with advanced Excel skills.

This is a permanent position and reports to the CF. (the Client may initially fill on an interim 4-6 month basis).

Key responsibilities

• Take full responsibility for the finance team of three; covering purchase ledger, payroll, billing, credit control and management information
• Ensure financial and operational processes align effectively and provide strong control
• Delivering accurate and timely reporting
• Insight into past, current and forecast operational and financial performance
• Completing all period end journals and reports to produce the Management Accounts
• Preparing balance sheet reconciliations each period
• Aid the annual budgeting process, and ongoing review of business performance against budget and advise to the business
• Provide financial support to the CFO, in particular, by producing appropriate management information for decision making
• Ensuring compliance with all statutory matters including audit and taxation to agreed timetables and regulatory requirements to statutory bodies
• Completion of monthly management accounts, department P&Ls, balance sheet reports, cashflow & assistance with Board pack
• Involvement in re-forecast meetings and updating management accounts as necessary
• Preparation of year end schedules for auditors as necessary
• Liaising with auditors over year end accounts and assisting them during annual audit in office
• Ensure completion of payroll year end returns, monthly payroll returns and dealing with queries
• Ensure completion of P11Ds and dealing with queries.
• Ensure preparation and submission of monthly payroll contributions, posting onto nominal ledger and dealing with queries.
• Preparing and submitting quarterly VAT returns including Dubai
• Dealing with queries from bank
• Look at simplifying and improving the automation of the finance department
• Ability to manage in a transaction heavy environment
• Other ad-hoc project work on an ongoing basis

Skills & knowledge

• ACA/ACCA/CIMA Qualification
• Media/communications agency background and knowledge of Paprika accounting software preferred but not essential
• Strong interpersonal skills to bring together operational requirements and financial rigour
• Excellent business process skills
• First class communication and business partnering skills
• Excellent verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt the style and approach for a wide audience
• Advanced IT literacy including spreadsheet skills
• Ability to handle high levels of pressure, multiple concurrent tasks and critical decision making
• Leads by example and work collaboratively to grow and nurture direct reports
• Manage deadlines, ability to re-prioritise depending on unplanned situation, dealing with interruptions and other demands
• Willingness to get involved no matter what the job
• Clear accountability
• Maintains confidentiality at all times