Rebates Controller (12-month FTC) in London

Location: North West London, NW2 7HF

Salary: Competitive + Bonus

Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm + 1 hour lunch break

Hybrid: 3 days in office, 2 days working from home. Start date: Immediate

Our business… At Vitabiotics, you'll find a diverse bunch of talented folk who come from a wide range of backgrounds and possess an extensive array of experience. What brings us all together is a culture that thrives on innovation, mutual respect, teamwork and a sense of commitment. Vitabiotics is truly a great place to work!

Vitabiotics has pioneered advances in nutritional healthcare products for over 50 years and the range includes many of Britain’s leading supplement brands such as Perfectil, Pregnacare, Wellman, Wellwoman and Menopace. As the UK’s No.1 vitamin company, exporting to over 100 countries, Vitabiotics is widely acknowledged as leaders in innovation and in 2018 became the first vitamin company to twice receive the Queen’s Award for Innovation, awarded for its groundbreaking clinical research.

About the role: As part of our commitment to innovation and development, we’re looking for a Rebates Controller. You will be responsible for the accurate management, calculation, accounting, and settlement of customer rebates, trade promotions, and incentive agreements within a fast-paced FMCG environment. The role ensures financial accuracy, compliance with rebate contracts, and strong collaboration with Sales, Commercial, and Supply Chain teams.

Responsibilities will include…

• Rebate Management & Accounting: Own the end-to-end rebate process, from contract setup to accrual, validation, and settlement. Ensure rebate accruals are accurately calculated, posted, and reconciled in line with accounting standards (e.g. IFRS 15). Review rebate agreements to ensure correct financial treatment and system setup. Review payments/deductions made to suppliers and third-party companies to ensure accuracy and compliance. Identify, investigate, and resolve any historical overpayments or duplicate payments. Review of customer audit claims and debit notes raised. Maintain clear audit trails and documentation for all investigations. Work closely with AP, AR, and Finance teams to strengthen internal controls and prevent future discrepancies.
• Controls & Compliance: Maintain robust internal controls over rebate and customer deduction processes. Ensure compliance with internal policies, audit requirements, and external regulations. Support internal and external audits by providing documentation and explanations. Manage a portfolio of customer accounts, ensuring timely collection of outstanding debt. Monitor aged debt, proactively reducing overdue balances and improving DSO. Build and maintain strong relationships with customers to resolve queries efficiently. Allocate incoming payments accurately and promptly.
• Reporting & Analysis: Produce detailed rebate reporting for Finance, Sales, and Commercial teams. Support month-end close activities related to rebates and trade spend including reconciliations and reporting.
• Stakeholder Management: Act as the key finance contact for Sales and Commercial teams on rebate matters. Resolve customer rebate queries and disputes in a timely manner.
• Systems & Process Improvement: Clear understanding and timely accounting of supplier deductions. Support system enhancements, automation initiatives, and process standardisation. Drive efficiency improvements in rebate tracking and settlement cycles.

Key Skills & Competencies: Strong attention to detail and high level of financial accuracy. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to manage high volumes of data in a fast-moving environment. Strong communication skills with both finance and non-finance stakeholders. Proactive mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.

Requirements: Proven experience identifying, investigating and chasing over-payments within an FMCG environment. Hands-on experience managing rebates, trade spend, or promotional accounting. Previous experience in credit control, within an FMCG or a fast-paced commercial environment would be beneficial. Strong understanding of the order-to-cash cycle and financial controls. Excellent communication and relationship-building skills. High attention to detail with strong investigative and problem-solving abilities. Confident working with large volumes of data and transactional information. Proficient in Excel and ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, or similar).

What Success Looks Like in This Role: Identification and recovery of historical overpayments. Accurate and timely rebate accruals and settlements. Clean audits with no material findings related to rebates. Strong partnerships with Sales and Commercial teams. Improved visibility and control over trade spend.

Benefits: 24 days annual leave plus bank holidays. Birthday day off. Bupa dental cover. Private medical insurance. 50% staff discount on all Vitabiotics products. Staff skills training. Health and wellbeing programme. Pension contributions. Sick pay support. Free onsite parking. Enhanced maternity or paternity leave. Company events. Fresh fruit and snacks. 2 Charity days a year. Free EV charging station.