As we continue our mission to make people and nature happy through chocolate, we're looking for a Controls and Governance Manager to join our Finance team on a permanent basis.
Role level 3
Salary paying up to a maximum of £55,000 per annum, based on experience
Are you passionate about driving strong governance and building robust internal controls that make a real impact? At Hotel Chocolat, we're looking for a Controls and Governance Manager to play a key role in strengthening our financial control environment. Working closely with Senior Finance Manager and partnering across the business - from Commercial and Supply Finance to our CFO and external auditors - you'll help shape, implement and improve the controls and processes that support our continued growth. If you're a detail-oriented problem-solver who thrives on collaboration, simplification, and continuous improvement, this is your opportunity to help ensure that our ways of working are not only fit-for-purpose, but future-ready.
As well as a competitive salary and company benefits, you'll receive 50% discount on all products, and a delicious 70% discount for you and your guests when you stay at our Rabot Estate hideaway on the paradise island of Saint Lucia.
Here at Hotel Chocolat, we've adopted a hybrid working pattern where appropriate. For this role it means working 3 days a week on site, with the other 2 days spent working remotely, from home or wherever you like! The on-site location for this role is our Head Office 'Mint House' in Royston, Hertfordshire, our home since 1994; just off the A505, ten minutes' walk from Royston Train station and commutable from London Kings Cross.
What You'll Be Doing....
* Business partnering to design an efficient and effective internal control structure for Hotel Chocolat.
* Design appropriate safeguards to ensure the integrity of financial statements and reporting, changing ways of working in the organization where applicable.
* Assessment of design and operating effectiveness in internal controls.
* Business partnering to design efficient and effective solutions to mitigate any deficiencies identified.
* Stakeholder management for varying stakeholders, from those with little to no internal controls knowledge to experts.
* Develop and monitor Controls & Governance KPIs and drive continuous improvement.
* Lead on controls framework delivery and process efficiencies to enable effective period close reporting and reconciliation.
* Facilitation, driving alignment and clarity between internal/external audit and business partners.
* Address financial policy questions related to internal controls and drive compliance.
* Implement controls and governance related training and tools.
* Remediate and report instances of fraud or non-compliance within unit and drive process for mitigation.
* Broad exposure across the business including Exec, Directors group and Senior Leadership Team.
Who You are...
Essential
* Qualified finance professional (ACA preferred)
* Audit experience
* Great policy, process, and control orientation and experience with the ability to drive standards
* Understanding of technical accounting requirements with regards to UK and US GAAP
* Experience with documenting, evaluating, and testing controls
* Experience with identifying, tracking and resolving control gaps
* Business partnership experience and an ability to create control/process solutions
* High attention to detail
* Good written and verbal communication skills
* A great collaborator; resilient
Desirable
* Retail and / or Manufacturing experience
* Experience of using Microsoft D365 and Anaplan
Who We Are...
We're one of the UK's favourite premium chocolate brands, with a range of products spanning luxury gifts, alcohol and our pioneering drinking chocolate system, the Velvetiser.
A cacao pod takes years to grow - it can't be rushed if it's going to be just right for our products. The same can be said for Hotel Chocolat, which originally started as a mint production company before we realised it was luxury chocolate that we were really passionate about.
Now, we're market leaders in the industry. What began as an online-only business grew to 135 stores across the UK, and we're still growing... Today, we're multi-category, multi-channel, and multi-territory, and our customers, colleagues, cacao farmers and suppliers all benefit from the success we make together.
To learn more about us and read about our People Pledge - our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion - click here: hotelchocolat.com/uk/engaged-ethics/our-people.html #J-18808-Ljbffr