Financial Controller | Permanent | Ross-on-Wye | £70,000 -£80,000
Responsible to Chief Financial Officer
Summary
The Financial Controller is SafeLane’s senior-most finance role in the UK and is a key member of the UK leadership team. Reporting to the CFO, the Financial Controller is the finance lead for SafeLane’s operations, responsible for delivering efficient, reliable, and strategically focused financial advice and expertise to the International Group.
The Financial Controller needs to “know the numbers” and plays a central role in shaping financial performance, strengthening controls, and ensuring the accuracy and credibility of financial reporting.
Combining hands-on technical capability with strong leadership, the role ensures the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of financial information used by senior management.
The Financial Controller leads and develops the finance team, improves processes, and strengthens collaboration to ensure finance delivers meaningful value to the business. The role requires confidence working with Executive Directors and senior leaders, operating effectively in a fast-paced environment with high standards of discipline and insight.
With functional reporting to the CFO and administrative coordination via the UK-based Chief of Staff, this is not a “business as usual” role. The Financial Controller is expected to think independently, challenge inefficiencies, build capability, and make sound, value-adding decisions that support the continued development of the finance function.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Management & Reporting:
* Lead and develop a small accounting team responsible for cashflow management, projec accounting, transaction processing, management/group reporting.
* Oversee the month-end close and preparation of consolidated management accounts in accordance with UK GAAP/IFRS, including variance analysis, commentary, and reconciliations.
* Provide direction and support to Project Accountants and promote a Business Partnering model that enhances the relationship between Operations and Finance whilst ensuring a robust review and assessment of actuals, budgets, and forecasts.
* Maintain data integrity and ‘ownership’ of balance sheet reconciliations.
* Ensure accuracy, integrity, and consistency of financial data across entities and systems.
* Maintain group consolidation and oversee intercompany reconciliations and eliminations.
* Produce monthly and quarterly management packs for submission to the CFO, Executive team, investors and Board of Directors.
Budgeting, Forecasting & FP&A:
* Lead the annual budgeting and quarterly reforecasting cycles, coordinating inputs from projects, regions, and departments. This includes the development of forecast P&Ls, Balance Sheets, and cashflows.
* Deliver insightful variance analyses and performance reports, highlighting key operational and financial drivers.
* Develop and maintain rolling cashflow forecasts, integrating project & pipeline data and forward-looking assumptions across projects and overheads.
* Develop scenario modelling, funding forecasts, and strategic financial analysis to support decision-making.
Governance & Controls:
* Lead the group’s financial control framework, ensuring strong governance over accounting, expenditure, and reporting.
* Develop and oversee adherence to internal financial policies and compliance with accounting standards.
* Identify and implement process and control improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and transparency.
* Work closely with the Corporate Accountant to ensure Statutory reporting and taxation compliance is maintained whilst adhering to internal and external reporting deadlines.
Systems, Process & Leadership:
* Act as subject matter expert on the finance ERP and reporting systems, driving improvements and automation.
* Build strong relationships with Operations, providing financial insight and challenge.
* Ability to develop, author, implement, and monitor robust financial processes, policies and procedures.
* Support the CFO in strategic finance initiatives, compliance, funding analysis, and long-term planning.
* This list is not exclusive or exhaustive and the role requires undertaking tasks as may be reasonably expected within the scope of the position.
Criteria
Knowledge:
Working knowledge of UK GAAP and UK tax regulations - Essential
Working knowledge of Project Accounting, including revenue recognition and reporting under GAAP and IFRS - Essential
Skills:
Ability to prioritise effectively, efficiently, and deliver to tight deadlines - Essential
Ability to lead, manage, and mentor staff - Essential
Strong understanding of IT systems and high level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel - Essential
At ease communicating to both finance and non-finance personnel - Essential
Presentation and analysis of key financial matters - Essential
Experience:
Held Senior Finance Roles in International / multi-currency / multi-entity environments - Essential
Strong management accounting background - Essential
Experience working in a project-based business and accounting under IFRS 15 - Essential
Leading a team and managing staff – Essential
Qualification
Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) Essential
Certificate in Project Accounting Desirable
For further information, please contact Rhian Mountjoy
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