Financial Controller - UK
Head Office - Wonderfield Group
Contract:
Full Time Salary:
100,00- 110.00 Contracted Hours:
40
The Wonderfield Group has recently been purchased by Zensho Holdings, the leading food service company in Japan with a market cap of $5.5b and whose aim is to become the worlds largest food company, a position from which we can eradicate hunger and poverty from around the globe. We operate restaurants, factories, and thousands of sushi kiosks and have recently built a successful cut fruit business, Snowfruit. Combining this with the three businesses previously owned by Zensho, AFC, Sushi Circle and Sushi Take, results in annual sales of $2.5b and Ebitda in excess of $140m a year with an ambitious growth trajectory. Skills & Experience: • Must be ACA or ACCA qualified, ideally with post-qualification experience in a listed or high-control environment. • Proven experience in financial control, audit liaison, and regulatory compliance. • Strong understanding of Japanese SOX or similar control frameworks. • Experience leading large teams and managing complex projects, ideally including ERP implementations. • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. • High proficiency in Excel; experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 or similar ERP systems is advantageous. • Experience in food manufacturing or hospitality sectors is highly desirable, particularly in environments with multi-site operations and complex supply chains. We are seeking a highly experienced and detail-oriented Financial Controller to lead the UK Finance Control team. Reporting directly to the UK CFO, this role is pivotal in ensuring robust financial governance, compliance, and operational excellence across the UK business. The successful candidate will oversee a team of approximately 25, including 3–4 direct reports, and play a leading role in the ERP implementation project. This is a high-impact role requiring strong leadership, technical expertise, and a proactive approach to continuous improvement. ________________________________________ Key Responsibilities: Team Leadership & Control • Lead and manage the UK Finance Control team, ensuring high performance, accountability, and development. • Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Financial Governance & Reporting • Oversee and ensure timely preparation of financial statements in accordance with required accounting standards (e.g. IFRS/UK GAAP). • Ensure timely and accurate reporting to Group Finance and external stakeholders. • Ensure balance sheet reconciliations are completed effectively, in a robust fashion, on a timely basis each month, keeping the business Audit ready all year round. • Maintain and enhance the finance risk register, ensuring risks are identified, monitored, and mitigated. • Ensure compliance with corporate governance standards and contribute to broader risk mitigation strategies. Tax & Legal Compliance • Ensure full compliance with UK tax regulations, liaising with Group Tax and external advisors as necessary. • Act as a key point of contact for Group Finance, Audit, Tax, and Legal Counsel. Audit & Controls • Act as the primary liaison for internal and external audits, ensuring timely and accurate responses. • Coordinate audit preparation and follow-up actions, maintaining a strong control environment. &b