About IRIS
IRIS Software Group is a leading global provider of mission critical software and services, and one of the UK’s largest privately held software companies. IRIS provides software solutions and services for finance, HR and payroll teams, educational organisations, and accountancy firms that improves efficiency and productivity, taking the pain out of processes and letting professionals focus on the work they love.
Our operational software is the invisible, but essential, beating heart of our customers’ businesses, supporting them in a range of objectives, from maintaining legislative compliance, to boosting engagement with stakeholders, to enhancing productivity. It’s vital these mission critical functions work first time, every time.
The Role & Purpose
We are seeking a Vice President, Group Accounting to lead the day-to-day financial operations and accounting excellence across IRIS. While your peer (VP Finance Transformation & AI) focuses on “change the business,” you will focus on “run the business” – ensuring flawless execution of financial operations, robust controls, and accurate reporting that meets the rigorous demands of PE ownership.
This is a strategic operational leadership role that combines deep technical accounting expertise with the ability to drive efficiency, lead through transformation, and build scalable, future-ready finance operations. You will be the guardian of financial integrity and a trusted partner to the CFO, the board, and the PE sponsor on all controllership matters. Critically, you will also be the operational counterpart to the live GBS (Global Business Systems) transformation programme – owning the “receive and run” side as transformed billing, O2C, and finance processes go live.
Key Responsibilities
1. Lead Financial Operations & Accounting (35%)
* Own end-to-end operational finance across all IRIS entities: general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, intercompany accounting, cash collection, and treasury operations
* Manage financial consolidation across IRIS’s portfolio companies, subsidiaries, and geographies, ensuring accuracy and compliance with group accounting policies (IFRS / UK GAAP)
* Own and govern the enterprise chart of accounts structure – ensuring it enables SaaS-grade reporting: profitability by product, segment, and geography; clean separation of recurring vs. non-recurring revenue; and meaningful management, board, and investor reporting
* Drive monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes across all entities, meeting tight PE reporting deadlines with a target of continuous cycle-time reduction (benchmark: best-in-class PE-backed SaaS targets 5–7 business day monthly close)
* Act as the guardian of data integrity behind IRIS’s core SaaS metrics (ARR, GRR/NRR, churn, deferred revenue / contract liabilities) – ensuring these are accurate, auditable, system-generated where possible, and defensible under investor or buyer scrutiny
* Oversee treasury, tax, and cash management: cash flow forecasting, working capital optimisation, banking relationships, and FX exposure management
* Establish a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast and “Cash War Room” cadence aligned with PE sponsor expectations
2. Drive Accounting Excellence & Compliance (25%)
* Serve as the group’s technical accounting authority on revenue recognition (IFRS 15 / ASC 606 for SaaS and hybrid models), lease accounting (IFRS 16), business combinations (IFRS 3), and complex matters
* Own the operational integrity of the O2C chain: ensure billing, revenue recognition, reconciliations, and exception management are robust – particularly as GBS Stream 2 delivers transformed billing (ZAB) and order validation processes
* Ensure deferred revenue / contract liability balances are accurately maintained, reconciled, and clearly reported – a critical area of investor and buyer scrutiny in SaaS businesses
* Maintain Quality of Earnings (QoE) readiness at all times: clean separation of recurring vs. non-recurring revenue, defensible EBITDA adjustments, normalised cost base – so that a QoE report could be commissioned at short notice without surprises
* Manage relationships with external auditors; coordinate year-end and interim audits across all entities, ensuring clean opinions
* Design, implement, and monitor internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR) to a SOX-equivalent standard, managing control testing and remediation
* Oversee the tax team and external advisors on compliance, provision calculations, transfer pricing, and tax-efficient structuring
* Ensure compliance with statutory filing requirements across all jurisdictions (UK Companies House, US SEC-equivalent if applicable, international)
* Maintain a regulatory horizon-scanning process to anticipate and prepare for upcoming accounting and reporting standards
3. Build & Lead a High-Performing Team (20%)
* Lead and develop the operational finance team (~30–50 people) across multiple locations and remote working arrangements
* Build capability through structured coaching, training, career development, and succession planning – creating depth, not dependency
* Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and ownership of outcomes
* Establish a nearshore/shared services centre of excellence model for transactional finance activities where appropriate
* Champion diversity and inclusion within the finance function; recruit talent that reflects the global nature of the business
4. Partner on GBS Transformation & Systems (15%)
* Act as the operational counterpart to the VP Finance Transformation & AI, who owns and leads the GBS programme – providing the “run the business” perspective to inform transformation decisions
* Own operational readiness for GBS outputs: receive and stabilise transformed billing (ZAB), order validation, and Salesforce/NetSuite integration processes as they go live
* Define operational requirements for GBS Stream 3 finance systems decisions (NetSuite consolidation, Floqast close automation, treasury management, FP&A tooling) – ensuring team readiness and sustainable adoption
* Co-own resolution of the W2 ARR / Snowball accounting methodology with US and UK finance teams; ensure any exposure is quantified, remediated, and defensible for audit
* Lead the accounting and controls workstream for ERP and planning tool implementations; ensure data integrity, chart of accounts alignment, and operational cutover readiness
* Drive adoption of AI and automation (RPA, ML-based reconciliations, intelligent close management) across operational finance processes
* Ensure the team is trained, systems are stable, and new processes are embedded sustainably as the VP FT&AI’s GBS programme delivers transformed processes
5. Stakeholder & Sponsor Management (5%)
* Build and maintain a strong working relationship with Jim Carr and James Cope at Hg Capital – providing clear, timely, and accurate financial information, including monthly reporting packs, ad-hoc analyses, and deal-related financial support
* Present to the Audit Committee on controls, compliance, and accounting matters
* Partner with Corporate Development on financial due diligence, integration accounting, and purchase price allocation for acquisitions
Who You Are
Essential Experience & Capabilities
Accounting & Finance Operations:
* Qualified accountant ACA
* 15+ years progressive finance experience with 7+ years in senior operational finance / controllership leadership
* Deep technical accounting knowledge (IFRS / UK GAAP / US GAAP, revenue recognition for SaaS and hybrid models, consolidations, business combinations)
* Strong understanding of SaaS financial mechanics: deferred revenue / contract liabilities, subscription billing, ARR/GRR/NRR calculation methodology, and how these interact with revenue recognition standards
* Experience managing multi-entity, multi-currency, multi-country financial operations at scale
* Proven track record delivering accurate and timely financial close in complex, high-growth environments – ideally with experience driving close cycle time reduction
* Strong understanding of internal controls frameworks (SOX, UK Corporate Governance Code) and external audit processes
* Experience supporting or leading Quality of Earnings (QoE) processes, exit due diligence, or IPO readiness from the controllership side
* Proficient with ERP systems – NetSuite experience strongly preferred given IRIS’s current and target-state architecture; SAP, Oracle, Dynamics 365 also relevant
* Experience implementing or upgrading financial systems in a multi-entity environment