Job Title:  Finance Controller

Job Purpose

The Financial Controller is responsible for overseeing and managing the financial activities of the company, ensuring compliance with statutory regulations, and providing commercial financial support to optimize profitability and operational efficiency. This role will work closely with internal teams, including Engineering, Manufacturing, Treasury, and senior management, to provide timely financial insights, strategic planning, and reporting to facilitate business growth.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Commercial Finance & Strategic Business Partnering

• Act as a trusted advisor to the Executive Team, partnering with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Commercial leaders to shape growth strategies and ensure sustainable profitability.
• Drive commercial strategy, including pricing frameworks, customer portfolio management, and margin optimisation across multiple regions.
• Lead global cost transformation initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and competitiveness.
• Oversee financial evaluation of major contracts, bids, tenders, and RFQs, ensuring commercial risks and opportunities are appropriately managed.
• Partner with Treasury to design funding and liquidity solutions that support global expansion and mitigate financial risk.

Group Reporting & Performance Management

• Own accountability for Group-level reporting, delivering accurate and timely financial insights to the Executive Team and Board.
• Lead the forecasting, budgeting, and strategic planning process, ensuring alignment with long-term business objectives.
• Provide forward-looking variance analysis and scenario planning to drive proactive business decisions.
• Deliver high-quality Board and shareholder reporting, ensuring transparency and strategic alignment.

Statutory, Governance & Risk Management

• Oversee statutory and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring adherence to IFRS, UK GAAP, and relevant local standards.
• Manage senior-level engagement with external auditors, regulators, tax authorities, and financial institutions.
• Champion proactive risk management practices, embedding governance and compliance into global operations.

Internal Controls & Corporate Governance

• Set the tone at the top for financial integrity, ensuring strong internal controls and compliance frameworks across global entities.
• Establish and monitor governance policies that align with best practice and protect enterprise value.
• Provide executive oversight of treasury and payment processes, ensuring compliance with governance standards.

Credit, Treasury & Liquidity Management

• Lead global credit risk management policies, balancing commercial opportunity with financial discipline.
• Oversee liquidity and capital structure planning, ensuring financial flexibility for investments and growth initiatives.
• Provide regular strategic insights on working capital optimisation and funding strategies.

Leadership & Organisational Development

• Define and execute the long-term finance organisation strategy, building a world-class global finance function.
• Lead, mentor, and develop senior finance leaders, creating a strong succession pipeline and future-ready organisation.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and innovation across geographies.
• Act as a senior ambassador for Finance, influencing stakeholders globally and ensuring alignment across diverse teams and markets.

Knowledge and Experience

• Extensive experience (typically 12+ years) in senior finance leadership roles, ideally within complex, international, and manufacturing/engineering environments.
• Proven track record of partnering with executive teams and Boards to influence strategy and drive sustainable business growth.
• Demonstrated success in commercial finance, including pricing strategy, profitability analysis, large contract negotiation, and risk management.
• Strong background in group-level reporting, performance management, and delivering insights that shape strategic direction.
• Experience managing statutory reporting and compliance under IFRS and UK GAAP, with exposure to multi-jurisdictional regulatory environments.
• Deep understanding of treasury management, credit risk frameworks, and liquidity optimisation.
• Proven ability to lead and transform finance organisations, embedding best practice governance, internal controls, and continuous improvement.
• Experience in mergers & acquisitions, integrations, or major business transformations (desirable).
• Exposure to working with external auditors, regulators, banks, and tax authorities at senior levels.

Skills and Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Ability to set vision and direction, influence at Board level, and align finance strategy with business objectives.
• Commercial Acumen: Strong business orientation with the ability to identify opportunities, manage risk, and deliver profitable growth.
• Analytical & Insightful: Exceptional ability to interpret complex financial and operational data, providing forward-looking insights and recommendations.
• Governance & Risk Management: Deep understanding of internal controls, compliance, and financial risk frameworks.
• Influencing & Communication: Skilled at building trust and credibility with senior stakeholders, regulators, and external partners.
• Change & Transformation: Proven capability to lead finance transformation, cost optimisation programmes, and cultural change.
• People Leadership: Strong track record in developing senior finance leaders, coaching talent, and creating high-performing teams.
• Resilience & Adaptability: Comfortable operating in fast-paced, complex environments with competing priorities.
• Technical Proficiency: High proficiency with financial systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Hyperion) and advanced Excel/Power BI skills.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) with significant post-qualification experience.
• Strong academic foundation, ideally with a degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related discipline.
• MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification (advantageous but not essential).
• Evidence of ongoing professional development, with up-to-date knowledge of IFRS, UK tax regulations, and corporate governance standards.

General Job Requirements