Financial Controller

Our client is a recognised, rapidly growing, high-end retail business. The CFO is now seeking a Financial Controller to work closely with them and help drive ‘best practice’ within finance and proactively support the management team commercially. The new Financial Controller will join a small but rapidly growing head office team in a newly created role. Reporting to the CFO, the Financial Controller will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the finance function, and for ensuring all financial systems, processes & controls befit a dynamic, change-orientated business.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Ensure timeliness, accuracy and usefulness of financial and management reporting
• Review monthly bank and other balance sheet reconciliations and maintain relationships with financial providers
• Ensure accuracy of balance sheet accounts; manage preparation monthly analysis of each balance sheet account
• Manage and mentor junior finance staff
• Supervise preparation and recording of customer invoices, ensure all cash receipts are safeguarded
• Review monthly and hourly payrolls, ensuring completeness and accuracy of recording and statutory compliance
• On a weekly basis submit revised and updated group rolling 13 weekly cash forecast to CFO, ensuring consistency with monthly forecasts
• Obtain a complete understanding of the standard costing system and actively participate in developing and implementing company-wide policies and procedures on standard cost
• Prepare monthly and annual statutory reports and provide all information required by external auditors for annual audits
• Manage the production of the annual budget and forecasts
• Calculate variances from the budget and report variances
• Maintain a documented system of accounting policies and procedures and appropriate internal controls over accounting transactions
• Assist with the implementation and roll out of the remaining modules of our ERP system (MS Navision), ensuring that the manufacturing modules are fully tested and operational
• Further develop KPIs and metrics to enhance the board’s assessment of business performance and market position with full variance analysis and commentaries

This is a highly visible role in a fast-paced SME. Applicants will be fully qualified (ACA preferred) with prior experience of working within retail. Applicants will have a demonstrable background in taking full ownership of day-to-day finance in a growing business and will ideally understand the challenges of expanding an organisation. The new Financial Controller will be able to utilise their strong understanding of system implementations and managing financial controls and processes to support ongoing growth.

The business is seeking a true finance leader with natural authority and a flair for detail. The successful candidate will be someone who is results-driven and keen to take responsibility for taking the finance team to the next level, and be a true business partner to the CFO and senior management team.