Financial Controller

A senior finance role supporting a fractional CFO and the Managing Director within a stable, privately owned business. Based fully at the head office near Sevenoaks, this position leads the small finance team, strengthens financial reporting and governance, and provides the senior capability the organisation needs, whilst still benefiting from the CFO's skills.

Client Details

Our client is a long-established UK business with a strong heritage and a reputation for reliability and service. Operating across multiple markets, the company maintains a collaborative culture, hands-on leadership and a commitment to continuous improvement. With a fractional CFO in place, the organisation is now hiring a capable Finance Manager / Financial Controller level candidate to elevate the day-to-day running of the function and provide higher-quality analysis and insight.

Description

Reporting to the fractional CFO and working closely with the MD, the Finance Manager / Financial Controller will take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the finance function while supporting wider commercial and strategic decision-making. The role requires someone who can combine strong technical capability with a broader perspective - understanding how the financial elements link together, and knowing when detailed analysis is required versus when a well-judged estimate is appropriate.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading, developing and mentoring a small finance team
• Full ownership of monthly management accounts, analysis and commentary
• Presenting financial performance in weekly leadership meetings
• Managing weekly reporting: invoicing, cashflow, forecasts and aged balances
• Enhancing cashflow forecasting and working capital management
• Ensuring VAT, duties and corporation tax compliance
• Preparing statutory accounts and group consolidation
• Leading the annual audit and managing the auditor relationship
• Owning the annual budget and periodic reforecasting
• Driving systems, processes and controls improvement, including contributing to an upcoming ERP upgrade (Exposure to a Sage X3 upgrade would be particularly beneficial)
• Working across the business (inc. sales) to extract explanations, understand drivers and strengthen commentary
• Acting as the fractional CFO's operational right hand, ensuring high-quality delivery

Profile

The ideal candidate will combine strong technical grounding with sound judgement and the confidence to operate as the senior day-to-day finance lead under a fractional CFO. The ideal candidate will be:

• A qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA)
• Ideally have experience with a major ERP (SAP, Business Central, Dynamics etc.), ideally including involvement in an upgrade cycle
• Able to take a big-picture view, understanding how financial elements connect while complementing an existing detail-oriented Management Accountant
• A confident communicator who can present succinctly to senior leadership and engage effectively with teams across the business
• Strong across cashflow, budgeting, forecasting and working capital
• Comfortable leading a small team while remaining hands-on
• Commercially aware, curious and able to challenge constructively
• Capable of running day-to-day finance independently while aligned with the fractional CFO

Job Offer

• £65,000-£70,000 salary
• Fully office-based role near Sevenoaks
• Close partnership with the fractional CFO and MD
• Significant ownership of day-to-day finance
• A senior, influential role shaping reporting, process and performance