Financial Controller

Job Title: Financial Controller

Location: Bristol office, hybrid (minimum three days a week onsite)

Salary: 50,285 per annum

Job Type: Fixed term maternity cover, approximately 15 months. Minimum 30 hours a week, up to full time (37.5 hours)

The Role:

This role covers the current post-holder's maternity leave for an anticipated 15 months. As Financial Controller you will lead CSE's finance team, directing and overseeing the finance function in compliance with appropriate accounting standards and practices, company and charity law.

You will provide timely, accurate financial and management information to support strategic decision-making and effective budgetary control by our Senior Leadership Team, Trustees, project managers and other budget holders. You will line manage the Finance Manager and Finance Assistant, and be a member of CSE's Senior Management Team.

Reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations, you will work alongside the wider Operations Team to provide operational support that underpins delivery of our charitable mission. This is a fast-paced role and we need someone who can get up to speed with minimal delay.

Specific responsibilities:

An applicant appointed to the role will be expected to:

• Take responsibility for day-to-day accounting, invoicing, payroll, VAT returns, payments and banking, credit control and cash management, including timely monthly management accounts.
• Line manage the Finance Manager and Finance Assistant.
• Co-ordinate the annual budget cycle and mid-year budget refresh alongside the Director of Finance & Operations and SLT.
• Attend monthly SMT meetings to share the previous month's financial results and handle related queries.
• Prepare accurate, accessible reports on organisational, team, staff and project financial indicators to support timely decision-making.
• Maintain the organisation's financial records to appropriate accounting standards and prepare documentation for the annual audit and other statutory reporting.
• Liaise with CSE's auditors to enable an effective and timely annual audit.
• Support project managers to plan and manage project budgets, providing financial data for reporting to clients and funders.
• Provide expertise on financial costing and monitoring approaches for new project funding proposals, reflecting funder requirements.
• Provide finance support to Retrofit West CIC, including financial reporting, statutory obligations and payroll as required.

About you:

Essential attributes for this role include:

• Fully qualified ACA, ACCA or equivalent accountant.
• At least seven years' post-qualification experience, including at least five years in a financial management role.
• Working knowledge of accounting standards, VAT and HMRC regulations in England, including requirements applicable to a UK charity with a trading subsidiary.
• Experience of leading the preparation for an annual audit.
• Experience of preparing routine financial and management information reports for senior executives and staff.
• Experience of using timesheet software to track allocation of staff time to different cost centres.
• High level competence with Sage accounting software and MS Excel.
• Able to analyse, structure and sense-check financial data to produce clear, informative reports, with excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with proven management skills.
• Self-motivated and organised, able to work with limited supervision and manage conflicting priorities.

Benefits:

CSE offer a range of other benefits including:

• You will be entitled to 25 days' paid holiday (plus statutory holidays)
• Company pension scheme with 8% employer and 6% employee contributions
• Subsidised bike purchase and Tech Scheme
• Life Assurance
• Health Cash plan
• Retail discounts
• Discounted breakdown cover and many more.
• We will pay fees and expenses on relevant training courses.
• We are flexible with working hours and will discuss this openly if you are invited to interview.

How to apply

To submit your application, please click the apply button and check your emails for the link to the full job description and the application form, which must be filled in to complete your application. You can also download the application form from our CSE website.

To be considered for this role an application form must be sent to the email address provided.

Your application should demonstrate your suitability against the criteria in the person specification and job description. CVs and supporting letters will not be considered.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Sunday 16 August 2026.

First interviews are expected online on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 September 2026, with final panel interviews at our Bristol office on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 September 2026. The earliest start date is early October 2026.

This role requires a basic DBS check. If invited to interview, we will ask for evidence of eligibility to work in the UK.