Group & EMEA Financial Controller, Side, GB

We are looking for a talented Group Financial Controller to join and lead the financial accounting of our London based group finance team working alongside an experienced Director of FP&A and reporting directly to the CFO. The Controller will also line manage EMEA local finance staff (4 direct reports). 
 
This role requires working at both a strategic and hands on level as the central team is relatively small.  Well-developed relationship management skills are essential as you will need to work collaboratively with local finance teams and also with our Japanese parent company.  The company anticipates that it will IPO in the medium term so experience in a listed company environment and of being involved in an IPO would be a significant advantage. 

Key responsibilities: 

• Ownership and development of the group finance function, including group financial reporting, the control environment, compliance and tax. 

• Lead, mentor and inspire a talented team of finance professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement. 

• Manage the full spectrum of financial reporting for our operating entities and branches, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and timeliness. 

• Oversee day-to-day accounting operations, including intercompany transactions, regulatory reporting, and payroll processing. 

• Establish and maintain robust internal control frameworks, mitigating risks and optimising efficiency. 

• Drive initiatives to automate and streamline accounting processes, enhancing productivity and accuracy based on the company’s D365 system. 

• Internal reporting, reviewing the monthly management accounting information (produced by the FP&A team) and ad hoc reporting to business with the ability to refresh and develop reporting to ensure it remains insightful and fit for purpose. 

• External reporting, including input into the drafting of management packs and ownership of the reporting to our parent company and other key external stakeholders. 

• Management of external audit and development and documentation of strong internal controls framework to support rapid future growth. 

• Maintenance of up-to-date technical knowledge of IFRS within the team – ownership of group and subsidiary accounting policies. 

• Ownership of statutory accounts and tax filings in the UK and overseas. 

• Oversee a centralised shared service centre covering accounts receivable and accounts payable in India. 

• Provide key contributions to the company financial strategy and decision-making processes. 

• Lead the end-to-end audit process of current systems, while acting as a point of contact for external auditors. 

• Take overall responsibility for the management of financial details to ensure that legal requirements are met. 

• Review the financial reports and seek ways to reduce company costs. 

• Propose solutions to identified risks and effectively manage stakeholder expectations. 

• Drive the continuous improvement of end-to-end accounting practices.