UK Sr. Finance Manager

Role Purpose
We are looking for an experienced, hands-on and dynamic finance professional with strong expertise across financial controllership, IFRS, management reporting, financial controls, reconciliations and overall finance operations. The role requires someone who can operate beyond routine accounting and reporting, with a strong understanding of the end-to-end finance function and the ability to work in a growing and evolving business environment.

Experience of working with multiple entities or clients, mergers and acquisitions, post-acquisition finance integration and Board level reporting is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial Controllership
2. Take ownership of the financial close and reporting process across assigned entities or business units.
3. Ensure completeness, accuracy, and integrity of the general ledger and financial information.
4. Review balance sheet reconciliations, control accounts, intercompany balances, and other key reconciliations.
5. Establish and maintain strong financial controls and review processes.
6. Identify accounting issues proactively and ensure timely resolution.
7. Improve month-end processes with a focus on accuracy, control, and efficiency.
8. IFRS and Technical Accounting
9. Apply practical knowledge of IFRS and financial reporting principles.
10. Review complex accounting transactions and determine the appropriate accounting treatment.
11. Support accounting for business combinations, leases, provisions, revenue recognition, acquisition accounting and consolidation, as applicable.
12. Prepare and review accounting papers supporting transactions.
13. Management Reporting
14. Prepare and review monthly management accounts, ensuring information is concise, accurate and commercially meaningful.
15. Analyze actual performance against budget, forecast and prior periods.
16. Provide commentary covering revenue, margins, operating costs, EBITDA, cash flow, and balance sheet movements.
17. Translate detailed financial information into clear messages for non-finance shareholders.
18. Mergers, Acquisitions and Integration
19. Support finance activities relating to acquisitions and post-acquisition integration.
20. Understand the impact of acquisitions on accounting, reporting, consolidation, and controls.
21. Support integration of acquired businesses into Group finance processes, reporting structures, and control frameworks.
22. Assist with harmonization of accounting policies, reporting and finance processes across entities.
23. Reconciliations and Financial Control
24. Ensure timely completion and review of monthly balance sheet reconciliations.
25. Review intercompany reconciliations and support resolution of differences.
26. Investigate historical or complex reconciliation differences and drive them to closure.
27. Establish clear ownership and review mechanisms around reconciliations.
28. Ensure appropriate supporting documentation and audit trails are maintained.
29. Finance Operations and Team Management
30. Maintain a strong understanding of the overall finance cycle, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash, payroll accounting, fixed assets, intercompany, tax interfaces, month-end reporting and consolidation.
31. Lead, support, and develop members of the finance team.
32. Review the quality of work produced by the team while remaining hands-on where required.
33. Coordinate effectively with business heads, operational teams, auditors, and external advisers.
34. Create clear ownership and accountability within finance.
35. Finance Transformation and Process Improvement
36. Challenge inefficient or manual processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
37. Strengthen financial controls, reporting processes, and documentation.
38. Support automation and standardization of finance activities.
39. Improve the quality and availability of management information.
40. Operate effectively in an environment where processes and structures continue to evolve.

Candidate Profile

Essential Experience and Qualifications

1. Qualified accountant, preferably ACA/CA or equivalent.
2. Minimum 6 years of post-qualification experience in a relevant finance role.
3. Strong communication skills working with higher management and stakeholders.
4. Team handling experience of at least 4-5 members.
5. Strong experience within a multi-entity or Group finance environment (more preferred if Group is UK based).
6. Strong experience in financial controllership and management reporting.
7. Strong practical working knowledge of IFRS.
8. Experience managing or reviewing month-end close and balance sheet reconciliations.
9. Strong understanding of the end-to-end finance function.
10. Experience preparing financial information for senior management and Board level audiences.
11. Strong analytical, financial review, and problem-solving capability.
12. Experience managing and developing finance team members.
13. Advanced Microsoft Excel and strong financial modelling and analytical skills.

Highly Desirable

1. Experience working with multiple clients or business units.
2. Exposure to M&A, acquisition accounting, financial due diligence or post-acquisition integration.
3. Experience in a business undergoing growth, transformation or finance process improvement.
4. Experience interacting directly with auditors, senior management, business heads and external advisers.