New key role: Group Financial Controller

Location: Eastleigh

Package: £55,000-£65,000. Flexible and remote working offered.

Prospects: development opportunity to FD, which offers EMI scheme

Our client is a growing group of independent fire and security related businesses. Their ethos is to acquire small well-run businesses in the sector, and to enable them to grow as part of a family of like-minded businesses.

Founded in 2020 by a dynamic team of investors and entrepreneurs, the group now boasts 7 growing subsidiaries.

The strategic business plan involves an acquisition phase to end-2023, followed by an integration phase where the businesses are more deeply combined.

The CEO currently doubles up as the acting CFO.

This vital new role will sit between the Group board and the 7 subsidiary finance teams. Each subsidiary has its own internal bookkeeper/finance manager – these will report into the new Financial Controller. The role reports directly to the CEO.

Support on MI and year end/tax is always available from group auditors.

Initial:

• Implement standard financial operating systems and procedures for each subsidiary
• Align accounting policies and reporting (e.g. revenue recognition)
• Align systems across group (currently mix of sage, xero and quick books) probably to xero
• Help determine where accounting resource is best placed across the group
• Help implement a group consolidation and MI system (use of “Fathom” is underway) and generate relevant and timely MI
• Help integrate finance systems to other operational systems as required

On-going

• Support CEO (who is a qualified accountant) in special projects regarding synergies, purchasing optimisation, margin control etc.
• Monthly reporting and consolidation
• Monthly inter-company reconciliations and invoicing
• Assist in budgeting and forecasting and cash management
• Help manage central treasury needs
• Identify and implement efficiencies in finance
• Support acquisition activity and help quickly embed financial reporting for all new acquisitions
• Own year-end accounts and tax processes and be main bridge to accountants
• Support CEO when fund raising with investors/lenders.
• Supervise and mentor other finance staff in the group
• Assist in finance operational matters as required (pricing, contracts, purchasing)

• Strong in SME systems such as Xero or Quickbooks
  
• Very strong excel skills – acquisitions involve detailed forecasting
• Experience of small groups and consolidations
• Good technical accounting skills