Group Financial Controller

Our client, a specialist service provider based in Watford, is seeking to recruit an ambitious Group Financial Controller to prepare the business for sale over the coming years. Already a key player in a competitive market place, the business has achieved 15-20% annual growth in the past few years, both organically and through acquisition, and is seeking to continue the acquisition trail over the next five years. This is an exciting time for the successful candidate to join the company with an opportunity to gain both experience of a business moving towards sale/floatation and career progression to CFO in the short-medium term. In addition to this, the company will be looking to put in place a lucrative share option scheme as part of their future plans.

Reporting into the CFO, the Group Financial Controller will be instrumental in running the finance team on a day to day basis. Key responsibilities will include:

• Ownership of the consolidated statutory and management accounts for the Group

• Management of the finance team consisting of eighteen staff

• Full responsibility for the budgeting and forecasting process, including three year planning

• Financial and commercial analysis and support to the CFO, including assessment of acquisition targets and post- acquisition integration

• Goodwill accounting

Ideally you will be a qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/ACMA) with experience gained in a practice environment and possess a strong technical understanding. Previous experience in the following areas is highly desirable:

• Experienced Senior Manager in practice with staff supervisory experience or practice trained with a minimum of 5 years PQE and commercial finance experience.

• Management accounting, analysis and forecasting experience

• Excellent Excel skills including macros and pivot tables

• Experience either in a Private Equity environment or an acquisitive medium to large business would be a distinct advantage

• Excellent communicator with a strong track record of influencing at a senior level