Financial Controller

📍
South West London | Hybrid Working (2 days per week in the office)

We are delighted to be partnering with a well-established FMCG / retail organisation based in South West London to appoint a Financial Controller on a 12-month fixed-term contract supporting the UK commercial and operational teams to lead financial control, statutory reporting, audit, and compliance across the business. This is a pivotal senior role within the finance team, offering broad exposure across group reporting, overseas subsidiaries, tax, and governance, with close interaction with senior leadership and external stakeholders.

You will take ownership of the balance sheet, statutory accounts, and tax compliance, acting as the primary point of contact for auditors, advisors, and regulatory bodies. Alongside ensuring a robust control environment, you will identify opportunities to improve processes and optimise the group’s tax position, supporting strategic decision-making across the business.

• Lead all statutory audits across the group, including coordination of overseas subsidiary audits, ensuring timely delivery and full compliance with UK and international reporting standards.
• Act as the primary liaison with external auditors and professional advisors, managing audit processes and queries efficiently and transparently.
• Own and review all balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and appropriate supporting documentation, with particular focus on high-risk areas such as rebates, provisions, and accruals.
• Provide oversight, challenge, and support to UK Export Business Partners to ensure consistent, high-quality balance sheet management in line with group policy.
• Oversee all tax compliance obligations, including corporation tax, VAT, PAYE, and international tax requirements, ensuring deadlines and regulatory standards are met.
• Work closely with advisors to identify and deliver tax planning initiatives, including R&D claims, to reduce overall tax liabilities.
• Supervise the Overheads Controller, ensuring strong cost control, accurate reporting, and alignment of overhead and capex spend with approved budgets.
• Prepare and review statutory accounts and supporting schedules under UK GAAP or IFRS.
• Maintain a strong financial control framework, ensuring records are accurate, reconciled, and audit-ready at all times.
• Lead, develop, and mentor the finance team, driving continuous improvement in reporting, controls, and compliance.
• Support the Group Financial Controller on group structure, intercompany accounting, and cross-border reporting.
• Manage statutory filings and relationships with HMRC and other regulatory bodies (including VAT, P11D, PSA, and Plastic Packaging Tax).

• Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent).
• Practice trained.
• Strong background in financial control, statutory reporting, and audit within a complex or multi-entity environment.
• Solid understanding of UK GAAP and/or IFRS and UK tax compliance.
• Experience managing external auditors and professional advisors.
• Confident leader with strong communication skills and attention to detail.
• Able to balance technical excellence with a commercial, pragmatic approach.
• Available to start early February 2026.

Please quote EJR
020226 when emailing in the first instance at

Due to the high amount of interest that we receive for each of our roles unfortunately we cannot respond to each application individually, therefore if you do not hear back from one of our consultants you have not been shortlisted for this role. Please continue to check our website  for any other roles which may be of interest.