Senior Financial Controller

What you’ll need to succeed

We are looking for a Senior Financial Controller (with 5+ years’ post‑qualification experience) to join our divisional finance team in a newly created player‑manager role.

• Defaqto is a double‑digit growth company
• Highly respected SME within the UK financial services sector
• Development opportunities
• Great team
• Brilliant company culture

Defaqto is one of the UK’s most trusted sources of financial product and market intelligence. By bringing together product data, technology and consumer insight we help everyone make smarter, more informed financial choices now, and in the future. And in doing so we hope to raise industry standards, power consumer choice and help the industry meet evolving customer needs.

As Senior Financial Controller you will oversee and execute all financial control, compliance and finance operations activities for the legal entities that comprise the Software & Data division. You’ll enable accurate and timely group reporting to our parent company and statutory compliance for several entities, and lead continuous improvement of our financial processes and systems, including the integration of finance functions of recently acquired businesses.

• Lead the monthly financial close process for the Software & Data division, overseeing timely and accurate period‑end group financial reporting for all legal entities through the group ERP systems (SAGE Intacct, Xero), in line with IFRS.
• Execute and oversee statutory and other compliance‑driven deliverables on a timely basis (VAT returns, ONS returns, annual statutory accounts).
• Coordinate and lead external audit processes for the division.

• Collaborate with group shared service teams to ensure all financial operations (Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Tax and Treasury) run smoothly for the Software & Data division.
• Ensure a robust control environment, including the alignment of systems and processes with these controls.

• Produce monthly management reporting and variance analysis for a selection of business functions, such as Marketing. Track performance against budgets and highlight risks and opportunities to divisional leads.

• Undertake project work as necessary, including the integration of finance systems and processes for newly acquired companies within the group.
• Challenge the status quo and always look to make things better.

• Lead, mentor and develop members of the finance team, fostering high standards and accountability.
• Act as the senior point of escalation for financial queries within the team and across the business.

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CPA preferred) with at least 5 years of post‑qualified experience from finance and accounting roles in industry, or qualified through significant industry experience.
• Strong knowledge of financial reporting standards under IFRS.
• Experience working with ERP systems (SAGE Intacct and Xero) to lead the financial close process for the division.
• Strong understanding of core finance processes (P2P, O2C, Treasury, Tax, Payroll).
• Comfortable in MS Excel.

• Industry experience in a financial controllership role that manages the period‑end close process, ideally within multi‑entity SMEs.
• Prior involvement in system implementations or other finance transformation projects.
• Experience working with auditors and outside accountants/advisors.
• Previously managed small finance and accounting teams.

• Methodical approach with analytical rigour and high attention to detail.
• Collaborative team player.
• Able to work in a fast‑paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Thinks critically and isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo.
• Commercially astute and able to communicate financial performance to non‑finance stakeholders in a clear and actionable way.

This is a full‑time, permanent position to be worked on a hybrid basis. You’ll spend 3 days a week working with the team in our Haddenham office, and may occasionally travel to other offices in the group.