Financial Controller

Location: Lenham

Contract: Full time, permanent

Salary: Circa £80k

Reporting to: Finance Director

We are exclusively partnered with an established Kent business to recruit a Financial Controller, reporting directly to the Finance Director.

We have worked with the Finance Director for a number of years, and they are a big part of why this role is worth a look. They want to give the Financial Controller real freedom and autonomy: their approach is to set direction, back your judgement and remove obstacles, not to check every decision or manage you closely. If you have been in roles where you were trusted with the title but not the responsibility, this is the opposite.

You will take day-to-day leadership of the finance function, owning month-end, controls, audit and tax compliance, and leading the transactional finance team. There is also genuine scope to shape how finance works, improving processes and reporting so the business gets reliable information to support its commercial decisions.

• Lead the month-end close, ensuring timely and accurate monthly management accounts and reporting packs
• Review balance sheet reconciliations and make sure all control accounts are properly maintained
• Oversee and review VAT and PAYE calculations, ensuring VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax are paid accurately and on time
• Analyse financial performance, highlighting key variances and risks to the Finance Director
• Maintain a robust financial control environment and continually improve reporting processes
• Coordinate the annual external audit
• Manage, develop and mentor the transactional finance team, including accounts payable and accounts receivable
• Identify and lead improvements to finance processes

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA)
• Experience as a Financial Controller, Head of Finance, Finance Manager or Senior Management Accountant
• Experience managing and developing a finance team
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and a solid understanding of financial controls
• Experience managing external audits
• Good knowledge of UK tax compliance, particularly VAT
• Excellent Excel skills and experience using ERP systems
• Strong organisational skills, able to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines

You’ll get the most from this role if you work best when trusted to get on with it, take ownership without needing close direction, and want the freedom to improve how things are done.