Financial Controller

💼 Financial Controller

📍 Hybrid – Chelmsford, Essex

📄 Full-time – Permanent

We're hiring a Financial Controller to play a key role in developing and leading the rec hub's in-house finance function.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced finance professional to take ownership of financial reporting, controls and processes, helping us build a robust and scalable finance operation as the business continues to grow.

A key initial focus will be bringing our accounting function in-house, taking ownership of the transition from external support and establishing strong financial processes, reporting and controls.

Working closely with our Finance & Operations Director, you'll play an important role in providing accurate financial insight, supporting business decisions and improving how we manage our finances.

What You'll Do

• Lead the transition from externally supported accounting to an effective in-house finance function.

• Take ownership of the general ledger, month-end close and monthly management accounts.

• Ensure accurate financial reporting across the P&L, balance sheet and cash flow.

• Support budgeting, forecasting and cash flow management.

• Monitor financial performance, identify trends and highlight risks and opportunities.

• Oversee financial controls and provide technical guidance across day-to-day finance operations.

• Manage relationships with external accountants, auditors and tax advisers, coordinating year-end and statutory reporting.

• Take ownership of Xero and identify opportunities to improve systems, processes and automation.

• Work closely with the Contracts & Finance Administrator, providing support and technical guidance.

• Partner with the Finance & Operations Director to provide meaningful financial insight and support business decisions.

What You Bring

• Ideally ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified, although strong qualified-by-experience candidates will also be considered.

• Experience working as a Financial Controller, Finance Manager or Senior Accountant.

• Proven experience owning month-end processes and producing management accounts.

• Strong technical accounting knowledge across profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow.

• Experience with budgeting, forecasting and year-end processes.

• Experience improving finance processes or transitioning accounting activity in-house.

• Strong systems capability, ideally including Xero and Excel.

• Excellent attention to detail, with a proactive and commercially minded approach.

• Confident communicating financial information and working with senior stakeholders.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to take real ownership of a finance function and make a tangible impact on how the rec hub operates.

You'll have the opportunity to shape processes, introduce improvements and build the foundations of a strong in-house finance operation, working closely with the Finance & Operations Director and wider leadership team.