Job Description

The Financial Control Lead will be the primary specialist to an entire Finance Business Partnering team within the business. This position reports directly to the Finance Director, providing support to the FD in their ownership of the integrity and accuracy of all relevant aspects of their P&L and balance sheet and to ensure that the firm’s accounting policies defined by the Financial Control Centre of Excellence (FC CoE) are implemented and monitored within their part of the business.
This role will engage with various stakeholders to provide focused insight and solutions in support of the business’ financial strategy, maintaining a strong control environment and providing assurance over the commercial advice being developed. The right individual will draw upon technical knowledge, commercial insights, and excellent interpersonal skills to drive, influence and challenge the business to achieve short and long term financial objectives, and to highlight and mitigate financial risk.
The specific responsibilities of the FC Lead will be subject to which part of the business they support, but may include:

• Works with the FC CoE and Finance Leads to ensure appropriate financial controls are implemented and monitored within the business, including adherence with the firm’s relevant accounting policies and procedures.
• Acts as a subject matter expert in the application of the firm’s accounting policies and procedures within the business, seeking advice from the FC CoE when necessary on matters of a more complex or technical nature.
• Works with Finance Leads to drive early involvement in the bid/contract review process to identify issues and to provide policy and contract code structuring advice to avoid unanticipated revenue recognition implications during the project lifecycle.
• Collaborates with the FC CoE, the wider Finance Business Partnering team and engagement leaders to carry out reviews of large and high risk engagements to ensure that the correct accounting treatment is achieved in line with the firm’s revenue recognition accounting policy and IFRS.
• Ensures that month and year end books are closed in accordance with the relevant procedures and that reports reflect accurate and complete records of the performance of the business, across the P&L and balance sheet.
• Works with Finance Leads within their Business Partnering team to drive best practice across all aspects of Investment in Client management (including billing and cash) and IIC risk. Liaises with providers of engagement transactional support (e.g. FTSG or CAEs) to ensure appropriate support is in place.
• Ownership of the year end process, including planning and leading the external audit within the business. Implementing improvements following audit feedback.
• Working with the MI & Reporting Lead to drive simplicity and efficiency in reporting and processes; seeking out opportunities to utilize technology and MI to identify risk.
• Liaise with the firm’s internal auditors on specific reviews, as necessary.
• Responsible for the continuous improvement of FC within the business, working closely with the FC CoE to drive process improvements and best practices.
• Regularly meets with the FC CoE to discuss changes or issues relating to FC within the business.
• Ensures financial management procedures are tightly managed so as to ensure a ‘no surprises’ environment.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience in designing and implementing financial controls
• Experience in managing month-end and year-end financial reporting processes
• Strong technical accounting knowledge / application of relevant accounting standards
• Independent and unbiased mindset and able to challenge senior stakeholders on inappropriate accounting treatment.
• Strong analytical skills
• Experience in facilitating and participating in external audit process
• Professionally qualified (CA, ACA, ACCA or CIMA)