Interim Deputy Group Financial Controller

Interim Deputy Group Financial Controller Location: West Malling (Hybrid Working, 2 days in office) Contract: 3 - 6 Month FTC Salary: £85k - £95k FTE, DOE + 20% bonus + additional benefits Reporting to: Group Financial Controller Start Date: Available to start immediately or by the end of October The opportunity A large, multi-site service organisation, part of a wider group, is looking for a Deputy Financial Controller to join the business on an interim basis, to take overall accountability for management accounting, head office accounting, group balance sheet control, forecasting and accounts payable. It will suit an experienced immediately available finance leader who enjoys building a well-run function as much as the technical work: someone who sets a clear operating rhythm, develops their direct reports to work independently, and wants month-end, year-end and audit to run with minimal firefighting. What you'll be doing Leadership and control Lead, coach and performance-manage the functional leads, developing them to operate independently within the agreed control framework Deputise for the Group Financial Controller as required Ensure every process has a named owner, every control is identified, and there is a clear audit trail of adherence Create, develop and enforce processes, policies, reconciliations, checklists and internal controls Set weekly, monthly and quarterly reporting rhythms, using agreed KPIs to track team performance, and make sure risks, errors and control gaps are logged and resolved promptly Management accounts and balance sheet Oversee the timely, accurate preparation and consolidation of the group's monthly management accounts Lead monthly dashboard discussions with operational management, identifying financial risks, opportunities and actions Take responsibility for the group balance sheet, ensuring reconciliations are completed and independently reviewed Lead quarterly balance sheet reviews and the quarterly management accounts process, maintaining year-end readiness and alignment with parent company requirements Oversee ledger governance, including the chart of accounts, access rights and period and year-end controls Support the corporate accounting function through month-end, year-end and external audit Forecasting Own and coordinate the rolling forecast, including the bi-weekly outlook and the annual forecast and planning cycle Work with operational and finance stakeholders to make sure forecasts are evidence-based, and constructively challenge submissions Analyse performance against budget and forecast, explain material variances, and develop scenario and sensitivity analysis to support decisions Accounts payable Oversee the accounts payable function, including invoice processing, payment runs, expenses, petty cash, and prepaid and virtual cards Maintain robust controls over supplier onboarding, master data, payment approvals and bank detail changes, with clear segregation of duties Keep spend controls proportionate and effective without getting in the way of operational efficiency Monitor KPIs on timeliness, accuracy, control adherence and aged creditors, and build strong relationships with procurement, suppliers and operational teams About you Essential Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) Significant experience in a financial control role, including management accounts consolidation and balance sheet ownership A track record of leading and developing finance teams, including managers or functional leads Experience owning or coordinating rolling forecasts and variance analysis Experience overseeing accounts payable, with a strong grasp of payment and supplier controls Confident with ERP ledger governance, and strong Excel skills Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, comfortable working with operational leaders Highly organised, with a structured approach to deliverables, KPIs and continuous improvement Desirable Experience in a multi-site service environment