Financial Controller

Job Introduction

We have an exciting opportunity for reporting expert with great stakeholder management and influencing skills to join our Regional Finance Management Reporting team as Finance Controller for our Schools & Universities segment. You don’t need to be a qualified accountant but you do need an excellent technical grounding and first-class forecasting and budgeting credentials.

You’ll ensure the accuracy of the financial statements adhering to accounting standards and take ownership of balance sheet reporting, you’ll support both the FP&A and segment finance teams ensuring governance, financial controls and compliance procedures are in place and adhered to across UK & ROI financial statements. You’ll work to drive process improvements, promote high quality service delivery and enable region segment performance through financial leadership and business partnership and providing performance analysis for regional and segment management. You’ll own the segment forecasting and budgeting process, including consolidation and reporting outputs for submission to region segment, finance and global segment and prepare statutory accounts to draft stage for limited companies within the FC scope. Contributing to Region-wide financial leadership and driving the performance of the finance function to support delivery of the Region and Global segment goals.

This is a great opportunity to join a supportive and fast paced team with opportunity for professional development and further career progression.

You’ll predominantly be home based with there may be adhoc requirements to travel to meet with colleagues or stakeholders across the UK, ROI and occasionally Porto.

Role Responsibility

• Applying strong financial governance to ensure the accuracy of reported financial results for all aspects of the financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow); with clean audits from internal/external audits, ensuring that any areas for improvements raised in the audits are quickly and thoroughly addressed
• Ensuring timely and robust financial projections with strong forecasting and budgeting processes in place and adhered to, including reporting outputs and analysis
• Working as part of the segment team to drive segment results and ensure transparency and accuracy of reported performance; supporting on investment and contractual activity where required
• Managing the R2R Specialist within the region management reporting team; providing guidance and segment finance leadership to the wider segment finance team and SBS Europe colleagues to deliver exceptional service

The Ideal Candidate

• Qualified accountant (CIMA/ACA/ACCA) would be advantageous but is not essential
• Ideally exposure to a complex, contract driven business would be beneficial
• A strong technical grounding and first-class forecasting and budgeting credentials
• Outstanding communicator with the ability to distil complexity to most senior levels
• Good team player with the ability to influence others and portray sense of direction, leadership and commitment to people at all levels
• Strong evidence of resilience, energy and drive
• An innovator who is able to lead and manage change
• Ability to work under pressure; think clearly and act decisively

Package Description

£60,000 - 70,000 per annum depending on the technical knowledge you bring to the role. Plus benefits and bonus.

We also offer Sodexo Discounts site promoting discounted mobile phone tariffs, savings across restaurant chains and days out, where you and your family can save money on everything from your weekly food shop to the latest cinema blockbuster and much more

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs around 30,000 people, and partners with clients in many sectors across business and industry; schools and universities; sports and leisure; energy and resources; government and agencies; healthcare; justice and defence.

Sodexo’s connected; people-centric approach brings together a diverse range of expertise. The breadth of services it offers ranges from food and hospitality; cleaning; reception; concierge (Circles); security; property management and technical services through to data driven workplace strategy and design (Wx); employee engagement and recognition services (Sodexo Engage) and personal home services through Prestige Nursing + Care and the Good Care Group.  

Vital Spaces is Sodexo’s value proposition that puts people at the heart of everything we do, bringing together services and solutions and focusing on the productivity and wellbeing of people wherever they are.

Sodexo is committed to being an inclusive employer; we welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. 

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process