Our client is a highly successful and scaling SME with UK and International operations. This newly created role comes at a pivotal point for the Group, driven by revenue growth, geographic expansion, and increasing financial complexity. It offers the opportunity to play a key role in ensuring the business scales with control, visibility, and confidence – an exciting prospect!
Overview of the Role
The UK Group Financial Controller will take full ownership of UK and Group financial control during a critical growth phase. Based in Aberdeen and reporting to the Managing Director, this role will act as the operational finance lead.
The position is hands-on, commercial, and delivery-focused. It will bridge the gap between a transactionally strong finance team and the Group’s need for clear financial insight, disciplined integration, cash control, and decision-ready reporting. This role truly owns the finance engine and will have considerable impact.
Key Responsibilities
Group & UK Financial Control
- Own UK statutory accounts, management accounts, and audit process
- Lead month-end close across UK entities
- Ensure balance sheet integrity (reconciliations, accruals, cut-off, revenue recognition)
- Harmonise accounting policies between UK and international entities
- Deliver clear, structured management reporting for senior stakeholders
Communication & Stakeholder Interface
- Translate financial outputs into practical insights for:
- Managing Director
- Operations leadership
- External advisors (auditors, accountants, lenders)
- Act as the primary finance communicator in the UK
- Turn data into decision-ready information
Acquisition & Integration Leadership
- Act as finance integration lead during acquisitions and post-completion
- Align chart of accounts, reporting packs, and financial processes
- Identify working capital inefficiencies and margin leakage
- Implement control standards (PO, contract, and cost approval discipline)
- Support earn-out, completion accounts, and integration reporting (as applicable)
Cash, Working Capital & Risk
- Provide weekly group cash visibility across the Group
- Manage debtor risk, credit limits, and aged receivables
- Support liquidity planning and intercompany funding flows
- Partner with the Managing Director on commercial risk (client concentration, margins, FX exposure)
Team Leadership & Capability Building
- Line management of UK finance staff
- Set standards, cadence, and accountability
- Build a scalable finance structure to support growth and M&A
- Maintain a “no surprises” culture financially
Background and Experience
- UK qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA, or CIMA)
- Significant experience in SME or mid-market businesses (£20m–£100m)
- Experience within project-based, offshore, engineering, or services sectors
- Experience operating in multi-entity environments
- Strong integration or change experience (systems, processes, teams)
- Comfortable working within founder-led businesses
- Clear and confident communicator
- Commercially minded and pragmatic
- Hands-on mindset
- High sense of ownership
- Cross-border experience (UK and overseas HQ)
- M&A or post-acquisition integration experience
- Familiarity with VAT, intercompany structures, and FX
What’s on Offer
- A dynamic environment
- Rewarding conditions, including a bonus
- Career development - this is a scaling business offering fantastic growth opportunities
Next Steps
- If you are interested in this contract role, please apply here with a full CV. For a confidential discussion or more information, please reach out to Jane Grant at Cooper Parry Finance Recruitment on 07849 087 947 or jane.grant@cooperparry.com