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Role Overview

The Group Finance Controller (Group FC) is the senior operational and technical

finance lead across the Group. The role is responsible for ensuring accurate, timely,

and consistent financial reporting, robust financial control, and strong compliance

across all departments and client portfolios.

The Group FC provides oversight, challenge, and strategic direction to Senior

Financial Controllers, ensuring departmental P&Ls, client delivery, systems usage, and

reporting outputs align with firm standards, the WS Way, and the Director of Accounts’

strategic objectives.

This role focuses on group-wide governance, systems ownership (NetSuite and

Xero), risk management, and performance leadership, rather than day-to-day client

execution.

Key Responsibilities

Group Financial Control & Reporting

1. Own and oversee the group month-end close process

2. Review and sign off:

• Profit & Loss
• Balance Sheet
• Cashflow reporting

3. Ensure consistency and accuracy of financial reporting across all departments

and clients

4. Lead group consolidations, including intercompany reconciliations and

eliminations

5. Maintain high standards of balance sheet integrity, including:

• Accruals, prepayments, and provisions
• Control accounts and reconciliations

6. Ensure management accounts are aligned with statutory and audit positions

Statutory, Audit & Compliance Oversight

1. Lead preparation and oversight of statutory accounts across group entities as

required

2. Own the year-end audit process, managing external auditors and internal

readiness

3. Ensure compliance with:

• Local GAAP / IFRS (as applicable)
• Corporation tax, VAT, and statutory filings

4. Act as escalation point for complex accounting judgements and compliance

risks

5. Support the Director of Accounts on audit strategy, tax planning, and regulatory

matters

Systems Ownership – NetSuite & Xero

1. Act as group-level owner of finance systems, including:

• NetSuite (multi-entity structures, consolidations, approvals, reporting,
• controls)
• Xero (multi-company environments, integrations, reporting frameworks)

2. Set and enforce system standards, controls, and best practice

3. Drive automation, standardisation, and process improvement across teams

4. Support system implementations, migrations, and upgrades

5. Ensure data integrity, audit-ready outputs, and strong approval frameworks

Leadership & People Management

1. Lead and develop Senior Financial Controllers, ensuring:

• Clear ownership of departmental P&Ls
• Strong client delivery and team morale
• Consistent adherence to timelines and deadlines

2. Provide coaching, challenge, and mentorship to senior finance leaders

3. Support performance management, succession planning, and leadership

development

4. Embed and champion the WS Way across all finance teams

Strategy, Risk & Performance

1. Translate Director of Accounts strategy into clear operational frameworks

2. Oversee financial risk management across departments and client portfolios

3. Review budgets, forecasts, and variance analysis

4.Monitor performance against KPIs and refine them to drive excellence

5. Act as senior escalation point for:

• Delivery risk
• Client issues
• Systems or reporting failures

Stakeholder & Client Management

1. Act as a senior finance contact for internal leadership and key clients

2. Support Senior FCs in complex client matters and escalations

3. Build trusted advisor relationships with stakeholders

4. Contribute to business growth, client retention, and service excellence

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent)
• 12+ years’ relevant experience in a senior finance role
• Proven experience in:
• Group financial control and consolidations
• Leading senior finance teams
• Statutory accounts and audit management
• Strong technical accounting and compliance knowledge
• Advanced experience with NetSuite and/or Xero
• Confident senior stakeholder and client communicator

Desirable

• Experience in an accounting firm or outsourced finance environment
• Hospitality, retail, or multi-site business exposure
• Systems implementation or automation leadership
• Experience operating in fast-growth or complex group structures

What Good Looks Like

• High-quality, on-time, and audit-ready group reporting
• Senior FCs operating with confidence, clarity, and accountability
• Strong grip on timelines, deadlines, and delivery risk
• Consistent processes, controls, and systems usage across the group
• Clear, effective communication at all levels
• Sound judgement on complex accounting and compliance matters
• Successful automation and systems optimisation
• Strong talent development and succession planning
• High client satisfaction and trusted advisor status
• KPIs consistently met, reviewed, and elevated
• Visible ownership and leadership aligned with the WS Way

Company Overview

Williams, Stanley & Co is a leading accountancy firm catering to a diverse range of clients in the hospitality industry, from high street chains to family-run cafes. Our company began with a mission to provide accurate and actionable financial insights to businesses, drawing from our founders' own experiences in managing multiple rapidly growing ventures. Driven by a commitment to customer-first accounting, we've assembled a team of experienced and trusted accountants who share our vision for excellence. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and expertise, our team operates seamlessly across different locations, including the UK, US, Philippines, and Dubai.