Financial Controller, UK & Ireland
IVC Evidensia UK, Keynsham, South West
Discipline: Finance
Healthy animals and happy owners – that’s the goal. At IVC Evidensia, we are a leader in veterinary care, dedicated to enhancing the well-being of animals through our extensive network of clinics.
As Financial Controller for the UK and ROI, you report to the UK&I Finance Director and have responsibility for all areas of financial accounting for the region. The UK&I are serviced by an extensive Shared Services team by Genpact in India as well as several group finance functions (tax, treasury, M&A, Working Capital etc). This role is a real hands-on role where you manage all aspects of financial controllership of the region; owning our working capital plans, developing new cash forecasting tools, being the key contact and escalation point for audit and stats, driving Balance Sheet improvement programs with the Genpact team, and in cooperation with other team members managing the Genpact service delivery. You work with operations when projects span into the operational area as in fixed assets or lease accounting and you work with our internal controls team regarding financial policies and compliance.
The delivery in this role is both through personal drive and delivery as delivering through others. The candidate is a strong communicator with clarity of thought and conviction with demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement and change. Strong leadership, deep finance technical skill, as well as analytical skills are crucial for success in this role.
As our company moves with very high pace, so does the finance function. The financial controller is both a doer and a creator, rolling sleeves up every day to drive continuous improvement, helping to solve our lack of standardization and simplify our complexity.
As financial controller, you will also play an integral part in our ERP journey starting in January 2025.
Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities:
* Drive our working capital agenda across the business, with closer ownership of the creditor progress.
* Own the balance sheet in the month-end process and beyond. Monitor key balance sheet movements and drive ongoing improvement programs to reduce unreconciled items with Genpact.
* Review Balance sheet reconciliations done by Genpact to ensure they are correct, tidy, and at the standard we expect. Provide feedback and work with Genpact and the internal controls team as well as SCC leadership team to drive continuous improvements needed.
* Develop and trial cash forecasting tool together with group treasury.
* Work with group lease accounting team, BDO, and closely with operations in the lease improvement project.
* Work with group finance, shared services and link closely to operations in the development of our fixed assets reset initiative.
* In close collaboration with the rest of the local finance team, accountable for the quality of accounting entered by Shared Service Centre. Collaborating with outsourced partners, you will ensure we maintain accuracy and integrity in financial data.
* Responsible for Internal and External Audit Requirements. Most is managed by our shared services and group finance functions; however, the flow of local escalations rests with this role, as well as the review of stats and support in the write-up of directors' reports.
* Drive policy and control compliance. Implement and maintain financial controls ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements.
* Support large-scale transformations as the company implements a new ERP system over the next years. The ERP project is led by an ERP project team; however, local finance is key in giving input to processes, linking to operations, and user testing.
* Support M&A accounting activity through the integration process.
* As part of this role, you will work closely with our Insights team, FP&A and Business Partner teams, central finance, group finance, shared services team & Genpact, and our operations team.
* Effective communication with various stakeholders is an integral aspect of this role as it operates in a complex finance matrix of local, group, and SCC teams, a large number of Veterinary Practices, and several Subsidiaries across the UK and Ireland.
Experience/Qualifications:
* Experience as financial controller, or assistant financial controller, in a company with a very fast-moving pace, with responsibility for financial reporting and consolidation within a complex multi-site P&L organization.
* Excellent technical finance skills with strong knowledge and understanding of both UK GAAP and IFRS. Able to understand the impact of technical accounting changes on the business, and to proactively manage any risks.
* Strong experience of finance processes design and development, systems, reporting, and controls.
* Comfortable working in a global, matrixed business, delivering through others. Experience of managing diverse stakeholders as well as diverse external partners including influencing finance shared services partners and central group finance teams.
* Experience of working in a multi-jurisdictional and multi-currency environment.
About You:
* Degree educated, with a recognised Finance qualification e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA and strong technical accounting skills.
* Strong communicator with the ability to bring teams and functions together to achieve common goals and understanding of why change is needed.
* Comfortable managing in a matrix organisation delivering largely through other people.
* A person ready to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, solving problems, finding answers, and creating solutions.
* Ability to adapt and thrive in a constantly changing environment with a very high pace and processes still maturing.
* An innovator with a strong orientation towards transformational leadership and change, not settling for the status quo.
* A team player with high expectations and drive, able to collaborate but also challenge appropriately.
* Comfortable dealing with ambiguity, with the resilience to ensure the right things are focused on.
What We Offer:
* At IVC Evidensia we recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises, and processes is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a competitive base salary, you will benefit from:
* Work-life balance.
* 25 days annual leave.
* Your birthday as a paid day off.
* Cycle to Work scheme.
* Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing.
* Pension.
* Discounted staff pet care.
* Dog Friendly office.
* Parking available.
At IVC Evidensia, we are committed to Diversity, Equality, Inclusion, and Belonging. We are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.
Any questions before applying?
Speak to Neil Merritt from our recruitment team who would be happy to help you with any questions you have before applying for this role.
Talent Partner:
Neil Merritt
neil.merritt@ivcevidensia.com
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