Head of Financial Control (Maternity Cover)

This role is responsible for running the Financial Control team. It is responsible for providing internal and external financial reporting, running the operational finance functions, partnering with internal stakeholders to provide financial insight and decision support, owning Finance owned systems and processes, manging Group Treasury, and maintaining the financial control and compliance framework.

You will be responsible for the day to day management of a team of around 40 FTE in multiple locations. You will have 3 direct reports, each heading up one of the functions making up the financial control team (Group and Operations; Financial Business Partners; Systems and Change). You will have excellent leadership skills and will build a culture of continuous improvements., + Accountable for the preparation of Group statutory accounts, UK subsidiary statutory accounts and International statutory reporting requirements.
+ Accountable for all external reporting requirements, including investor reporting, bank covenant compliance and Government reporting compliance (e.g. ONS).
+ Accountable for the delivery of the Group Audit to agreed deadlines and for the management of audits in local markets.
+ Ownership of the Groups accounting policies and procedures, ensuring these always reflect the latest developments in accounting standards and that senior finance management understand the impact of these changes on the business.

Treasury

+ Responsible for the provision of daily, weekly and monthly cash reporting to the business, with variance to expectations understood.
+ Provide forward cash forecasting through weekly provision of a 13 week cashflow forecast. Through this optimise the opportunities for fund repatriation and money market deposits as well as managing debt drawdown requirements.
+ Responsible for maintaining business cash liquidity across all bank accounts

Operational Finance

+ Accountable for a high performing Finance Operations team that provides a seamless, efficient and accurate transactional service to internal and external stakeholders where financial transactions are recorded accurately and promptly.
+ Accountable for maintaining and improving effective finance operational processes and controls that minimise financial risk to the business both through a financial control framework and a commercial mindset.
+ Provide advice on the impact of operational change on the recording and processing of financial transactions.

Business Partnering

Internal Reporting

+ Manage the month end close and reporting cycle to ensure the Board packs are produced accurately, in accordance with agreed deadlines and that highlight key business issues. Continuously look to drive change and efficiencies in the process.
+ Provide month-end reporting and analysis to demonstrate financial performance to key stakeholders, holding commercial reviews to highlight issues and improve business performance.
+ Present monthly financial reporting to the Exec Board and Business SLT.

Planning

+ Responsible for the delivery of the annual budget and forecasting cycles for all P&L lines below EPOS margin to agreed deadlines. Plans will be delivered by working with the business to deliver robust plans that are owned and understood by the accountable stakeholder.
+ Through the Finance BP's, support business stakeholders in other aspects of financial planning and decision support, using the insight and knowledge gained from internal reporting.

Financial Control

+ Accountable for the financial integrity of the general and sub-ledgers, ensuring that all balance sheet controls are in place, reconciliations are performed to agreed deadlines, signed off and any opportunities or risks are highlighted.
+ Take ownership for maintaining strong financial controls within business processes, including when business changes are implemented.

Systems and Change

Finance Systems

+ Accountable for day to day management, administration and maintenance of Finance owned systems, processes and applications, including the resolution of day to day issues. Act as the key contact with our 3rd party suppliers.
+ Own a programme of continual change and improvement to Finance owned systems to provide the fiancé team with optimal system solutions for their roles.

Business Change

+ Act in an advisory capacity to the wider business when understanding the transactional finance implications for change.
+ In the case of business changes, be the person responsible for ensuring that the impacts on and requirements of finance are understood, tested and implemented.

Team and Leadership

+ As part of the Finance Senior Leadership Team, contribute to the operating plan for the department, to team updates, and leadership and motivation of the wider team.
+ Provide leadership to the Financial Control team, setting goals and direction, encouraging development of yourself and others.

This is a high profile and senior role in the business. You will be working with Board members, Shareholders, Auditors and 3^rd party service providers. As such you will have a confident and can-do demeanour, be a strong communicator, and have the ability to build great relationships., + ACA Qualified with a minimum of 5 years industry experience, ideally in an International Retail environment.
+ Previous experience in a fast growing, International business preferred.
+ Excellent communication skills and the ability to present complex financial data in a clear and relevant way.
+ Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to influence and challenge others.
+ Resilient, and able to cope with high levels of change.

+ Competitive salary and benefits package
+ Holiday allowance
+ 50% staff discount & 25% for family and friends
+ Pension scheme

In 1997, we launched Mountain Warehouse to make the outdoors accessible to everyone by offering value for money product and exemplary customer service.
The outdoor industry had become very jargon heavy and we wanted to create a brand that would cater to our mothers and our neighbour's kids as well as seasoned professionals who understood the technology.
Our expansion since then has seen the brand grow and the product evolve, but the small family business that makes MW special has remained. Great product is at the heart of everything we do.
As we expand internationally we employ a team of dedicated diverse people to offer our valued customers the best possible experience when visiting our stores, shopping online and putting our range through its paces.
Welcome to our journey.