Finance Controller

Job Purpose

We are looking for a Financial Controller reporting directly to the Finance Director, NOR. This is a North Region role, based in Warwick.

You will lead the team of experts in overseeing the accounting, financial reporting, internal control, and treasury activities for the North Region.  Geographic scope covers the sales entities in the UK and Ireland.

You will work closely with the Record to Report, Invoice to Cash, Purchase to Pay and Cash and Banking teams at the Shared Service Centre in Poland, ensuring transactional excellence through clear service metrics and governance to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the financial records.

You will develop close working relationships with the business functions in NOR, steering operational decision making and providing advice and counsel to ensure process discipline and internal controls are maintained.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee and develop a team of 6 people responsible for the primary ledgers, financial controls, production and reconciliation of the balance sheet, cash flow management and operating expense oversight and reporting.
• Deliver operational effectiveness and technical compliance in the above areas
• Oversee and drive the Internal Controls Framework for the region, ensuring compliance with J-Sox obligations and ensuring risks are appropriately mitigated through process and control to safeguard assets.
• Implement, enforce, and monitor internal control procedures for the region
• Support Internal Audits, ensuring timely rectification of comments in partnership with the business
• Ownership of Authority Schedule for the region, ensuring compliance with Group Authority Schedule
• Co-ordinate the external audit process for the Region in respect of UK and Irish branches and the Bulldog Remoulds Limited retread business, fully supporting Group Audit requirements and UK Statutory filings
• Oversight to rebate accounting and revenue recognition treatment
• Support EMIA tax function in complying with VAT, Corporation and Payroll tax requirements
• Encourage other departments to actively work with Finance North Region in partnership
• Work with the business providing value added finance related support and feedback
• Delivery of month end timetable and coordinate of the month-end and year-end closing process
• Supervise and ensure that all accounting activities performed in the Shared Service Centre are completed in compliance with legal & tax requirements, as well as both Local and Group policies and procedures
• Perform other activities as required to deliver on the objectives of the function
• Project working across geographic boundaries, requiring occasional travel

Requirements:

• Professional qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA)
• Managing remote (hybrid) teams; a track record of leadership and team development
• Multinational Company experience, managing relationships across different cultures and geographies
• Operating within a Shared Service environment.  Managing relationships to ensure service levels delivered
• Experience implementing systems and process change (SAP4/HANA an advantage)
• Experience working with and coordinating activities in support of external audits
• Financial controller or equivalent experience highly desirable (demonstrable experience in financial and management accounting)
• Internal controls experience (S-Ox / J-Sox an advantage); building framework to ensure policy and process compliance, internal control monitoring and root cause fix implementation
• Operating within End-to-End process environment to bring knowledge to role to support implementation within the Region
• Intermediate to advanced applications software expertise (MS Office and SAP)
• Tax awareness
• Language skills: English (written and spoken) to a high standard
• Experience (years): 5+ years post qualification experience
• Technical Knowledge: Up-to-date technical accounting knowledge (UK GAAP and IFRS knowledge highly desirable)

• Soft Skills:
• Individual; agility, innovation, analytical thinking,  taking initiative, resilience. Process and control oriented, looking beyond the numbers to understand what drives the outcomes, where issues reside and what solutions are available.  Ability to see the big picture while focusing on the process and procedures necessary to produce deliverables
• Task; problem diagnosis and solving, organization and planning (to meet deadlines), eye for detail, high standards when it comes to quality, result orientated .
• Social; teamwork, effective communication, social skills, customer focus, negotiation & influencing skills.
• Management; people management, leadership, decision making, strategic vision.  Ability to build strong relationships based on integrity, trust and respected financial judgement.  Open to challenging and coaching business leaders effectively.
• Communication: Ability to simplify the complex.  Communicating effectively at all levels of the organisation; finance and operations.  Relating financials to commercial activities to provide sound advice.

Why should you apply?

• We are passionate about our people and want to offer them the opportunity to develop and grow.
• You never stop learning. You will have the possibility to develop yourself via our Learning Management System that is also connected to LinkedIn Learning
• Bridgestone as a global company drives your career to the next level by offering you possibilities to work in an EMIA scope.
• You will have the opportunity to experience a dynamic and challenging environment and work on different and innovative projects.
• We help you  to drive your career path onward and upward work in a culture of feedback that recognizes you and helps your development.
• We offer you attractive  Benefits and a Competitive Salary
• You will have the opportunity to work in a hybrid environment to ensure a good work and life balance.