Financial Controller

Frontier Economics is an economics consultancy that tackles the big questions facing governments, businesses and society. We help our clients to analyse and understand their markets and to formulate strategies based on sound economics. The methods and models we use are often complex, but our advice is always succinct, clear and honest. The company has grown rapidly since it was founded almost 27 years ago and currently has around 500 staff working across nine European offices (Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Cologne, Dublin, London, Madrid, Paris and Prague). The company is employee-owned and has a strong culture of openness and employee engagement.

The Role The Financial Controller is responsible for the integrity of Frontier's financial records and for maintaining a strong and effective financial control environment. The role owns the monthly accounting and management reporting processes, accounting policies and the core controls that underpin Frontier's financial information and supports the Finance Director in the annual statutory reporting and external audit process. The role will work closely with the Finance Director, FP&A team, Practices and Budget Holders and will lead the Financial Control team.

What You'll Be Doing:

• Financial reporting and month-end control Own the monthly financial close process, agree and communicate deadlines and ensure the timely and accurate completion of the Management Accounts
• Review the consolidated Profit & Loss Account, Balance Sheet and supporting schedules, ensuring that significant movements, variances and unusual items are understood and appropriately accounted for
• Ensure appropriate accounting for revenue and WIP, accruals, prepayments, fixed assets, payroll and other significant accounting areas
• Maintain a rigorous approach to balance sheet reconciliations, reviewing key accounts and driving timely resolution of reconciling items and improvements in balance sheet hygiene
• Ensure the integrity of the general ledger and the consistency and accuracy of financial information across Frontier's UK and international operations
• Provide the Finance Director and FP&A team with high-quality actuals, analysis and accounting insight to support management reporting and forecasting
• Work with Practices and Budget Holders where accounting or data issues affect their reporting, explaining the underlying position clearly and ensuring necessary corrections are made promptly
• Design, build and maintain reports used for month-end close, Management Accounts, balance sheet control and other core financial reporting
• Work with the Finance Director and FP&A team to translate reporting requirements from Practices, Budget Holders and senior management into robust and user-friendly reports
• Support the Finance Director with the annual financial statements and external audit by ensuring the underlying accounting records, reconciliations, Workday reports and supporting schedules are complete and accurate
• Revenue, project accounting and transactional financial control Own the financial control framework around project accounting, revenue recognition, WIP and billing, ensuring processes produce complete and accurate financial information
• Work with Project Managers, Practice teams and WIP Directors to ensure revenue recognition processes are completed accurately and on time and that accounting issues are identified and resolved
• Maintain effective controls over client invoicing, accounts receivable and accounts payable and ensure appropriate accounting treatment is applied consistently to complex or unusual transactions
• Work closely with the Senior Credit Controller and Head of Treasury, Tax & Compliance to ensure debtor information is accurate and supports effective working capital management and cash forecasting
• Oversee the Financial Control team's delivery of management accounting and accounts payable activities, ensuring high standards of accuracy, service and control
• Develop and maintain reporting and exception analysis to support project accounting, revenue recognition, WIP, billing and transactional controls and to identify data-quality issues promptly
• Financial control, accounting policy and risk Own and continually develop Frontier's financial control framework, setting appropriate minimum standards and ensuring these are consistently applied
• Maintain Finance accounting policies and procedures and lead the implementation of new or amended accounting standards
• Carry out regular control reviews and spot checks, identify weaknesses and ensure appropriate remedial action is agreed and completed
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties, approval controls and Finance system access controls are maintained
• Contribute to Frontier's wider risk processes by identifying financial control risks and recommending practical actions to mitigate them
• Work with the Head of Treasury, Tax & Compliance to ensure tax, treasury and other compliance balances are accurately recorded and supported in the general ledger
• Investigate and resolve Finance system issues that affect accounting, reporting or controls, prioritising changes according to financial and business impact and coordinating with relevant system support where required
• Maintain appropriate governance over Workday Financials configuration and Finance process changes, ensuring developments are appropriately tested, documented and communicated and that controls remain effective
• Accounts Payable, Supplier Management & Operational Efficiency Provide senior oversight of the accounts payable function, ensuring supplier invoices and payments are processed accurately, efficiently and in line with appropriate controls and agreed payment terms. Maintain a robust control framework across supplier set-up, invoice processing and payments, ensuring risks are appropriately managed and material issues are escalated and resolved. Drive continuous improvement in AP processes, using Workday Financials to simplify, standardise and automate activities, strengthen controls and improve data quality and reporting. Monitor AP performance and key exceptions, using relevant measures to identify recurring issues and improve service, efficiency and control. Work with Budget Holders and other stakeholders to improve visibility and control of supplier spend, support effective management of payment terms and identify opportunities for cost efficiency and stronger commercial discipline. Act as the senior Finance escalation point for significant supplier or payment issues and ensure underlying process weaknesses are addressed. Work with Finance systems and operational teams to improve the use of Workday Financials and associated processes, ensuring AP workflows, controls and reporting remain efficient, scalable and fit for purpose
• Team leadership and business collaboration Lead and develop the Financial Control team, setting clear objectives, providing regular coaching and creating appropriate development opportunities Ensure appropriate resourcing, documentation and cover exists for key accounting processes and reporting deadlines Build effective relationships with Practices, Budget Holders and other BMT teams and ensure Finance responds constructively and promptly to financial accounting and reporting queries Work closely with the Finance Director and other Finance leaders to ensure responsibilities are clearly understood and the Finance Team operates as one collaborative function Champion continuous improvement, challenging manual or inefficient processes and identifying opportunities to improve accuracy, control and efficiency Develop the Workday Financials capability of the Financial Control team and promote consistent, confident use of system functionality, reporting and controls

What we are looking for:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with sound financial judgement.
• Excellent attention to detail, supported by strong and current technical accounting knowledge.
• Confident and appropriately challenging, with the credibility to maintain robust financial controls across the business.
• Commercially aware and internationally minded, able to operate effectively across Frontier's offices and Practices.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with a commitment to developing others.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and succinctly at all levels.
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage competing priorities and demanding deadlines.
• Collaborative, pragmatic and open to new ideas, with a positive approach to change and continuous improvement.

Essential Requirements:

• Qualified accountant with significant experience in a Financial Controller or similar senior finance role.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and understanding of relevant accounting standards, reporting requirements and regulations.
• Significant experience of financial reporting, month-end close, balance sheet management and financial controls.
• Experience supporting the delivery of annual external audits and statutory financial reporting.
• Strong experience of working capital and transactional finance processes.
• Experience of budgeting, forecasting and providing meaningful financial insight to senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement and deliver to tight deadlines.
• Strong systems capability, with experience improving reporting, controls and processes and simplifying or automating Finance activities.
• Experience of Workday Financials is highly desirable.
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