QinetiQ
Deputy Financial Controller - 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

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Package: £66,600 – £74,000 (salary dependent on experience) + Benefits
Role ID: SF20420
Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we’re not just imagining tomorrow we are creating it. From cutting-edge defence technology to ground-breaking innovations our mission is to empower and protect lives. Join us as a Deputy Financial Controller on a 12-month Fixed Term Contract at our Farnborough site, where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology in partnership with some of the most brilliant minds.
The Role
The role acts as a finance leader within the finance team, ensuring accurate and timely management information, maintaining a strong financial control environment and providing effective business partnering support to operational and functional stakeholders.
Day-to-day, you’ll lead the month end reporting process, supports forecasting and budgeting activities, drives continuous improvement initiatives and develops the capability of the wider finance team. The role ensures accurate accounting treatment and acts as the primary escalation point for Senior Management Accountants, Management Accountants and Assistant Management Accountants.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Support the Financial Controller in providing financial leadership to the business area and ensuring compliance with Group Finance strategy, policy and procedures
- Lead, manage and develop Senior Management Accountants, Management Accountants and Assistant Management Accountants to create a high-performing finance team
- Own the month end close process, ensuring the timely and accurate production of management accounts and supporting commentary
- Lead monthly forecasting, Latest Best Estimate (LBE), annual budgeting and strategic planning activities
- Ensure all key balance sheet accounts are reconciled, understood, appropriately documented and actioned
- Support cashflow forecasting, working capital optimisation and balance sheet management
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
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Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
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Essential experience of the Deputy Financial Controller:
- Strong financial and commercial acumen with the ability to interpret complex financial information and provide meaningful business insight
- Excellent business partnering skills with the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, meaningful insight to support decision making. Able to build trusted relationships, influence outcomes and challenge stakeholders at all levels
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capability with attention to detail
- Proven experience in direct line management of finance teams with the ability to coach, develop and motivate individuals to achieve high performance
- Proven experience in finance business partnering, working closely with non-finance stakeholders to support decision making. Strong ability to communicate complex financial data to non-financial audiences and build strong cross-functional relationships that drive performance and accountability


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Essential qualifications for the Deputy Financial Controller:
- ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified (or equivalent)
We value difference and we don’t have a fixed idea when it comes to background or education, provided you can show the required level of experience and willingness to learn then we would like to hear from you.
This role is 37 hours per week based at our Farnborough site with a minimum average site attendance of three days per week
Farnborough
At our Farnborough site exciting work takes place at our state-of-the-art facility, with high-energy laser technologies, our 5m pressurised wind tunnel which has a simulation capability that is unique in the UK and our large research and development projects is a real hub of creativity, research and innovation. Join our talented teams of Engineers, IT & Cyber Specialists, Project Managers, Group Functions Teams and many more to provide future defences in the UK.
Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.
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