DEKRA UK
Financial Controller

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Finance Controller
Location: Hybrid – Southampton
Salary: £65,000 – £90,000 DOE + Car Allowance
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
DEKRA Entity: DEKRA UK Management (DUKM)
Do you want to boost the future towards a safe, secure and sustainable world?
At DEKRA, safety isn’t just what we do – it’s who we are.
As part of a global network of more than 49,000 professionals across over 60 countries, we help organisations in high-hazard and safety-critical industries prevent incidents, protect people and strengthen organisational safety and reliability.
We are now looking for an experienced Finance Controller to play a pivotal role within our UK Finance function, combining financial leadership, commercial insight and strong financial control to support performance, profitability and growth.
A Day in the Life and the Impact You'll Make
This is a senior, business-facing role where you'll act as a trusted finance partner to senior stakeholders across the business. You'll lead the finance team, oversee monthly reporting and forecasting, support P&L owners with meaningful financial insight and take ownership of audit, statutory reporting and continuous improvement.
You'll bring technical expertise alongside a hands-on, commercially minded approach, helping shape financial performance across DEKRA UK.
What You'll Do
- Lead and develop the finance team, ensuring internal and external reporting deadlines are consistently achieved.
- Produce accurate monthly management accounts, including insightful variance analysis and commentary.
- Lead month-end and year-end close, including journals, balance sheet reconciliations and fixed asset control.
- Ensure group reporting and intercompany deadlines are met.
- Prepare cash flow forecasts and support financial planning.
- Act as a finance business partner to P&L owners, providing clear and commercially relevant financial insight.
- Lead annual budgeting and periodic forecasting cycles.
- Analyse financial and non-financial data to support decision-making, profitability and growth.
- Own the annual audit process and act as the key liaison with external auditors.
- Ensure statutory accounts are prepared and filed within required deadlines.
- Review and improve accounting processes, controls and efficiencies.
- Provide technical accounting guidance and ensure compliance with accounting policies and governance standards.
- Contribute as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team.
- Work collaboratively across the business to drive continuous improvement.
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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Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
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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Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
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.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
What You'll Bring
- Fully qualified accountant – ACCA, CIMA or ACA.
- Minimum 2 years' post-qualification experience.
- Proven experience managing and developing a finance team.
- Strong working knowledge of SAP.
- Experience working in a multi-entity or group reporting environment is desirable.
- Strong understanding of core accounting principles, particularly revenue accounting.
- Confident communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence finance and non-finance colleagues.
- A proactive, resilient and solutions-focused approach.
- The ability to combine technical financial expertise with strong commercial awareness.


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Please note: Due to the location of the role, you must live within approximately one hour's drive of our Southampton office.
What Success Looks Like
- Monthly management accounts delivered accurately and on time.
- Reliable and insightful reporting for local and group stakeholders.
- A motivated, well-led and high-performing finance team.
- Strong financial controls and governance.
- Continuous improvement across finance processes and collaboration.
- Meaningful financial insight supporting business performance, profitability and growth.
Why Join DEKRA?
You'll join a global organisation where our people are encouraged to take ownership, challenge the status quo and make a genuine impact.
Our values shape how we work:
- Safety First
- Integrity
- Customer Focus
- Entrepreneurship
- Team Spirit
This is a priority role within DEKRA UK, offering the opportunity to work closely with senior leadership and influence both operational and strategic business performance.
If you're a commercially minded Finance Controller with strong SAP experience and proven leadership capability, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today and help shape the future of DEKRA UK.
No agencies please.
At DEKRA we value your unique experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. We are committed to an inclusive workplace for all team members.
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