Waterstones
Financial Controller
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Financial Controller
Permanent
Based at Olton, Solihull. Hybrid working with 3 days in the office and 2 days at home
We have an exciting opportunity for a Financial Controller to join us in our Olton office. You will be responsible for the financial control and reporting of the Waterstones business including all the back-office processes (AP, AR, Cash management and Payroll), the month and year end close process and assume responsibility for the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the accounts.
You will provide leadership across the finance team and develop the capability of the team whilst leading the continuous development and improvement of the finance processes. You will work closely with Group Finance on Group reporting matters including US GAAP as well as leading the year-end external audit process.
What you will be doing
Financial Control, Close & Reporting
- Own the month-end and year-end financial close processes, with clear accountability for the integrity, accuracy and timeliness of the financial results.
- Lead balance sheet governance across the business, ensuring robust reconciliation, review and substantiation processes and clear ownership of balance sheet accounts.
- Transform the month-end close process to deliver a materially faster, more efficient and higher-quality close, proactively identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies and addressing these through process redesign, standardisation, automation, technology and appropriate use of AI.
- Develop the reporting model from a predominantly annual-centric approach towards a more continuous reporting and control environment, with appropriate quarterly and periodic reporting disciplines embedded throughout the year.
- Own the preparation and publication of timely statutory financial statements in accordance with applicable local regulations across the UK, Republic of Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands.
- Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards and lead the implementation of new accounting and reporting requirements.
Group Finance & Technical Accounting
- Work closely with Group Finance on Group reporting matters, including US GAAP/Group GAAP, external reporting requirements, technical accounting matters and the delivery of high-quality Group financial information.
- Act as a key finance partner to Group Finance, ensuring local accounting, controls and reporting requirements are aligned with wider Group standards and objectives.
- Work collaboratively with operational finance teams across the Group to share best practice, processes, systems and ways of working, identifying opportunities to adopt proven approaches across businesses and drive greater consistency, efficiency and control.
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Controls, Governance & Audit
- Own and continuously develop the financial control framework, ensuring appropriate controls are designed, documented, operated and evidenced across all key financial processes.
- Develop and document finance processes, accounting policies and procedures to strengthen internal controls and create greater consistency and standardisation.
- Lead the year-end external audit process, maintaining a strong and proactive relationship with the external auditors and ensuring issues and remediation actions are addressed promptly.
Cash, Working Capital & Treasury
- Take clear accountability for working-capital and cash disciplines across Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, stock creditors and Treasury operations.
- Lead the management of Group cash flow, liquidity and treasury controls, including banking relationships and borrowing requirements.
- Drive improvements in working-capital performance through stronger processes, ownership, controls, visibility and reporting.
Finance Systems, Automation & Transformation
- Lead the continuous improvement of Finance processes, actively challenging legacy ways of working and identifying opportunities to simplify, standardise and automate activities.
- Develop a clear roadmap for reducing manual processes and improving the use of finance systems, data, automation, technology and AI across the function.
- Own and oversee Finance systems, ensuring they provide an effective, controlled and scalable platform for financial reporting and operations.
Leadership, Organisation & Capability
- Provide leadership and oversight across Financial Reporting/Statutory Reporting, Financial Accounting, Treasury, Property Accounting, Payroll, Finance Systems, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable.
- Build strong succession and deputy capability across the function, reducing key-person dependencies and ensuring appropriate resilience within critical finance activities.
- Reduce reliance on manual tasks and individual knowledge by embedding documented, standardised and scalable processes.
What we need from you
Essential
- 5+ years' experience in a senior finance role, with significant Financial Controller or Finance Manager responsibility.
- Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA).
- Proven experience leading a finance team and developing finance professionals.
- Strong month-end and year-end close experience.
- Management of statutory accounts and external audits.
- Responsibility for financial controls, governance, and compliance.
- Track record of improving finance processes, controls, and reporting.
- Experience partnering with senior operational and commercial stakeholders.
- Strong systems experience, including ERP/accounting systems and advanced Excel.
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Desirable Experience
- Experience in a multi-site, retail, distribution, manufacturing, or similar fast-paced environment (tailor to your business).
- Treasury, tax, and working capital management experience.
- Strong technical accounting knowledge, including UK GAAP and/or IFRS.
Person Profile
- Strong technical accounting skills.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the aptitude to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
- Highly organised with a keen eye for detail.
- Excellent problem-solving skills.
- Previous team management experience.
- Solid time management skills.
Why work for Waterstones
Waterstones is the cornerstone of bookselling across the UK and Ireland. Joining Waterstones means being an active part in a success story that began in 1982, and books are as popular now as the day we started.
Trading across the UK, Ireland and Europe, we are present in over 350 shopping locations, where Waterstones continues to thrive, each year actively pursuing a programme of new bookshop openings. Online at Waterstones.com, we meanwhile mirror the essence of our bookshops, further showcasing the unique enthusiasm and knowledge of our booksellers.
If you have the relevant essential experience and you are interested, we would love to hear from you.
Waterstones is committed to encouraging equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and is dedicated toward eliminating unlawful discrimination. Our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel fully respected and to be able to give their best.
Diversity Statement
At Waterstones, we are committed to creating a workplace that is fair and inclusive to people from all backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we strive to promote an inclusive work culture. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment processes are free from bias, and our aim is to be truly representative of all sections of society and our customers, and for each employee to feel fully respected and able to give their best.
Reasonable Adjustments
We understand that some disabled applicants may, due to the nature of their disability, find some parts of the recruitment process challenging. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the interview process, please make these known either to your interviewer or the person you liaise with when setting up your interview.
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