Blue Skies Lifestyle
Financial Controller
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Finance Controller – Blue Skies Lifestyle Ltd
THE COMPANY: BLUE SKIES LIFESTYLE LTD
Blue Skies Lifestyle is a Bournemouth-based luxury travel agency proud to be entering its 21st year of success. Founded by directors Andy and Fran Castle, the company has scaled from strength to strength, establishing itself as a global leader through its primary brand, Ski In Luxury, a luxury ski chalet rental agency.
Subsequent brand successes under the group include:
- Ultimate Luxury Chalets
- Alps In Luxury
- Villas In Luxury These offerings span chalets and villas across Europe and beyond, serving some of the world’s most discerning travellers.
The company boasts a close-knit, commercially astute team united by a passion for luxury travel and mountain lifestyles. Each member takes immense pride in their role, contributing to the business’s ongoing success.
Blue Skies Lifestyle is now seeking a Finance Controller to take ownership of the finance function and drive its forward momentum.
OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE
The Finance Controller will lead the financial operations of Blue Skies Lifestyle Ltd, delivering robust financial controls, accurate reporting, and proactive analysis to support the company’s strategic and operational objectives.
This is a hands-on, autonomous role covering all aspects of financial management, compliance, and daily financial operations. The roleholder will:
- Work closely with Directors to ensure the financial health of the business
- Drive continuous improvement
- Ensure all regulatory obligations are met
- Provide primary accountability for the finance function
This is a full-time, office-based position in Bournemouth. There is no option for remote or hybrid working.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Compliance, Audit, and Regulatory
- Lead all internal and external audit activities, ensuring the business maintains robust financial controls and audit-ready records
- Ensure full compliance with:
- UK and international anti-money laundering (AML) legislation
- Fraud prevention obligations
- HMRC requirements
- Companies House obligations
- Applicable international financial regulations
- Maintain compliance records, including:
- Payments in/out, invoicing, contact information, receipts
- GDPR-related financial data
- Audit all contractual agreements, flagging discrepancies and enforcing adherences to commercial terms
VAT
- Oversee all aspects of UK VAT compliance, including:
- Applications, preparation, audits, and HMRC submissions
- International VAT obligations within a UK-based company
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of VAT legislation and proactively manage changes
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Payroll and People Finance
- Manage the end-to-end payroll process using Xero Payroll, ensuring compliance with:
- PAYE
- National Insurance
- Statutory payment obligations
- Handle pension administration, including:
- Auto-enrolment requirements
- Nest submissions
- Process employee onboarding/offboarding via Xero (tax codes, starter/leaver admin, final pay)
- Calculate, record, and process:
- Employee pay
- Reimbursements
- Bonuses
- Statutory payments (SSP, SMP)
- Maintain real-time information (RTI) compliance
- Comply with P60 and yearly obligations
Financial Operations and Cash Management
- Oversee daily financial operations:
- Sales and purchases ledgers
- Cash flow management
- Bank reconciliations (multi-currency accounts)
- Optimise liquidity by managing fund transfers between accounts
- Maintain records of amounts owed and owing, ensuring:
- Proactive invoice and payment management (multi-currency)
- Lead credit control to pursue overdue payments professionally and confidently
- Foster strong operator and supplier relationships while adhering to and enforcing contractual terms
Financial Reporting and Analysis
- Prepare and present monthly management accounts (with commentary and analysis) to Directors within 10 working days of month-end
- Provide timely management information, including:
- Set KPIs
- Cash flow forecasts
- Budget variance reports
- Deliver bi-weekly updates on invoicing and credit control status
- Lead year-end processes, including:
- Financial reporting
- Collaboration with external accountants or auditors
- Support Directors in budgeting, forecasting, and business planning
- Monitor financial viability via data analytics, identifying:
- Cost efficiencies
- Commercial risks
- Ensure accurate compliance with corporation tax obligations, including timely payments.
Financial Strategy
- Provide strategic financial input to Directors to inform key business decisions
- Identify process improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and controls
- Develop best practice financial processes aligned with BSL’s growth objectives
- Stay updated on relevant legislative and regulatory requirements
KEY DELIVERABLES
✅ Monthly management accounts completed and presented within 10 working days ✅ VAT returns fully prepared and submitted on time ✅ Payroll processed accurately and submitted to HMRC as required ✅ Pension contributions calculated, deducted, and submitted to Nest on time ✅ Audit-ready financial records maintained consistently ✅ Accurate and continuous cash flow forecasting; timely invoicing and payments based on terms ✅ Positive feedback from Director’s on financial reports and advisory support ✅ Demonstrable improvements in financial processes and compliance over time ✅ Unwavering attention to detail and accuracy across all accounting and recording tasks
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QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Qualifications ✔ Qualified or part-qualified accountant (ACCA / CIMA / AAT) ✔ Preferably qualified by experience in comparable senior finance roles
Experience ✔ Minimum 3–5 years in a senior finance role, ideally within an SME or operationally complex environment ✔ Advanced Xero and Xero Payroll experience (ultimate package(s)) ✔ Working knowledge of multi-currency accounts and Nest integration is desirable ✔ Experience with UK VAT compliance (with exposure to international VAT preferred) ✔ Experience running complete payroll processes (PAYE, NI, tax codes, statutory payments, bonuses) ✔ Hands-on experience with corporation tax requirements ✔ Knowledge of audit processes, maintaining compliance-ready records ✔ Familiarity with anti-money laundering regulations and fraud prevention (desirable)
Other Considerations ✔ A second language is not required but is strongly considered beneficial due to international supplier relations
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
- Clear communication, able to present financial information effectively to non-finance stakeholders, directors, suppliers, and external contacts
- Exceptional organisational skills; detail-oriented and highly time-conscious with the ability to perform under pressure
- Proactive and commercially astute, identifying emerging issues and proposing practical solutions
- Assertive and diplomatic when managing overdue payments or contracts while maintaining strong professional relationships
- Collaborative and approachable, willing to support cross-functional teams with finance queries
- Honest, reliable, and confidentiality-focused; drives integrity and high standards
- Autonomous driver, capable of fully owning the finance function without supervision
- Embodies Blue Skies Lifestyle’s values in every interaction
This job description outlines the core responsibilities but may evolve based on business needs, in alignment with the stakeholder. This is a full-time, office-based role, exclusively.
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