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 luxury travel agency based in Bournemouth, proudly marking its 21st year of success. Founded by directors Andy and Fran Castle, the business has established itself as a global leader in luxury ski travel, thanks to its primary brand, Ski In Luxury, specialising in high-end ski chalet rentals worldwide.
Further to this success, the Blue Skies group now includes:
- Ultimate Luxury Chalets
- Alps In Luxury
- Villas In Luxury
Operating across Europe and beyond, these brands cater to some of the most discerning travellers in the world.
The close-knit, commercially focused team share a passion for the mountains and luxury travel, taking immense pride in their contributions to the company’s continued growth. Now, Blue Skies Lifestyle is seeking a finance professional to take full ownership of the finance function and deliver stronger financial management moving forward.
OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE
As Finance Controller, you will oversee and direct the finance function at Blue Skies Lifestyle Ltd, providing:
- Robust financial control
- Accurate reporting
- Proactive financial analysis to support the company’s strategic and operational objectives
This is a hands-on, autonomous role, covering all aspects of financial management, statutory compliance, and day-to-day operations. You will:
- Work closely with the Directors to maintain financial health.
- Drive continuous improvement.
- Ensure regulatory obligations are met.
- Serve as the primary accountability owner for the finance function.
The position is full-time, office-based in Bournemouth.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Compliance, Audit & Regulatory
- Lead all internal and external audit activity, ensuring audit-ready financial records at all times.
- Ensure compliance with UK and international anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, as well as fraud prevention obligations.
- Monitor and maintain compliance with relevant financial regulations, including:
- HMRC requirements
- Companies House obligations
- International financial regulations affecting the business
- Maintain compliance records, including:
- Payments in and out of the business
- Invoicing
- Contact information
- Receipts
- GDPR-related financial data
- Audit all contacts and contracts to flag discrepancies and ensure adherence to agreed commercial terms.
VAT
- Manage all aspects of UK VAT compliance, including:
- Application
- Preparation and audit
- VAT return submission to HMRC
- Handle international VAT obligations applicable to a UK-based company, ensuring correct treatment of cross-border transactions.
- Stay up-to-date with VAT legislation and proactively manage policy changes affecting the business.
Payroll & People Finance
- Run end-to-end payroll processes via Xero Payroll, ensuring accuracy and compliance with:
- PAYE
- National Insurance
- Statutory payment obligations
- Manage pension administration, including:
- Auto-enrolment obligations
- Accurate Nest submissions
- Process employee onboarding and offboarding through Xero, including:
- Tax code setup
- Starter and leaver administration
- Final pay calculations
- P60s and year-end obligations
- Ensure accurate calculation, recording, and processing of employee pay, including:
- Reimbursements
- Bonuses
- Statutory payments (SSP, SMP)
- Maintain compliance with Real-Time Information (RTI reporting) requirements.
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Financial Operations & Cash Management
- Oversee day-to-day financial operations, including:
- Sales and purchase ledgers
- Cash flow management
- Bank reconciliations across multiple accounts and currencies
- Manage fund transfers between accounts to:
- Maximise interest rates
- Maintain appropriate liquidity for business operations
- Maintain accurate and current records of amounts owed and owing, facilitating:
- Proactive invoicing and payment management in multiple currencies
- Lead credit control activities, including:
- Confident and professional pursuit of overdue payments
- Manage operator and supplier relationships, ensuring:
- Contract terms are clearly understood, adhered to, and enforced where necessary.
Financial Reporting & Analysis
- Prepare and present monthly management accounts to Directors with:
- Supporting commentary
- Variance analysis
- Within 10 working days of month end
- Deliver timely and accurate management information, including:
- Set KPIs
- Cash flow forecasts
- Budget variance reports
- Provide bi-weekly invoicing status updates and credit control reporting.
- Lead the year-end process, including:
- Financial statement preparation
- Liaison with external accountants/auditors
- Support Directors in budgeting, forecasting, and business planning, including outgoings analysis.
- Monitor financial viability of business activities using:
- Data and analytics
- To identify cost efficiencies and commercial risks
- Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of corporation tax obligations, ensuring timely accurate payments.
Financial Strategy
- Provide clear, well-reasoned financial input to Directors to inform key business decisions.
- Identify and implement process improvements to enhance:
- Efficiency
- Accuracy
- Financial control across the finance function
- Develop and embed best practice financial processes aligned with BSL’s values and growth objectives.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and regulatory requirements.
KEY DELIVERABLES
✅ Monthly management accounts completed and presented within 10 working days of month end. ✅ VAT returns prepared and submitted in line with statutory deadlines. ✅ Payroll processed accurately and on time, with all RTI submissions to HMRC. ✅ Pension contributions calculated, deducted, and submitted to Nest in line with auto-enrolment requirements. ✅ Audit-ready financial records maintained at all times. ✅ Accurate and up-to-date cash flow forecasts, with proactive tracking of invoicing status. ✅ Positive feedback from Directors on:
- Timeliness of financial reporting
- Quality of financial advice
- Usefulness of analytical insights ✅ Demonstrable improvements in financial processes and compliance controls over time. ✅ Unwavering attention to detail and accounting accuracy in all tasks.
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QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Qualified accountant (preferably one of the following):
- ACCA
- CIMA
- AAT
- OR qualified by experience in a comparable finance management role
- Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in a senior finance role, ideally:
- Within an SME
- In an operationally complex environment
- Advanced proficiency in:
- Xero and Xero Payroll Ultimate Package
- Use and experience of multi-currency accounts
- Nest integration (desirable but not essential)
- Proficient in:
- Excel
- Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets)
- Demonstrable experience managing:
- UK VAT compliance
- Some exposure to international VAT obligations (desirable)
- Strong experience in:
- Running end-to-end payroll (PAYE, NI, tax codes, statutory payments, employee bonuses).
- Corporation tax requirements
- Knowledge of:
- Audit processes
- Maintaining compliance-ready financial records
- Optional: Knowledge of:
- Anti-money laundering regulations
- Fraud prevention obligations
- Desirable: Secondary language for international supplier relations (not required but valued).
SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
Technical Proficiency
- Expertise in financial software (Xero, Google Workspace)
- Strong financial reporting and analysis skills
- Multi-currency accounting knowledge
Soft Skills
✔ Confident communicator, able to present financial insights to non-finance colleagues, Directors, and external stakeholders—both in writing and verbally. ✔ Highly organised and detail-oriented, with:
- Strong time management
- Ability to work accurately under pressure ✔ Proactive and commercially minded, identifying issues before they escalate and proposing practical solutions. ✔ Assertive but professional in managing credit control, supplier relationships, and payment enforcement. ✔ Approachable and collaborative, ready to support colleagues on finance-related queries. ✔ Honest, reliable, and discreet, with an unwavering commitment to confidentiality and high ethical standards. ✔ Autonomous worker, capable of full ownership of the finance function without detailed supervision. ✔ Aligns actions with Blue Skies Lifestyle’s values in every interaction.
Note: This job description accurately reflects the primary duties and responsibilities of the Finance Controller role. It may be amended in alignment with evolving business needs and in discussion with the role holder.
Position Details:
Absolutely office-based in Bournemouth—no remote or hybrid working options available.
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