A well-established UK leader in aviation engineering working with airlines and maintenance bases is searching for an experienced financial team leader to join our team.

Headquartered in Poole, delivering a range of aviation maintenance solutions from workshops in London, Cardiff and Glasgow.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Financial Controller is responsible for overseeing the organisation’s financial operations, while also providing leadership and oversight in payroll and HR-related financial processes. This role ensures accuracy, compliance, strong financial controls and efficiency across accounting, payroll, benefits administration, and HR reporting, while supporting strategic decision making.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management, Reporting & Governance

• Lead the month-end and year-end close to deliver accurate and timely financial statements.
• Prepare management accounts, financial reports, and performance analysis for senior leadership.
• Manage job costing and project accounting to ensure accurate cost and revenue recognition.
• Ensure compliance with UK GAAP/IFRS and all statutory reporting requirements.
• Coordinate external audits and preparation of financial statements, acting as the primary point of contact for auditors and external accountants.
• Oversee project-level reporting for engineering programmes, maintenance contracts, and ground support equipment (GSE) operations as required.
• Drive process improvements, automation, and system enhancements.
• Oversee company secretary tasks, being responsible for registered office post, and keeping the company’s statutory books and Companies House entries up to date.

Budgeting, Forecasting, Analysis & Cost Control

• Develop annual budgets in collaboration with company/group departments.
• Produce rolling forecasts, cash-flow projections, and scenario modelling, with a focus on revenue, labour utilization, asset depreciation and any future needs of the business.
• Support strategic planning and decision making with data-driven insights and recommendations.
• Oversee financial management of ground support equipment, including capex planning, asset tracking, and life-cycle costing.
• Support R&D studies and related support packages as required.
• Identify and implement tax planning opportunities where possible.
• Identify and report any upcoming changes relating to financial or taxation aspects which will affect the business.

Commercial & Contract Support

• Support bid teams with pricing models, margin analysis, and cost-to-serve calculations for aerospace clients, as required.
• Monitor financial performance of long-term maintenance contracts and engineering support agreements as required.
• As required, review commercial terms to ensure financial risk is understood and mitigated.

Controls, Compliance & Risk Management

• Maintain and strengthen internal controls, financial policies, and procedures, to safeguard assets and ensure data integrity.
• Monitor financial risks, implementing mitigation strategies where needed.
• Oversee accounts payable and accounts receivable functions.
• Oversee tax compliance, including VAT, corporation tax, and payroll taxes.

Payroll taxes:

• Oversee payroll processing to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with the local laws and regulations.
• Review payroll reconciliations, tax filings and year end reporting.
• Oversee ERS (Employment Related Securities) submissions and reporting of annual returns to HMRC.
• Oversee financial aspects of employee benefits, including but not limited to health plans and retirement / pension plans.
• Assist with headcount planning, labour cost analysis and workforce budgeting.
• Develop and maintain documentation for payroll and HR-related procedures.
• Partner with HR, Accounting and Executive leadership to align financial and people strategies.

VAT:

• Oversee quarterly VAT reporting and filing.
• Oversee compliance aspects of VAT, in particular the recoverability of input VAT and ensuring supplies of goods and services are correctly accounted for.
• Oversee compliance for cross-border transactions for global operations.

Corporation Tax:

• Oversee compliance aspects of Corporation Tax, ensuring compliance with local tax authorities.
• Oversee compliance for cross-border transactions for global operations.

Skills & Experience

• Professional qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or equivalent.
• Proven experience in a Financial Controller or senior finance role.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and financial reporting expertise.
• Strong knowledge of payroll laws.
• Excellent management skills.
• Excellent communication skills. Able to communicate effectively and work with all levels in the organisation.
• Advanced Excel and financial systems proficiency.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Process improvement.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• High integrity and commitment to accuracy.
• Commercial mindset with the ability to translate numbers into insight.
• Proactive problem-solver.
• Strong leadership presence and collaborative approach.