Financial Controller

Financial Controller | Global Advertising Group | Central London (Hybrid Working) | £85,000-£100,000 | 1-Year Fixed-Term Contract

Robert Half are partnering with a major global marketing group to recruit a Financial Controller for their UK finance function, based in Central London.

This is a 1-year fixed-term contract , so we are ideally looking for someone who is happy with a 12-month contract and comfortable committing to the full duration of the role.

With operations across multiple international markets and a portfolio of well-known advertising, media, and communications agencies, this organisation offers the scale, complexity, and reporting requirements of a truly global business.

This is an excellent opportunity for a technically strong finance professional with a strong financial accounting or Financial Controller background to step into a key role within a large, complex, multi-entity group environment. The position offers significant exposure to group reporting, consolidations, IFRS, financial controls and senior stakeholder management.

About the Position

In this role you will:

• Take ownership of financial reporting across multiple UK entities, ensuring accurate and timely reporting to UK management and international stakeholders.
• Lead the monthly management reporting and reforecasting process, including detailed variance analysis and ensuring submissions are delivered within stringent group deadlines.
• Oversee multiple P&Ls and balance sheet areas, ensuring strong financial control and accuracy across the entities.
• Review balance sheet reconciliations, analyse movements and ensure any issues are identified and resolved promptly.
• Oversee WIP, house costs, accruals, journals and other key areas of financial accounting, ensuring your team are managing these effectively.
• Manage cash forecasting, FX reporting and cost management across the business.
• Lead and manage a team of Finance Managers, providing guidance, oversight and support across their respective P&Ls. The role will be focused on managing and reviewing the team rather than being a hands-on preparer.
• Manage relationships with the UK and overseas Shared Service Centre team, providing clear direction and ensuring agreed deliverables, journals and reporting requirements are completed accurately and on time.
• Oversee the statutory and group audit processes, working closely with external auditors, the Shared Service Centre and wider agency teams to ensure all requirements are delivered within strict deadlines.
• Review financial statements and support the delivery of statutory and group reporting requirements across the UK entities.
• Oversee tax and regulatory submissions, including VAT, corporation tax-related reporting, PSA, ONS submissions and other HMRC and UK Government requirements.
• Review and approve relevant submissions prepared by the Shared Service Centre, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

What we're looking for

• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified accountant.
• Previous Financial Controller, Financial Accounting, Group Accounting or similar experience within a large, complex organisation.
• Strong financial accounting background with excellent technical accounting knowledge and a strong understanding of IFRS.
• Experience working across multiple entities, ideally within a group environment with exposure to consolidations and group reporting.
• Experience working within a large organisation where there are stringent reporting deadlines, complex structures and multiple stakeholders.
• Previous team management experience.
• We are open to candidates who have trained in practice and subsequently moved into industry, as well as those who have trained directly within industry.
• Advertising experience would be advantageous but is not essential.
• US GAAP and SOX experience would be advantageous but is not essential.

Here's what's waiting for you

• £85,000-£100,000 salary plus benefits.
• Hybrid working-3 days per week in the office.
• The opportunity to join a major global advertising group.
• Significant exposure to complex, multi-entity financial reporting and group processes.
• Responsibility for a large, established finance team.
• Exposure to senior stakeholders across both the UK and international finance functions.

Why this role could be your next move

This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified accountant who wants to step into a genuinely complex Financial Controller position within a large international organisation. You'll be working across multiple entities, dealing with demanding reporting deadlines, group reporting, consolidations, IFRS, financial controls and a wide range of senior stakeholders.

The business is particularly interested in candidates who understand the complexity that comes with working for a large organisation. This is not a straightforward single-entity Financial Controller position; you will be operating within a sizeable international group with multiple entities, significant reporting requirements, shared service centres and tight monthly and quarterly deadlines.

Advertising or agency experience would be a major advantage, but the priority is someone who has already worked within a large, complex organisation and is comfortable operating in a highly controlled and deadline-driven environment.