SFE Group UK Ltd

Key Responsibilities Financial Leadership & Control Lead and manage all UK finance operations. Maintain a robust financial control environment and ensure compliance with company policies. Oversee month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes. Ensure accurate and timely management reporting to UK and Group leadership. Develop and maintain financial policies, procedures, and internal controls. Drive continuous improvement of finance processes and systems. Group Reporting Deliver monthly and annual reporting packages in accordance with Group reporting requirements. Ensure compliance with IFRS and UK GAAP as required. Coordinate reporting requirements with international finance teams. Prepare board packs, financial analysis, and executive presentations. Statutory Accounts & Compliance Ensure compliance with UK Companies Act requirements. Oversee external audits and manage relationships with auditors. Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and corporate governance standards. Budgeting Lead annual budgeting and strategic planning processes. Provide insightful variance analysis and performance reporting. Support long-term business planning and investment decisions. Team Leadership Build and maintain effective relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including Operations, Sales, Supply Chain, HR, Group Finance and external auditors. Coordinate cross-functional initiatives to ensure accurate financial reporting and effective decision-making. Act as the key finance contact for statutory auditors, tax advisors and other external partners while fostering a collaborative approach across the business. Candidate Profile Essential Qualifications Fully qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA) or Equivalent internationally recognized qualification Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or related discipline. Essential Experience 10+ years of progressive finance experience. Minimum 5 years in a senior Financial Controller, Head of Finance, or Finance Director-level role. Strong statutory reporting and audit management experience. Proven leadership of finance teams. Experience working with ERP systems and sophisticated reporting environments. Experience in a manufacturing environment would be an advantage. Technical Skills Knowledge of UK GAAP and IFRS. Understanding of UK taxation and regulatory requirements. Experience of budgeting, forecasting, and performance management. Strong internal controls and risk management expertise. Advanced Excel and financial systems capability. Personal Attributes High integrity and professional credibility. Strong commercial acumen. Strategic thinker with attention to detail. Excellent leadership and influencing skills. Confident communicator with board-level presence.

Role Summary As Financial Controller, you will be responsible for the finance function of our French legal entity, ensuring accurate financial reporting, strong governance and effective business partnering with local management. Working closely with the International Financial Controller based in Germany and the Group Finance leadership in the United States, you will contribute to the continued development of finance processes across S.F.E. Group while supporting the growth of our French operations. Key Responsibilities Lead the finance function for the French legal entity, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting. Supervise, coach and develop the local finance team (2 employees). Prepare and review monthly, quarterly and annual financial statements in accordance with local GAAP, IFRS and Group reporting requirements. Coordinate the statutory year-end accounts and act as the main point of contact for external auditors, tax advisers and local authorities. Ensure compliance with internal controls, corporate policies and local statutory requirements. Prepare budgets, forecasts and cash flow projections, providing meaningful financial analysis to support business decisions. Partner with operational management to monitor financial performance, identify risks and drive profitability improvements. Work closely with the International Financial Controller (Germany) and Group Finance (USA) to support monthly consolidation and reporting. Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, systems and reporting across the business. Support finance transformation and continuous improvement initiatives within the Group. Candidate Profile Essential Qualifications ACA, ACCA, CIMA, DSCG, DEC or an equivalent recognised accounting qualification. Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Accounting, Finance or a related discipline. Essential Experience At least 8-10 years of experience in Finance, Audit, or Financial Controlling within an international environment. Previous experience managing or mentoring finance team members. Strong knowledge of IFRS. Experience of reporting under US GAAP would be an advantage. Experience preparing statutory financial statements and managing external audits. Experience in budgeting, forecasting and business partnering with operational teams. Strong hands-on mindset Experience working within a manufacturing or industrial environment would be an advantage. Fluent in French and English (spoken and written) Experience with ERP systems (SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, NetSuite or similar) High level of accuracy, strong analytical skills, autonomy, and excellent communication abilities. Personal Attributes High integrity and professional credibility. Hands-on and proactive approach. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. Commercially minded with the ability to influence decision-making. Able to work independently while collaborating within an international organisation. Continuous improvement mindset. Compensation & Benefits Location: The role can be based either at our UK headquarters in Stockport (Greater Manchester) or at our French headquarters in toile-sur-Rh ne (near Valence), depending on the successful candidate. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, aligned with the successful candidate's experience, qualifications and country of employment.