Role Overview
The Financial Controller is a newly created opportunity established to support the integration of complex acquisitions into the Group’s central Finance functions. The role will build a robust, reliable and auditable financial control environment for the acquired businesses, strengthen the quality of financial reporting, and prepare accounting processes, data and controls for sustainable integration into the Group operating model.
The role combines hands-on financial controllership with integration delivery. It will develop a detailed understanding of the acquired business’s end-to-end Finance processes, identify control and reporting gaps, implement practical remediation, and work in partnership with the Finance Integration team, Central Programme Office, business leadership and other corporate functions.
The role sits within the Finance integration workstream and will operate across the acquired business and central Finance teams. It will work closely with Group Controllership, FP&A, Tax, Treasury, Finance Operations, Finance Systems, Data, Risk, Internal Audit and external advisers. The position requires the credibility to challenge existing accounting practices, the technical depth to establish robust financials, and the practical judgement to implement controls without disrupting business continuity.
Key outcomes
- A dependable opening and ongoing financial position for the acquired business, supported by reconciled ledgers, clear accounting policies and robust management information.
- A documented and operating control framework covering accounting processes, revenue and cost recognition, journal governance, balance sheet substantiation and period-end close.
- Clear ownership, evidence standards and escalation routes for material financial controls and accounting judgements.
- A detailed current-state assessment of Finance processes, systems, data flows, interfaces, dependencies and control gaps.
- An agreed roadmap for integrating the acquired business into central Finance functions, including priorities, prerequisites, transitional arrangements and accountable owners.
- A controlled handover to permanent Finance process owners, supported by documentation, training, open-item tracking and agreed residual-risk treatment.
Role Responsibilities
Build robust and reliable financials
- Establish confidence in the acquired business’s trial balance, management accounts and statutory reporting through detailed review, reconciliation and challenge.
- Validate opening balances and acquisition accounting inputs, working with Group Controllership, transaction accounting specialists, Tax and external advisers as required.
- Improve period-end close discipline, including close calendars, account ownership, journal controls, review evidence, materiality thresholds and issue escalation.
- Ensure significant accounting judgements, estimates, provisions and manual adjustments are supported by clear methodology, evidence and approval.
- Develop reporting that explains financial performance, unusual movements, risks and data-quality limitations to Finance leadership.
Accounting process and control implementation
- Assess the design and operating effectiveness of controls across record-to-report and related accounting processes.
- Implement fit-for-purpose controls over journal preparation and approval, chart-of-accounts usage, master data, interfaces, close activities and financial reporting.
- Define control owners, performers, reviewers, frequency, evidence requirements, thresholds and escalation procedures.
- Identify unmanaged risks and establish temporary or compensating controls where target-state solutions cannot be implemented immediately.
- Maintain a remediation plan for control deficiencies and provide transparent status reporting to Finance integration governance.
Revenue and cost recognition
- Review revenue recognition policies and practices across material income streams, including contract terms, cut-off, accruals, estimates, rebates, commissions and adjustments.
- Assess cost recognition, including voyage or contract costs, accruals, prepayments, allocation methodologies, cut-off and completeness of liabilities.
- Confirm that revenue and costs are recognised consistently with applicable accounting standards and Group accounting policies.
- Implement reconciliations and analytical controls linking operational activity, contracts, invoices, settlements and ledger postings.
- Ensure non-standard transactions and material judgements are documented and reviewed by appropriately authorised Finance stakeholders.
Balance sheet substantiation
- Establish a complete balance sheet ownership and reconciliation framework with defined frequency, ageing, evidence and approval standards.
- Lead the substantiation of material balance sheet accounts, including cash, receivables, payables, accruals, prepayments, provisions, intercompany, fixed assets and tax balances.
- Introduce risk-based review of aged, unsupported, unreconciled or unusual items and drive timely resolution.
- Ensure reconciliations demonstrate existence, completeness, accuracy, valuation, rights and obligations, rather than merely agreeing ledger balances.
Finance process discovery and integration readiness
- Document end-to-end Finance processes, including inputs, outputs, systems, data sources, interfaces, manual activities, controls, dependencies and responsible teams.
- Identify differences between the acquired business and Group Finance policies, processes, systems and control standards.
- Assess which activities should transfer to central Finance functions, remain within the business, or operate under a transitional service arrangement.
- Work with central Finance process owners to design practical migration and transition plans that protect close and reporting continuity.
Finance systems, data and reporting
- Partner with Finance Systems and Data teams to understand source systems, ledgers, sub-ledgers, interfaces and reporting architecture.
- Support data mapping, chart-of-accounts alignment, reporting hierarchy design, migration, cleansing, testing and reconciliation.
- Improve data lineage and traceability from operational source through accounting entry to management and statutory reporting.
- Support cutover rehearsals, go-live readiness, contingency planning and post-implementation hyper care.
- Align Financial Reporting and Management Information requirements with exiting TPICAP standards.
Partnership and governance
- Act as the senior controllership interface between the acquired business, Finance Integration team and central Finance functions.
- Provide concise, evidence-based reporting to the Finance integration governance forum and Central Programme Office.
- Coordinate with Technology, Operations, Risk, Legal, Compliance, HR and Procurement where their processes affect financial reporting or control.
- Escalate significant accounting, reporting, control or data risks early, together with practical remediation options.
- Build productive relationships with external auditors and advisers and ensure requests, findings and actions are managed efficiently.
- Some travel would be required.
Handover and sustainable operation
- Produce clear process narratives, accounting papers, reconciliation standards, control descriptions and operating procedures.
- Train permanent process and control owners and confirm that responsibilities are understood and accepted.
- Complete readiness assessments before transferring activities into central Finance functions.
- Maintain a controlled list of residual issues, risks, dependencies and post-contract actions with named owners and target dates.
Experience / Competencies
Essential
- Clear and demonstrable experience as a Financial Controller in a complex, multi-entity or international organisation.
- Proven ability to establish robust financials, remediate accounting weaknesses and improve the quality and reliability of month-end and year-end reporting.
- Deep experience designing and operating controls over accounting processes, journals, revenue and cost recognition, close and balance sheet substantiation.
- Experience analysing end-to-end Finance processes and preparing them for integration, standardisation, centralisation or systems migration.
- Strong knowledge of applicable accounting standards, financial-control principles, audit requirements and evidence-based governance.
- Experience working across Finance, Operations and Technology in a change, acquisition, integration or transformation environment.
- Professional accounting qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
- Experience working with operational data and contracts to validate accounting recognition, estimates and balance sheet positions.
- Exposure to complex legal-entity structures, multiple currencies and cross-border accounting environments.
- Financial controllership: establishes disciplined close, accurate reporting, clear ownership and transparent accounting judgements.
- Revenue and cost recognition: analyses contractual and operational evidence and applies consistent recognition and cut-off principles.
- Balance sheet control: implements rigorous reconciliation, substantiation, ageing and resolution standards.
- Process and control design: translates identified risks into practical preventive and detective controls with defined evidence.
- Accounting analysis: investigates complex movements, identifies root causes and determines appropriate remediation.
- Data and systems understanding: traces transactions through source systems, interfaces, ledgers and reports and identifies data-integrity risks.
- Integration readiness: converts process discovery into sequenced requirements, transition plans and measurable acceptance criteria.
- Hands-on, delivery-focused and willing to work at transaction, account and reconciliation level when required.
- Credible and confident when challenging senior stakeholders, auditors and subject matter experts.
- Pragmatic and risk-based, able to distinguish between immediate control requirements and longer-term target-state improvements.
- Clear communicator who can translate technical accounting and control matters into concise decisions and actions.
- Resilient and comfortable operating within ambiguity, compressed timelines and evolving transaction priorities.
- Culturally aware and effective across countries, functions and organisational boundaries.
Desired
- French language capability is highly desirable, particularly where the role supports integration activity across French-speaking businesses, stakeholders or jurisdictions.
Job Band & Level
#LI-DIR #LI-Hybrid #LI-CR1
Not The Perfect Fit?
Concerned that you may not meet the criteria precisely? At TP ICAP, we wholeheartedly believe in fostering inclusivity and cultivating a work environment where everyone can flourish, regardless of your personal or professional background. If you are enthusiastic about this role but find that your experience doesn't align perfectly with every aspect of the job description, we strongly encourage you to apply. You may be the ideal candidate for this position or another opportunity within our organisation. Our dedicated Talent Acquisition team is here to assist you in recognising how your unique skills and abilities can be a valuable contribution. Don't hesitate to take the leap and explore the possibilities. Your potential is what truly matters to us.
Company Statement
We know that the best innovation happens when diverse people with different perspectives and skills work together in an inclusive atmosphere. That's why we're building a culture where everyone plays a part in making people feel welcome, ready and willing to contribute. TP ICAP Accord - our Employee Network - is a central to this. As well as representing specific groups, TP ICAP Accord helps increase awareness, collaboration, shares best practice, and holds our firm to account for driving continuous cultural improvement.
Location
UK - 135 Bishopsgate - London
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