Group Chief Financial Controller
St. James’s Place
Date: 1 week ago
City: Cirencester, England
Contract type: Full time
Are you ready to chart your own career path? At SJP we need talented individuals like yourself to support our evolving culture. If you’re seeking an employer that is passionate about excellence, innovation and autonomy, SJP could be the place for you.
At a glance:
Location: Cirencester Office
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Employment Type: Permanent
Seniority: Director
The role:
The Group Chief Financial Controller is responsible for leading the Group’s statutory, regulatory, and management financial reporting, ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of disclosures across all entities. As the Group’s most senior accounting professional, the role oversees the financial control environment, drives continuous improvement in reporting processes, and ensures strong governance and compliance with accounting standards and regulatory requirements. Acting as a key partner to the Group CFO, Audit Committee, and Board, this role is central to maintaining confidence in the Group’s financial reporting and control framework (and similarly for its subsidiaries).
What you'll be doing:
The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of relevant reporting standards (e.g. IFRS and UK GAAP) with practical experience applying complex accounting standards in a listed or regulated environment. They will have a detailed understanding of the statutory and regulatory reporting requirements for FS firms, including FCA and PRA returns and public disclosures. They will have a strong understanding of internal control frameworks and best practice in financial reporting assurance including audit, compliance and risk management. The role holder will be commercially aware of how financial reporting outcomes interact with investor expectations, capital markets, tax regulation and the wider business strategy. They will have an in-depth knowledge of financial reporting obligations and accounting treatments across all SJP entities and a deep understanding of the Group’s reporting calendar, Audit Committee and Board engagement cycles. This person will have strong problem-solving skills and be able to resolve complex technical accounting issues. They will be a qualified accountant with excellent influencing skills and someone who is comfortable presenting at Board level and able to lead with integrity.
Essential Criteria
Group Audit Committee.
What's in it for you?
We reward you for the work you do, whether that’s through our discretionary annual bonus scheme that reflects both personal and company performance, competitive annual leave allowance (28 days plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional 5 days), or online rewards platform with a variety of discounts.
We also have benefits to support whatever stage of life you are in, including:
Research tells us that applicants (especially those from underrepresented groups) can be put off from applying for a role if they do not meet all the criteria or have been on an extended career-break. If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you tick every box.
What's next?
If you're excited about this role and believe you have the skills and experience we're looking for, we'd love to hear from you! Please submit an application by clicking ‘apply’ below and our team will be in touch.
As a business regulated by the FCA we would advise you to familiarise yourself with the conduct regulations and in particular consumer duty obligations prior to an interview with SJP.
At a glance:
Location: Cirencester Office
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Employment Type: Permanent
Seniority: Director
The role:
The Group Chief Financial Controller is responsible for leading the Group’s statutory, regulatory, and management financial reporting, ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of disclosures across all entities. As the Group’s most senior accounting professional, the role oversees the financial control environment, drives continuous improvement in reporting processes, and ensures strong governance and compliance with accounting standards and regulatory requirements. Acting as a key partner to the Group CFO, Audit Committee, and Board, this role is central to maintaining confidence in the Group’s financial reporting and control framework (and similarly for its subsidiaries).
What you'll be doing:
- Leadership & Oversight: Lead and develop the Financial Reporting teams and Financial Controls team, fostering a positive culture of professionalism, control, and continuous improvement; Build and maintain effective working relationships with other members of the Finance Division Senior Leadership Team, as well as Group and subsidiary Finance SMFs, ExCo and Board members, to ensure that there is effective co-ordination of all company activities in support of corporate objectives.
- Financial Reporting: Support the Group and legal entity CFOs in ensuring the accurate, compliant, and timely financial reporting of the Boards’ statutory and regulatory financial reporting across all relevant entities. Comply with accepted accounting principles and statutory and regulatory requirements when preparing SJP accounts.
- Controls: Champion a strong controls culture across the financial reporting team and all stakeholders, to support the production of accurate reports.
- Communication: Provide clear, accurate reporting to the CFO, ExCo, Audit Committee and Board. Act as a key point of accountability for the quality and transparency of financial reporting across all stakeholders, including regulatory bodies and investor relations.
- Audit & Assurance: Lead engagement with external auditors and the Group Audit Committee. Ensure smooth execution of the year-end audit, effective resolution of audit issues, and delivery of high-quality audit materials.
- Governance & Risk Management: Lead the Group’s approach to risk and control in financial reporting, ensuring appropriate documentation, ownership, and assurance over financial processes. Act as the primary finance contact for control-related matters, including relationship management with SS&C, State Street, and internal audit.
- Continuous Improvement: Lead the development and continuous improvement of reporting capabilities in response to business needs, regulatory changes, and best practices. Ensure that systems, processes, and people evolve to meet the increasing complexity and expectations of a listed FS group.
- Third parties: Manage the relationship with third-party administrators as they pertain to the Reporting Division.
- Legal & regulatory compliance: Ensure adherence to internal policies, applicable laws, regulations and ethical issues as applicable, including relevant requirements and expectations of the FCA, PRA, or other relevant FS regulatory bodies, and ensuring full compliance with the requirements of the Senior Managers Regime, including the FCA’s and PRA’s Individual and Senior Manager Conduct Rules.
- Senior Finance SM&CR (As Required): Responsibility for a finance-related SM&CR responsibility, such as CFO or Chief Actuary of a significant regulated Group subsidiary.
The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of relevant reporting standards (e.g. IFRS and UK GAAP) with practical experience applying complex accounting standards in a listed or regulated environment. They will have a detailed understanding of the statutory and regulatory reporting requirements for FS firms, including FCA and PRA returns and public disclosures. They will have a strong understanding of internal control frameworks and best practice in financial reporting assurance including audit, compliance and risk management. The role holder will be commercially aware of how financial reporting outcomes interact with investor expectations, capital markets, tax regulation and the wider business strategy. They will have an in-depth knowledge of financial reporting obligations and accounting treatments across all SJP entities and a deep understanding of the Group’s reporting calendar, Audit Committee and Board engagement cycles. This person will have strong problem-solving skills and be able to resolve complex technical accounting issues. They will be a qualified accountant with excellent influencing skills and someone who is comfortable presenting at Board level and able to lead with integrity.
Essential Criteria
- Qualified accountant or other finance professional (e.g. ACA, ACCA or equivalent).
- Deep knowledge of relevant financial reporting & accounting standards and regulation (eg. IFRS and UK GAAP).
- Proven leader – able to mentor and develop Reporting and Controls team including a mix of Finance professionals.
- Professional and credible communicator - able to relay complex technical accounting and financial reporting matters to different audiences including at Board level.
- Strong problem-solving skills – able to resolve complex technical accounting issues.
- Skilled in navigating ambiguity around evolving regulatory requirements or structural business change.
- Strong systems skills – financial consolidation, reporting and audit support system including ERP platforms, regulatory reporting systems and tools for controls and documentation management.
Group Audit Committee.
What's in it for you?
We reward you for the work you do, whether that’s through our discretionary annual bonus scheme that reflects both personal and company performance, competitive annual leave allowance (28 days plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional 5 days), or online rewards platform with a variety of discounts.
We also have benefits to support whatever stage of life you are in, including:
- Competitive parental leave (26 weeks full pay)
- Private medical insurance (optional taxable benefit)
- 10% non-contributory pension (increasing with length of service)
Research tells us that applicants (especially those from underrepresented groups) can be put off from applying for a role if they do not meet all the criteria or have been on an extended career-break. If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you tick every box.
What's next?
If you're excited about this role and believe you have the skills and experience we're looking for, we'd love to hear from you! Please submit an application by clicking ‘apply’ below and our team will be in touch.
As a business regulated by the FCA we would advise you to familiarise yourself with the conduct regulations and in particular consumer duty obligations prior to an interview with SJP.
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