Job Title: Financial Controller
Department: Finance
Reports To: CFO / Managing Director / CEO
Location: Flexible / India with responsibility for UK and Singapore entities, or based in operating hub as required
Industry Focus: Services business, project-led / contract-led commercial environment
Role Purpose
The Financial Controller will lead the finance function for a growing services business, ensuring accurate financial reporting, strong internal controls, robust cash-flow management, and full statutory and tax compliance across the group’s operations, with particular responsibility for the UK and Singapore. The role is especially suited to a controller who understands long-duration or high-value service contracts, revenue recognition, contract governance, billing milestones, margin control, and cross-border compliance.
Key Responsibilities
1. Financial control and reporting
Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process, ensuring timely and accurate management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, cash-flow reporting, and board-quality financial packs.
Prepare or oversee statutory financial statements in line with applicable accounting standards and reporting requirements, including UK GAAP / IFRS where relevant.
Deliver variance analysis, profitability reporting, business-unit performance analysis, and financial commentary for leadership decision-making.
Maintain a strong chart of accounts, reporting structure, and finance policies appropriate for a scaling services business.
2. Contract and commercial finance
Partner with sales, delivery, legal, and leadership teams on large customer contracts, master service agreements, statements of work, renewals, and change orders.
Review commercial terms before contract sign-off, including pricing structure, payment milestones, retention clauses, penalties, service credits, termination rights, FX exposure, tax implications, and working capital impact.
Ensure accurate accounting treatment for large and complex contracts, including revenue recognition, accruals, deferred income, unbilled revenue, contract assets/liabilities, and project profitability tracking.
Monitor contract performance against budget, billing schedules, cost-to-complete assumptions, and margin expectations.
Drive discipline around invoicing, collections, contract documentation, approval workflows, and dispute resolution to protect cash flow and reduce leakage.
3. Budgeting, forecasting, and cash management
Lead annual budgeting, periodic reforecasting, and rolling cash-flow forecasts across entities and business lines.
Manage working capital, including receivables, payables, payroll funding, tax outflows, and intercompany settlements.
Support banking relationships, funding discussions, covenant reporting, and treasury controls where applicable.
Provide scenario analysis for large deals, hiring plans, geographic expansion, and contract concentration risks.
4. Internal controls, audit, and governance
Design, implement, and improve internal financial controls, approval matrices, delegation frameworks, expense governance, payment controls, and documentation standards.
Act as primary contact for external auditors and coordinate audit readiness, schedules, support files, and issue resolution.
Build processes that reduce operational and financial risk, including contract review controls, vendor controls, revenue assurance, and segregation of duties.
Support board and senior management with risk reporting, policy updates, and governance matters.
5. UK compliance responsibilities
Oversee UK statutory reporting and filing requirements, including annual accounts and Companies House-related compliance obligations.
Manage the annual confirmation statement process and ensure company records, officers, shareholders, and registered information remain current with Companies House.
Oversee UK tax compliance including corporation tax coordination, VAT processes, payroll/PAYE oversight, and liaison with HMRC and external advisers where required.
Ensure financial statements and disclosures comply with Companies Act requirements and applicable accounting standards.
6. Singapore compliance responsibilities
Oversee Singapore statutory compliance, including annual return filings with ACRA and preparation / submission of financial statements where required.
Manage the compliance calendar for AGM-related requirements where applicable, annual return deadlines, and XBRL or financial statement filing requirements for Singapore entities.
Oversee IRAS corporate tax compliance, including Estimated Chargeable Income filing within 3 months of financial year-end unless waiver conditions apply, and subsequent corporate tax return coordination.
Coordinate with corporate secretaries, tax agents, payroll providers, auditors, and local advisers to ensure Singapore entities remain fully compliant.
Maintain supporting documentation for intercompany transactions, local filings, and audit/tax reviews.
7. Team and systems leadership
Lead, mentor, and develop the finance team across accounting, AP, AR, payroll, and reporting activities.
Improve ERP / accounting systems, reporting automation, contract-to-cash workflows, and management dashboards.
Drive process standardisation across entities while respecting local compliance requirements in the UK and Singapore.
Support implementation or optimisation of ERP, billing, and contract-management systems.
Candidate Profile
Required experience
Qualified accountant, preferably CA / ACCA / ACA / CIMA or equivalent professional qualification.
8–12+ years of progressive finance experience, with at least 3–5 years in a Financial Controller or senior finance leadership role.
Strong background in a services business, such as consulting, technology services, managed services, staffing, outsourcing, professional services, or project-based businesses.
Demonstrated experience handling large contracts or multi-period client engagements with complex billing and revenue recognition implications.
Practical experience managing or coordinating UK and Singapore compliance, either directly in-house or through external advisers.
Strong experience with audits, statutory reporting, tax coordination, internal controls, and multi-entity finance operations.
Technical skills
Strong knowledge of monthly close, financial reporting, cash-flow forecasting, and balance sheet control.
Good command of accounting standards relevant to the business, including UK GAAP / IFRS for statutory reporting.
Working knowledge of UK compliance requirements involving Companies House, annual accounts, confirmation statements, VAT, payroll/PAYE, and corporation tax oversight.
Working knowledge of Singapore compliance requirements involving ACRA filings, annual returns, financial statements, IRAS ECI, and corporate tax processes.
Strong commercial finance capability, especially around contract review, pricing, margin analysis, revenue recognition, and cash conversion.
ERP and finance systems proficiency; advanced Excel and strong MIS/reporting capability.
Behavioural competencies
Commercially sharp and detail-oriented.
Able to balance control with speed in a growth environment.
Confident working with senior stakeholders, auditors, tax advisers, legal teams, and operational leaders.
Strong ownership mindset, with ability to build structure in a hands-on environment.
Clear communicator who can translate financial risk and compliance requirements into practical business actions.
Preferred Background
Experience in cross-border services businesses with entities in multiple jurisdictions.
Exposure to project accounting, milestone billing, deferred revenue, and contract margin tracking.
Familiarity with transfer pricing, intercompany reconciliations, and foreign currency considerations.
Experience in SME / mid-market environments where the controller has both operational and strategic responsibilities.
KPIs
Month-end close completed on time with high accuracy.
Zero or minimal audit adjustments and clean audit delivery.
Statutory and tax filings submitted accurately and on time in the UK and Singapore.
Improved DSO, billing discipline, and cash conversion from large contracts.
Strong balance sheet hygiene and reconciliations.
Improved forecast accuracy, margin visibility, and contract profitability reporting.
Pay: ₹180,000.00 - ₹200,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
