Appleyard Lees IP LLP

Financial Controller

Appleyard Lees IP LLP
Posted 10/20/2026full-timeManchester • United KingdomMid-LevelSeniorWebsite
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Core Competencies

Role fit
Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in finance operations, including management accounts, cash flow forecasting, and VAT compliance, while leading a finance team through process improvements and system integrations. Proficient in using Sage Intacct and Power BI to enhance financial reporting and controls.

Highest-signal resume keywords
ACA, ACCA Or CIMA QualificationManagement Accounts ExperienceVAT Compliance ExperienceSage Intacct Or Similar ERP SystemCash Flow Forecasting Experience

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies
ERP

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact
  • Run day-to-day finance operations
  • Lead and develop a finance team of five, allocate workloads, review work, coach team members, and escalate complex finance issues
  • Prepare and review monthly management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and fee earner incentive reporting
  • Meet budget owners to discuss spending, variances, and forecasts
  • Support the annual budget and provide analysis and commentary to management
  • Manage weekly and monthly cash flow and forecasting, cash collection information, banking relationships, loans and repayments, and FX requirements and currency exposures
  • Prepare and submit VAT returns and maintain tax compliance with external advisers
  • Coordinate the annual audit as the auditors’ main contact
  • Oversee monthly payroll checks
  • Support complex billing and system issues, protect data integrity, and maintain and improve finance controls
  • Review processes and controls to simplify, automate, or strengthen them
  • Help design, test, and implement systems and integrations such as bank feeds, invoice imports, and Power BI
  • Train the team in new ways of working and document new processes while keeping business-as-usual deadlines on track
  • Use Sage Intacct, Equinox, Excel, and SharePoint

Requirements

What you’ll need
  • ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification
  • Several years’ experience at Financial Controller, Finance Manager or senior Management Accountant level
  • Experience managing a small finance team and leading it through change
  • Strong management accounts and balance sheet experience
  • VAT, audit and cash flow forecasting experience
  • Experience delivering process improvement or system change in a finance function
  • Strong Excel and finance systems skills
  • Attention to detail and the ability to review other people’s work
  • Ability to investigate and resolve complex finance issues
  • Confidence dealing directly with budget holders and senior management
  • Professional services experience, ideally in an LLP or a business of similar size and complexity
  • Sage Intacct or a similar ERP system, and Power BI or similar reporting tools
  • Finance system implementations, integrations or automation
  • Multi-currency accounting and FX, banking facilities and loans
  • Fee earner incentive schemes and payroll oversight

Benefits

Comp & perks
  • 34 hour working week, Monday – Friday
  • Hybrid working
  • A supportive and friendly place to work and learn
  • Annual salary review
  • 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
  • Holiday Purchase Scheme
  • Salary Exchange
  • Life assurance
  • Healthcare Cash Plan & Wellbeing App
  • Group Income Protection
  • Long Service Milestones
  • Social outings
  • Vouchers on Christmas, birthdays and special occasions
  • Charity events
  • Career prospects
  • Friendly and supportive work environment

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills
Financial Operations ManagementBalance Sheet ReconciliationProcess ImprovementMulti-Currency AccountingPayroll OversightAudit CoordinationData Integrity ProtectionFinancial AnalysisBudget ManagementFee Earner Incentive Reporting
Soft Skills
Attention To DetailTeam LeadershipProblem SolvingCommunication With Senior ManagementCoaching And Training
Tools & Technologies
Sage IntacctPower BIExcelSharePointEquinox
Certifications & Qualifications
ACAACCACIMA
Industry Keywords
Professional ServicesLLPFinance FunctionBanking RelationshipsLoans And Repayments