Financial Controller - London

Gaucho & M Restaurants are delighted to be recruiting for a Financial Controller to join our Finance Head Office Support Team.

Salary: Basic up to £70,000 per annum with great benefits.

Role Purpose: To lead, manage and be accountable for the finance team, including the debt and balance sheet positions of the business, and to take overall responsibility and custody of all aspects of cash management and group reporting. To safeguard the assets of the business through robust financial controls, technical compliance, and reporting. To assist the CFO in managing key external relationships with investors, advisors and bankers. 

Key Outcomes:  

1. Overall accountability for Central Finance.
2. Overall custody for the control and risk management environment, ensuring the existence of best practice across the department.
3. Implementation of new and improved financial processes and controls, 
4. Supervision of statutory process, audit and tax liaison, ensuring our technical compliance, and implementation of accounting standards 
5. All cash, debt and banking requirements and cash management

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the day to day relationships with our lenders and other banking relationships and importantly bring your personality to work and coach your team
• Manage and report accurately all cashflows, debt position and covenant compliance, including future projections, ensuring all covenants are met with sufficient headroom
• Manage debt service payments, hedging requirements, foreign currency (as required), shareholder loans
• Understand and manage working capital movements to the company’s best advantage
• To lead the Shared Services teams – financial accounting, payroll, accounts payable, treasury, fixed assets, restaurant reconciliation and loss prevention, to provide accurate, relevant, compliant and timely results for the business
• Develop and maintain a suite of KPIs/ reports to inform management on balance sheet health and ratios
• To produce all reports required for our auditors, banks and other stakeholders
• To ensure compliance with accounting standards and ensure technical updates are accommodated and understood by the finance teams at large
• Manage the day to day relationships with our auditors and tax advisors
• To oversee the year end statutory, audit and annual report processes
• To ensure compliance with the requirements of HMRC managing the day to day relationship together with management of the relationship with our external tax advisors 
• To manage insurance renewal and the relationship with the company brokers
• Preferred Skills and Experience
• Multisite professional experience within the consumer company 
• Experience of covenant management and cash flow projections
• Contract management and negotiation skills
• Influence and relationship management

The successful applicant must have ESSENTIAL Skills and Experience

• Experienced Qualified Accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA) with strong technical accounting and taxation skills
• Ability to inspire, mentor, develop and drive a team and individuals to perform consistently at a high level. Importantly the Financial Controller will need to grow and develop as both the brands continues to expand and broaden its portfolio
• Proven ability to develop your team as well as strong internal and external relationships and drive change
• Ability to lead complex business critical services effectively

We offer:

• 28 paid holidays per annum inclusive of bank holidays
• 50% off for you and your friends & family at our restaurants
• Annually reviewed bonus scheme
• Incredible discounts online portal & cycle to work scheme
• Fantastic career growth opportunities with award winning learning & development programmes and optional Apprenticeship

We are based in Bank Threadneedle Street and you’ll be expected to work approx 9-5:30pm, Monday to Friday – plus extra hours when the big deadlines are looming. While the role is office based, you will spend plenty of time in meetings or visiting other departments so you won’t always be stuck behind your desk.