Financial Process Controller

Financial Process Controller

Hybrid/Remote (Approx 1-2 days per week at our Support Centre)

About our culture

The Works is such a welcoming place to… well… work! Our atmosphere is supportive, friendly and inclusive. A second home-from-home where you can be your best and authentic you.

We’ve built an environment that’s busy, always moving, and full of energy. Yet we still make space to share must-watch TV recommendations and our favourite page-turners!

It’s the perfect place for people who know how to roll their sleeves up, get creative, and put their passion and imagination to work. If you’re the kind of person who is as ’crafty’, ‘caring’ and ‘can-do’ as we are, then this is the kind of culture for you.

About the role

Central to the company’s strategy is to improve its operational effectiveness and efficiency, which represents a significant opportunity to grow value, as well as a challenge to drive and implement. This includes the finance function, which has evolved greatly in recent years, but there remains much work to be done. This creates the need for a role, dedicated to driving improvements in financial processes, controls and systems.

The role reports to the Head of Finance and encompasses responsibility for all financial processes and controls. The role has two direct reports (Transactional Finance Manager (with a team of 11) and an Internal Control analyst). The main areas of focus are:

• Overall responsibility for the Accounts Payable and Revenue to Cash teams which are managed by the Transactional Finance Manager. Supporting the Transactional Finance Manager.
• Streamlining processes and imposing disciplines across the month end close process and daily operational finance processes (such as store banking, payments etc).
• Identify gaps in internal controls. Develop controls where gaps exist, and promote the development of a comprehensive and effective control environment.
• Ensuring integrity and robustness of balance sheet figures underpinned by properly documented reconciliations and working papers.
• Take the lead on key Finance projects. Eg. Lead the review of the expenses process and implementation of a potential new expenses system and, in due course, lead a project to replace or update the general ledger system.
• The systems environment is evolving throughout the business, with major projects planned. The demands on finance will therefore change and the role will continue to offer the opportunity to change and develop with significant involvement in these projects, most of which will have a finance element to them.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, drive and nurture a team of 13 colleagues, supporting their development.
• Use own experience alongside inputs from colleagues and third parties (e.g. internal and external audit) to prioritise work plan for the team. Revenue to cash reconciliation processes, cost of sales postings and stock, are likely to be areas of high priority.
• Develop close links with relevant colleagues in other areas of the business to ensure that financial controls in those areas are appropriate, effective, and operating properly, for example,
• Working with the Buying and Imports functions to drive improvements to controls over product costing, and improve visibility with regard to the quantum and timing of stock payments.
• Working with a recently appointed retail Profit Protection Manager to provide greater visibility over, and improve accuracy of, stock records.
• Drive improvements to financial ledger system, developing effective way of working with third party supplier to bring about improvements, liaising with internal IT team.
• Via the team, provide supporting documentation for the annual audit process.
• Ensuring that appropriate detail is available to support financial statement disclosures and monthly management accounts analysis and commentaries prepared by other colleagues.

 Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Fully qualified accountant, preferably ACCA or CIMA who has gained hands-on experience through an “industry” background.
• A passion for operational processes and control (and relevant experience) is more important than sharp end technical knowledge.
• Approximately 10 years’ relevant finance experience, having worked through junior roles to more senior positions with demonstrable progress within each role.
• Experience should have been gained in medium sized businesses; retail or multi-site experience is useful but is not essential.
• A determined and persistent “operator” who is practical and gets things done and, whilst tactful, will not take no for an answer in the pursuit of making improvements.

Our PERKS really are ‘The Works’

• 25% Colleague Discount!
  Plus, exclusive Double Discount days

• MyWorks
  Exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities deals, tech and more!

• Can-Do Academy
  Instant access to further training and development to help you grow with us and develop your career

• Wagestream
  Claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them
  
  
• Share Scheme
  Become a shareholder and own your very own piece of The Works!

• 24/7 support for you and your family
  Through our Employee Assistance Programme and Retail Trust Partnerships; Gain free counselling, will-writing

• Save As You Earn
  Save directly from your salary

• Long Service Awards
  Cash, gifts, or holiday rewards

• Recognition Awards
  For outstanding service, customer feedback, excellent sales and more!
  
  
•  + Loads more!
  Holidays, Pension, Life assurance and optional charity giving
  
  

Our Purpose
To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play – making lives more fulfilled.

Our Values
We are Crafty | We are Caring | We are Can-do

A bit about The Works
We are working towards our ambition of becoming one of the most loved retailers in the UK and the go-to place for reading, learning, creativity and play. We believe in the importance of fun and fulfilment and taking time out to do the things you love.

With 525 stores nationwide and a strong multi-channel proposition, our mission is to offer a unique and enjoyable shopping experience, built on core principles of value, variety and quality.

We’re super proud to be certified as two star ‘Outstanding to work for’ via Best Companies for three years running and a Sunday Times 2020 Top 25 Best Big Companies to work for.

#LI-Hybrid

Financial Process Controller

Hybrid/Remote (Approx 1-2 days per week at our Support Centre)

About our culture

The Works is such a welcoming place to… well… work! Our atmosphere is supportive, friendly and inclusive. A second home-from-home where you can be your best and authentic you.

We’ve built an environment that’s busy, always moving, and full of energy. Yet we still make space to share must-watch TV recommendations and our favourite page-turners!

It’s the perfect place for people who know how to roll their sleeves up, get creative, and put their passion and imagination to work. If you’re the kind of person who is as ’crafty’, ‘caring’ and ‘can-do’ as we are, then this is the kind of culture for you.

About the role

Central to the company’s strategy is to improve its operational effectiveness and efficiency, which represents a significant opportunity to grow value, as well as a challenge to drive and implement. This includes the finance function, which has evolved greatly in recent years, but there remains much work to be done. This creates the need for a role, dedicated to driving improvements in financial processes, controls and systems.

The role reports to the Head of Finance and encompasses responsibility for all financial processes and controls. The role has two direct reports (Transactional Finance Manager (with a team of 11) and an Internal Control analyst). The main areas of focus are:

• Overall responsibility for the Accounts Payable and Revenue to Cash teams which are managed by the Transactional Finance Manager. Supporting the Transactional Finance Manager.
• Streamlining processes and imposing disciplines across the month end close process and daily operational finance processes (such as store banking, payments etc).
• Identify gaps in internal controls. Develop controls where gaps exist, and promote the development of a comprehensive and effective control environment.
• Ensuring integrity and robustness of balance sheet figures underpinned by properly documented reconciliations and working papers.
• Take the lead on key Finance projects. Eg. Lead the review of the expenses process and implementation of a potential new expenses system and, in due course, lead a project to replace or update the general ledger system.
• The systems environment is evolving throughout the business, with major projects planned. The demands on finance will therefore change and the role will continue to offer the opportunity to change and develop with significant involvement in these projects, most of which will have a finance element to them.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, drive and nurture a team of 13 colleagues, supporting their development.
• Use own experience alongside inputs from colleagues and third parties (e.g. internal and external audit) to prioritise work plan for the team. Revenue to cash reconciliation processes, cost of sales postings and stock, are likely to be areas of high priority.
• Develop close links with relevant colleagues in other areas of the business to ensure that financial controls in those areas are appropriate, effective, and operating properly, for example,
• Working with the Buying and Imports functions to drive improvements to controls over product costing, and improve visibility with regard to the quantum and timing of stock payments.
• Working with a recently appointed retail Profit Protection Manager to provide greater visibility over, and improve accuracy of, stock records.
• Drive improvements to financial ledger system, developing effective way of working with third party supplier to bring about improvements, liaising with internal IT team.
• Via the team, provide supporting documentation for the annual audit process.
• Ensuring that appropriate detail is available to support financial statement disclosures and monthly management accounts analysis and commentaries prepared by other colleagues.

 Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Fully qualified accountant, preferably ACCA or CIMA who has gained hands-on experience through an “industry” background.
• A passion for operational processes and control (and relevant experience) is more important than sharp end technical knowledge.
• Approximately 10 years’ relevant finance experience, having worked through junior roles to more senior positions with demonstrable progress within each role.
• Experience should have been gained in medium sized businesses; retail or multi-site experience is useful but is not essential.
• A determined and persistent “operator” who is practical and gets things done and, whilst tactful, will not take no for an answer in the pursuit of making improvements.

Our PERKS really are ‘The Works’

• 25% Colleague Discount!
  Plus, exclusive Double Discount days

• MyWorks
  Exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities deals, tech and more!

• Can-Do Academy
  Instant access to further training and development to help you grow with us and develop your career

• Wagestream
  Claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them
  
  
• Share Scheme
  Become a shareholder and own your very own piece of The Works!

• 24/7 support for you and your family
  Through our Employee Assistance Programme and Retail Trust Partnerships; Gain free counselling, will-writing

• Save As You Earn
  Save directly from your salary

• Long Service Awards
  Cash, gifts, or holiday rewards

• Recognition Awards
  For outstanding service, customer feedback, excellent sales and more!
  
  
•  + Loads more!
  Holidays, Pension, Life assurance and optional charity giving
  
  

Our Purpose
To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play – making lives more fulfilled.

Our Values
We are Crafty | We are Caring | We are Can-do

A bit about The Works
We are working towards our ambition of becoming one of the most loved retailers in the UK and the go-to place for reading, learning, creativity and play. We believe in the importance of fun and fulfilment and taking time out to do the things you love.

With 525 stores nationwide and a strong multi-channel proposition, our mission is to offer a unique and enjoyable shopping experience, built on core principles of value, variety and quality.

We’re super proud to be certified as two star ‘Outstanding to work for’ via Best Companies for three years running and a Sunday Times 2020 Top 25 Best Big Companies to work for.

#LI-Hybrid