Financial Operations Controller recruitment

The Operational Control function is responsible for the Finance reporting tool and master data management (MDM) processes that support the generation of all Group management and financial reporting information.

The jobholder is responsible for monitoring updating the system that holds data that populates externally published reports owned by Group financial reporting, management reporting and regulatory reporting, and has involved data integrity steps along the way.

To work within the business to ensure financial control is embedded in the area, including the Sarbanes Oxley Act. This will include all aspects of financial reporting, especially IFRS. 

The jobholder is a key member of the Financial Control team responsible for the Operations Function covering Data Integrity, Data Generation and Analysis, Technical Support and Data Capture and is involved in the following activities:

Utilise depth and breadth of technical knowledge and experience combined with innovation and creativity to develop strategies to achieve the finance vision.

• Ensure that the Group Reporting system (Hyperion) is set up operating throughout the monthly reporting cycle per the agreed timetable

• Provide support to wider Group Finance team as subject matter expert for the Group Reporting system

• To continually identify areas of improvement and drive both improved efficiency and quality of the departments outputs

• Liaise with the Applications Management team on technical issues so that disruption to the end user is limited

• Utilise depth and breadth of technical knowledge and experience to assess changes being implemented as part of the quarterly release and provide input into the quarterly release process

• Oversee query resolution process for end users

• To foster best practice in finance areas across the Group

• To act as a coach to communicate and achieve the finance departments objectives and vision.

• To continually identify areas of improvement and drive both improved efficiency and quality of the department’s outputs.

• To work in conjunction with the rest of the team and other Finance teams to achieve the finance vision.

• To act as the key financial reporting contact within Financial Control and to the other business areas, providing focused and value adding decision support ensuring that both global and local financial reporting requirements are met

• To recruit and develop staff within the financial reporting team to enable progression within either Financial Control or the wider Bank

• To work in conjunction with the rest of the team and other Finance teams to produce best in class internal and external financial reports

• To manage the work delivered by the offshore team and further development and knowledge transfer to the team

• To develop training material and deliver training as required to all users of the Hyperion system

Strategy Planning                   10%

• Understanding of business areas financial strategy, ensuring integration and alignment to group

• Sought after for views and ideas and a key reporting contact for the business management team implementing strategy

• Able to call on knowledge and experience to bring innovation and creativity to develop strategies which drive the organisation’s strategy

Decision Support                       10%

• Provides relevant support to important business decisions. Using both breadth and depth of business area knowledge and experience to give the Business units and Financial Control confidence in the decisions taken.

• Challenges rationale with clarity and intuition and brings creativity and innovation to alternative solutions.

Stakeholder Management           10%

• Builds and manages strong relationships with customers, suppliers and other stakeholders, ensuring that the operational control team is seen as a centre of excellence.

• Acts as escalation point for issues relating to the query resolution process – resolves issues and stipulates priorities.

Financial Reporting and Accounting Operations                10%

• Ensure divisional and group reporting deadlines are met and the output of information is timely, reliable and informative.

• Shares knowledge and best practice with colleagues and Business.

• Has a deep understanding of the end to end process and financial control framework.

• Provides support and guidance on all financial processes and procedures to business areas

Financial Control                        35%

• Ensures that all Operations function processes are carried out to agreed quality and control standards

• Determines and monitors the appropriate process controls to minimise risk of process failure, and champion’s awareness and active use of these across the function

• Up to date with all regulatory changes and involved in assessing impact of regulatory change for Business areas and the Bank.

• Manages suppliers to deliver the right level of operational control. 

• Proactively identifying continuous improvements to the financial control framework, analysing problems, designing and implementing solutions. Working to ensure consistent approach across the specific area and across Finance. 

• Takes accountability for Business compliance to Group Policy and is involved with setting and implementing policy within Business.

• Assures the integrity of the products and services provided.

• Creates ‘a right first time culture’ and sets quality standards.

Team and Staff Management  25%

• Provides steer and support to own direct reports, to enable them to perform their roles to the highest levels of effectiveness.

• Employs a range of communication and awareness mechanisms to ensure staff fully understands the links between their day to day activities and the objectives of the team.

• Creates and maintains a culture of empowerment and professionalism within the function.

• Identifies individual and team development needs by regularly monitoring team and individual performance through regular one-to-one coaching sessions with direct reports focusing both on task and behavioural issues and supporting.

• Develops and implements training and succession plans to ensure staff are equipped to meet future business requirements as well as current demands.

• Ensures effective allocation and utilisation of staff across the team in order to maximise effectiveness.

• Acts as a role model, visibly and consistently behaving in ways that encourage others to do the same and challenging staff and colleagues who don’t.

Knowledge and Expertise - Essential

• Broad knowledge of financial and management accountancy.

• Thorough knowledge of the Bank’s accounting policies and procedures.

• Thorough understanding of the financial systems (RACE and SAP) used within the Bank  and how they interact with each other.

• Broad knowledge of the Bank’s business and financial systems strategy.

• Computer literacy, especially Hyperion, Essbase and MS Office.

Experience and Qualifications - Essential

• GCSE Mathematics and English (Grades A to C), or equivalent

• Education to degree level (preferable)

• Formal accounting qualification (preferable) – ACA,CIMA, ACCA

• Experience working at a senior level within a financial services or other blue chip organisation

• Accountancy experience

Additional details

• There is a strong focus on quality and improvement in this role, and the need to be adaptable is paramount if the constantly changing customer demands are to be met. The jobholder must have the ability to work under pressure, to very tight timescales whilst at the same time ensuring that the Finance team as a whole produce output of the highest quality.