Finance Manager - Controls

Job Introduction

Finance Manager - Controls         

Salary £65,000 to £70,000 DOE

Permanent   

**Hybrid – London office and Home   

Closing date 22^nd May 2024

Saga has an exciting opportunity within the central finance function for the role of Finance Manager - Controls based within our Financial Reporting and Control (FR&C) team.

You’ll be reporting to the Head of Financial Reporting and Control, taking the responsibility for shaping and embedding our Key Financial Controls Framework across Finance.

In this role you will help to ensure Saga’s financial reporting is correct – whether that’s external reporting to the market or internal reporting for decision making, you will support us to safeguard the integrity of our numbers.

Sitting in the second line of defence, you will be closely connected to the day-to-day operation of our finance processes, working collaboratively across a number of stakeholders and Business Units to provide expert guidance on financial controls design and best practices.

Strengthening Saga’s control environment is a key objective of Senior Management, particularly considering the upcoming regulatory changes in the UK, and you’ll be leading on making these things happen, providing significant opportunity to raise your profile across the Group.

The role is suited to a qualified finance professional, with a strong background in financial reporting and controls, preferably gained within a mid-large accountancy practice. The individual will need to have strong analytical skills and be able to work to tight deadlines, whilst juggling multiple priorities. The individual will also be keen to get stuck in, being curious and challenging the status quo; to actively seek improvements to processes and controls.

** Remote working with a hybrid approach, occasionally you will be required to attend some team days and business meetings in our Saga hub located in London or Ashford, Kent. You will need to be within a reasonable commuting distance to undertake this hybrid working role.

Role Responsibility

The primary responsibilities of the role are as follows: 

• Leading on the roll out of a project to embed UK Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) style compliance within our financial controls framework across all Business Units within Saga.
• Leading on the documentation of finance processes and key financial controls across the Saga Group
• Reviewing the design of our key financial controls through process walkthroughs and discussions with control owners and process owners.
• Designing our annual control monitoring programme and ongoing review and update to our internal control methodology.
• Reviewing control testing performed by junior resources.
• Preparing reporting, including to Senior Management and the Audit Committee, on the results of our control testing.
• General ad hoc second line of defence activities – providing advice to the first line on controls, preparing and delivering training on controls, investigating control failures.
• Setting a robust financial control framework for the Saga Group and delivering a strategy of continuous improvement in controls
• Leadership of cross-business unit teams responsible for the delivery of the above

The Ideal Candidate

Working as our central Finance Manager – Controls, candidates will already be an expert of financial compliance and auditing practices. They will be fully equipped with knowledge of SOX compliance and will be able to demonstrate the following;

• Experience of internal controls, preferably financial controls, covering design, implementation, improvement or testing for listed companies.
• Strong knowledge of key financial process cycles (e.g. Record to Report, Procure to Pay).
• Strong communication skills in making presentations and influencing stakeholders.
• Ability to self-motivate, organise and take responsibility for own workload to ensure that deadlines and objectives are met.
• Good team player whilst being able to work independently on own tasks.
• Likely to be educated to graduate level or equivalent.
• Must be a fully qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA accountant, with demonstrable post qualified experience.

Package Description

Everyday our colleagues deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. We believe exceptional work deserves even more exceptional rewards, that's why we have put together an amazing benefits package.  

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays with the choice to buy a further 5 days annual leave per year
• Annual Bonus up to 5% of your annual salary
• Pension scheme matched up to 10%
• Life assurance policy – 4 x annual salary
• Wellbeing programme
• Colleague discounts including family discounts on cruises and holidays!
• Range of reductions and offers from leading retailers, travel groups and entertainment companies
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Grandparents leave
• Income protection
• Access to Saga Academy, our bespoke learning platform

About the Company

Over the past 70 years we have become the UK's specialist provider of products and services to people aged over 50 in the UK. The Saga brand has become one of the most recognised and trusted brands amongst UK consumers in this demographic, recognised for its high quality products and exceptional standards of service. These include cruises and holidays, insurance, personal finance and the Saga Magazine.

At Saga we are committed to treating all employees fairly and to offering equal opportunities in all aspects of employment and advancement. We value diversity not just because it is the right thing to do, but because diverse teams perform better.
Fair consideration is given to applications from all applicants, including those with disabilities and those over who are over 50 as we are champions of age inclusivity. We are an official Disability Confident Committed employer and ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible and we will make reasonable adjustments as required. For more information on our DEI policies please visit our Saga Careers page.

​Saga does not accept agency CVs unless specifically engaged on the role by the Talent Acquisition Team. Please do not forward CVs to our recruiters, employees or any other company location. Saga will not be responsible for any fees related to CVs received in this unsolicited manner.

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Saga Group