Finance Controller, Finance Team

Who We Are

AVENIR GLOBAL, a global communications firm, headquartered in Montreal. In Europe, AVENIR GLOBAL owns the London-based strategic communications consultancies Madano, Hanover, as well as healthcare specialists AXON Communications and healthcare creative agency Cherry.

The role

The Finance Controller is a key role responsible for overseeing group reporting across multiple entities, ensuring robust financial governance, and supporting management reporting for our portfolio of brands (AXON, Cherry, Hanover and Madano).

Working closely with senior finance leaders, auditors, and cross-functional stakeholders, the Financial Controller will help maintain high-quality financial information, clean ledgers, and a strong control environment across the region. The Finance Controller will also assist the finance leaders in ad hoc analysis to support the financial governance as well as measurement of financial performance across the group’s operation.

Overall Objectives of the Role

Financial Leadership

• Have a focus on detail, accuracy and governance in order to maintain high quality financial records.
• Support EMEA finance leadership with analysis and ad hoc projects.
• Be a transparent partner to the Group Finance leadership to provide a true and accurate view of all financial operations under management.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Deliver accurate, timely reporting to both UK leadership and the holding company.
• Maintain a robust financial control environment and ensure compliance with UK GAAP, tax rules, and audit requirements.

Team Leadership & Development

• Be a team collaborator, manage performance tightly and help team members develop their skills.
• Establish efficient financial workflows, processes, and reporting standards aligned with all other brands across the Group and in collaboration with Group Finance leadership.

Key Responsibilities & Detailed Tasks

Group Reporting & Governance

• Oversee all group financial reporting for EMEA entities, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely delivery.
• Maintain clean ledgers, ensuring reconciliations are completed and reviewed to a high standard each month.
• Lead monthly balance sheet reviews, flagging risks, opportunities and required actions.
• Ensure all entities follow consistent and robust UK & IFRS GAAP accounting practices.
• Own and maintain fee forecasts across all brands (AXON, Cherry, Hanover and Madano), ensuring accuracy, consistency and alignment with Maconomy to feed data into group reporting packs.
• Produce and review weekly fee forecast variance analysis, including detailed commentary on drivers and risks, across Hanover, Axon, Cherry and Madano.
• Upload and review weekly time reports, ensuring correct allocation to fee forecasts and revenue projections.
• Ensure live budgets and fee forecasts are updated with actuals following month-end close.
• Maintain robust WIP, revenue recognition and AR forecasting, including regular WIP and debtor reviews with management accountants.
• Prepare additional FP&A reporting and analysis to support projection submissions, working closely with senior stakeholders from Canada.

Audit & Compliance

• Act as a primary point of contact for external auditors, ensuring smooth year-end and interim audit cycles.
• Own the preparation, review, and submission of VAT returns across the group including ledger postings and reconciliations.
• Support tax advisors and internal stakeholders with statutory compliance queries.

Management Reporting & Business Support

• Work closely with Brand Finance Leads to support monthly management accounts, analysis, and commentary.
• Assist with financial insights that drive performance, partnering with non-finance teams where required.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, and other FP&A activities as needed.

Team Leadership & Oversight

• Lead, coach and develop a team of Management Accountants, ensuring clear ownership and high standards across:
• Balance sheet reconciliations (across 9 ledgers)
• Fee forecasting and revenue recognition
• WIP and AR reviews
• Review balance sheets monthly with each Management Accountant, ensuring issues are identified, resolved and escalated appropriately.
• Ensure new jobs are correctly set up and mapped within Maconomy and forecasting tools.

Cashflow, Treasury & Working Capital

• Oversee cashflow forecasting and treasury management, ensuring sufficient liquidity and visibility of future cash positions.
• Monitor debtor performance and support cash collection strategies in partnership with the wider finance and commercial teams.

Continuous Improvement

• Enhance internal controls, finance processes, and reporting efficiency across EMEA.
• Support system optimisation, data structure improvements, and the alignment of reporting practices across brands.
• Contribute to ad-hoc finance projects as directed by the Finance Directors.

What you bring

Experience & Approach:

• ACA / ACCA qualified, with 2–3 years post-qualification experience from Practice / Audit background
• Strong technical accounting skills with detailed knowledge of UK GAAP and IFRS.
• Demonstrated experience in month-end close, balance sheet controls and audit management.
• Experience working in a multi-entity or international environment is advantageous.

Soft skills:

• A self-starter, resilient and confident with a positive, can-do approach.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong analytical capability with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise effectively, meet deadlines and manage competing demands.
• Proactive problem solver who enjoys working in a collaborative team environment.