Financial Controller

About mustard

mustard is a specialist creative recruitment business, proudly headquartered in Bristol with offices also in Hong Kong. We connect leading employers with outstanding talent across the creative industries, covering architecture and the Built Environment, Interior Design, Experiential Events and Exhibitions and Marketing and Design.

We are members of the REC, and we work for our people, our planet, our community and our customers. We lead responsibly, invest our time and profits in positive local initiatives, and believe in stewardship for the next generation. Joining mustard means becoming part of a values-driven, international business in which a well-run finance function plays a central role in supporting our continued growth.

About the role

We are looking for a qualified, commercially minded Financial Controller to take ownership of the day-to-day finance function across our UK and Hong Kong operations. This is a broad, hands-on role suited to someone who is ready to step up and run the finances of an established SME with autonomy.

Working closely with the Board of Directors, you will be responsible for the full finance cycle – from bank reconciliations and cash-flow management through to monthly management accounts, KPI analysis, payroll, tax compliance and the preparation of year-end accounts for our external accountants and auditors. You will be the go-to person for finance across the business, supporting both internal teams and external stakeholders.

The business currently operates on Sage and is transitioning to Xero. You will work predominantly through Xero going forward, with some use of Sage 50 anticipated during the early part of the transition.

Key responsibilities

Cash flow, banking and payments

• Perform regular bank and credit card reconciliations across the UK and Hong Kong entities.
• Manage day-to-day cash flow, reviewing and authorising spend.
• Process ad-hoc and special payments accurately and on time.

Management accounts, KPIs and reporting

• Prepare monthly management accounts for the UK and Hong Kong businesses.
• Maintain and analyse KPIs, providing insight to support decision-making.
• Produce the KPI and finance pack for the Board and assist with business development reporting and analysis.
• Carry out ad-hoc financial analysis as required by the Board.

Tax compliance & Payroll

• Prepare staff payroll and commission payments.
• Manage all payroll related taxes and oversight of company pension arrangements.
• Prepare and submit quarterly VAT returns for the group entities.
• Complete intermediaries reporting and ensure ongoing tax compliance.

Year-end, budgeting and statutory

• Prepare the annual accounts working pack for the external accountants in the UK and Hong Kong.
• Support the Finance Director and Board with annual budget setting and strategic planning.
• Manage annual insurance renewals across the UK and Hong Kong entities.

Finance Control and Systems Management

• Maintain finance trackers, reconciling them to CRM and accounting system.
• Regular review of contract book for margin analysis and forecasting.
• Oversight of credit control along with Credit Controller.
• Maintain back office and accounting systems.
• Respond to day-to-day finance queries from internal and external parties.

Person specification

Essential

• Qualification: a relevant accounting qualification – ACA, ACCA or CIMA.
• Experience: a minimum of two years’ post-qualification experience.
• SME finance ownership: demonstrable experience working in an SME with oversight of all aspects of a business’s finances, including cash-flow management, monthly management accounts, preparation of annual accounts, tax compliance and HMRC reporting, and payroll preparation.
• Strong technical understanding of UK tax, VAT and statutory reporting obligations.
• Confident working independently and managing competing priorities within a part-time schedule.
• Excellent attention to detail, accuracy and discretion when handling confidential information.
• Strong communication skills, comfortable liaising with internal teams, the Board and external advisers.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, predominantly Excel.

Desirable

• Xero: experience using Xero. (We are transitioning from Sage to Xero; some early use of Sage 50 is likely.)
• Recruitment industry: experience within the recruitment sector, ideally with exposure to Bullhorn and contractor billing processes.
• Exposure to international operations or multi-entity finance (e.g. a Hong Kong or overseas entity).

How to apply

To apply, please submit your CV and a short covering note outlining your relevant experience and your suitability for a part-time role. We welcome applications from candidates seeking flexible, part-time working arrangements.