Financial Controller at Saab UK, Fareham, Hampshire

Introduction

Saab UK is part of Scandinavia's largest defence company, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation. Saab offers world-leading solutions and services in defence, aviation, space, and civil security to keep people and society safe. Our UK presence has been growing at pace, meaning we can offer a wide range of opportunities for personal fulfilment and career growth. We currently employ over 600 people across eight sites in the UK, and our specialisations include software engineering, underwater robotics, radars, AI, and armed forces training.

The Role:

Reporting into our Head of Finance, you will provide experienced operational ownership of accounting, financial control and assigned compliance delivery within Saab UK Finance. Deliver a reliable month-end work routine, maintain balance sheet quality, coordinate audit activity and ensure processes operate with appropriate controls.

Key Responsibilities:

Month-End and Accounting Delivery:

• Own and coordinate the operational close work routines
• Prepare or coordinate assigned journals, accruals, allocations and other accounting activities
• Review accounting outputs and resolve or escalate exceptions
• Maintain close procedures, audit trails and cover arrangements

Reconciliations and Balance Sheet Quality:

• Own operational reconciliation completion, review and evidence retention
• Ensure balances are supported and reconciling items have clear owners and resolution dates
• Review aged, unsupported or unusual balances and coordinate corrective action
• Maintain accounting integrity through investigation and documented resolution of issues
• Review accounting treatment, presentation and classification of material transactions and balances
• Identify and Escalate accounting matters requiring judgement and provide recommendations

Reporting:

• Own monthly validation of assigned corporate function reporting
• Ensure reporting reconciles to accounting records and all key review controls are evidenced
• Support reporting governance
• Analyse reporting outputs to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement
• Escalate significant reporting concerns and emerging risks promptly

Monthly Assurance Reporting:

• Financial close completion
• Reconciliation status
• VAT and PAYE compliance
• Internal control completion
• Audit readiness
• Significant accounting matters
• Balance sheet risks and emerging compliance risks

Compliance Execution:

• Own preparation, coordination and submission of assigned VAT returns, reconciliations, supporting evidence and internal controls and checks
• Coordinate PAYE payment preparation, reconciliations and compliance checks within the agreed remit
• Own and post payroll journal preparation or coordination and discrepancy investigation
• Coordinate P11D preparation and supporting information where applicable
• Support the ICM calendar, deadlines, evidence and escalation arrangements
• Escalate uncertain tax treatments and significant compliance risks and support specialist advice where required
• Support and operate assigned controls under the approved framework
• Support maintenance of tax control frameworks and provision of evidence required for tax governance and Senior Accounting Officer (SAO) compliance activities where applicable

Audit Coordination:

• Coordinate assigned audit activities, audit schedules, statutory account support schedules, disclosures, supporting documents and evidence collection, ensuring evidence is accurate, complete and accessible
• Track audit actions and coordinate agreed remediation
• Report progress, overdue requests and emerging issues to the Head of Finance

Contribution and Continuous Improvement:

• Work closely with Accounting Services in Sweden
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise and improve financial processes, controls, reporting and overall operational effectiveness
• Share best practices, challenge existing ways of working and support Finance transformation initiatives that enhance efficiency, scalability and reporting quality

Assurance and Communication:

• Provide evidence-based assurance that allows the Head of Finance to oversee outcomes
• Maintain oversight of key statutory, compliance and reporting obligations, providing early visibility of risks, material issues, control deficiencies and potential delivery constraints to enable timely management action
• Communicate priorities, deadlines and emerging risks

Experience and Skills:

• Recognised professional accountancy qualification
• Significant hands-on financial accounting or financial control experience
• Demonstrable ownership of closing tasks, reconciliations and balance sheet review
• Practical experience of relevant UK VAT, PAYE and payroll accounting processes
• Experience of audit coordination
• Strong understanding of accounting integrity
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in spreadsheets
• Clear communication, sound judgement and disciplined deadline management
• Demonstrated ability to identify and implement process improvements
• Strong stakeholder management skills
• Commercial awareness and a focus on cost control, efficiency and value creation

By submitting an application to Saab UK you consent to undertaking workforce screening activities that may include but are not limited to: Baseline Personnel Security checks, National Security Vetting, reference checks, verification of working rights and in all circumstances preferred candidates will be placed through a security interview.