Financial Controller in London - Kenny Recruit

Kenny Recruit are working with a modern, multi site veterinary provider to find an up and coming Financial Controller. This organisation combines technology with state of the art equipment and facilities to transform the pet care experience. Decisions are driven by the wellbeing of the pets visiting the clinics, resulting in high standards of care and high-quality treatment environments. Pet owners are also well supported, with technology used to create a seamless experience from booking through to aftercare.

This role reports into the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and includes line management responsibility for one Finance Assistant. You will act as the guardian of the business’s financial health during a period of growth, providing rigorous financial control alongside commercial insight.

This is a hands on leadership role, balancing the technical demands of a growing multi site operation with the strategic need to support fundraising, investor engagement, and commercial decision making.

Working hours: 9.00am to 6.00pm

Location: London with 3 days working in the office

Salary: £60,000 - £80,000 per annum (dependent on experience) + benefits + study support

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Control & Governance

• Audit Readiness: Lead the transition from unaudited to audited accounts, acting as the primary point of contact for external auditors and ensuring all schedules and supporting documentation are fully audit-ready.
• Core Accounting: Oversee the month-end close process (prepared by the Finance Assistant), ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and consistency. Retain personal ownership of complex accounting areas, including revenue recognition and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Asset Management: Implement and maintain a comprehensive Fixed Asset Register to support multi-site expansion and accurate depreciation tracking.
• Cash Management: Own cash flow forecasting and treasury activities to ensure sufficient liquidity for operational requirements and growth initiatives.

Commercial Finance & Business Partnering

• Business Partnering: Act as a commercial partner to site leaders, helping them understand site-level P&Ls, margins, and cost drivers to improve unit-level profitability. Collaborate closely with other functions to support informed, data led decisions.
• Sales Reconciliation: Lead the redevelopment of the sales reconciliation process, ensuring seamless integration between front-of-house/practice management systems and the finance ledger.
• Reporting: Produce high-quality monthly management packs for the CCO and leadership team, delivering actionable insights rather than purely historical reporting.

Systems, Processes & Scaling

• Systems Evolution: Optimise current use of Xero while planning for a future migration to a more robust ERP or finance system as the business scales.
• Process Architecture: Design and implement scalable internal controls and processes (e.g. purchase order systems, expense policies) that protect the business without impeding operational pace.

Fundraising & Strategic Support

• Investor Support: Manage the financial data room, ensuring it is accurate, current, and investor-ready.
• Due Diligence: Support the CCO and Founders during fundraising processes by providing timely, accurate financial information for due diligence queries.

Team Leadership

• Mentorship: Line-manage and mentor the Finance Assistant, reviewing work quality and supporting their professional development and progression towards qualification.

Risk & Insurance Management

• Risk Stewardship: Manage the organisation’s insurance portfolio, ensuring sites, equipment, people, and customers are appropriately protected.
• Renewal & Risk Strategy: Lead the annual insurance renewal process, proactively identifying and mitigating emerging risks as the business expands.
• Claims Handling: Act as the lead contact for financial insurance claims, handling matters with professionalism, care, and integrity.

Payroll & People Finance

• Payroll Oversight: Oversee the end-to-end payroll process for a growing workforce, ensuring accurate and timely payment.
• Benefits & Pensions: Manage the financial administration of employee benefits, including pension contributions and future benefit schemes.
• Tax Compliance: Ensure all payroll-related taxes (PAYE and NI) are calculated, filed, and paid accurately and on time.

Requirements:

• Qualified Accountant: Fully qualified (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA).
• Multi-Site Experience: Essential experience in a multi-site environment (e.g. healthcare, veterinary, hospitality, or retail), with a strong understanding of site-level P&Ls and high-volume transaction reconciliations.
• Scale-Up Mindset: Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment where processes are often built from first principles.
• Technical Expertise: Strong UK GAAP/IFRS knowledge. Experience delivering a first-time audit or remediating historical financial data is highly desirable.
• Commercial Acumen: Able to interpret financial information and communicate clearly with non-financial stakeholders.
• Systems Savvy: Strong Excel skills and hands-on experience with Xero. Exposure to finance system implementations or EPOS/practice management system integrations is advantageous.
• Cultural Fit: Positive, pragmatic, and solution-focused, with the ability to balance rigour with approachability.

Next Steps:

Shortlisted candidates will obviously be contacted for this specific role and if you haven’t heard from us within a week, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. We'd love to give feedback to every applicant but due to the sheer volume of applications we receive, unfortunately this just isn't possible.

We will keep your CV on file to contact you with regards to future roles and any other advice to help you. Alternatively, feel free to contact us for a chat.