Financial Controller in London - Harper May Ltd

Harper May is working with a founder-led restaurant group operating eight sites across London. The business has grown organically over the past five years, recently secured additional investment to accelerate expansion, and is strengthening its finance function ahead of new openings and a planned technology refresh. They are now seeking a Financial Controller to bring structure and commercial insight to a business moving at pace.

The Role
Reporting to the Finance Director, you will own the financial control environment, management reporting, and statutory compliance across the estate. You will work closely with general managers and operations to translate numbers into actionable insight-helping them understand what margin looks like week-to-week, where labour is running, and when pricing or mix needs to shift. The role demands both technical rigour and the ability to move at a restaurant's speed.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the monthly close cycle, producing accurate management accounts and reconciliations within tight deadlines
• Prepare annual financial statements and support external audit processes
• Design and embed financial controls across payroll, procurement, stock, and cash handling
• Build and maintain forecasting and cash flow models to support growth planning
• Work with site teams to analyse profitability drivers-labour, food cost, covers, and mix-and flag variances early
• Oversee finance systems, identifying process improvements and automation opportunities
• Ensure compliance with tax, payroll, and accounting standards across all locations

What we are looking for

• ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified with at least four years in a financial control or similar role
• Proven experience in restaurants, hospitality, or retail-ideally multi-unit operations
• Strong technical accounting and balance sheet management
• Ability to translate financial data for non-finance audiences and influence operational decisions
• Comfortable with systems implementation and process design
• Pragmatic, organised, and able to work in an environment where priorities shift weekly