About the job Group Financial Controller
Group Financial Controller
GCO Partners is hiring a Group Financial Controller for a global client opportunity within an international finance function.
This is a senior finance leadership role suited to a technically strong, commercially aware finance professional who can operate as a finance number two. You should be comfortable managing group-level financial control, leading a global finance team, strengthening reporting and controls, and working in a business where finance processes are still evolving.
About the opportunity
You will support a global business operating across multiple regions, entities, and currencies. The finance function currently includes manual processes and is preparing for future transformation, including system improvements.
This role will report into senior finance leadership and will be responsible for helping bring structure, control, and consistency across the group finance function.
This is not a standard Financial Controller role. The client needs someone with the maturity, technical depth, and leadership capability to manage complex group finance responsibilities in a growing international business. You will be embedded into the client's finance team and supported by GCO Partners throughout your placement.
What you'll be doing
- Manage group-level financial control across multiple entities and regions
- Lead and support the global finance team across reporting, controls, and month-end delivery
- Own group consolidation and ensure accurate, timely reporting
- Oversee month-end close, balance sheet control, journals, reconciliations, accruals, and prepayments
- Strengthen the group control framework and improve finance processes
- Lead or support group audits and statutory reporting requirements
- Ensure technical accounting quality across the finance function
- Work closely with regional finance leads and senior stakeholders
- Support cash flow, working capital, and financial reporting discipline
- Help prepare the finance function for future systems and process transformation
- Identify risks, control gaps, and reporting issues, then drive practical improvements
- Support senior finance leadership with decision-useful reporting and analysis
What we're looking for
- Chartered Accountant or equivalent senior accounting qualification
- Around 15 years of progressive finance experience
- Strong technical accounting background
- Proven group consolidation experience
- Experience managing or leading finance teams
- Strong month-end, reporting, audit, and control framework experience
- Experience in a multi-entity, multi-currency, international business
- Strong understanding of UK GAAP, or closely related reporting frameworks
- Ability to manage complexity, ambiguity, and manual processes without losing control of the basics
- Clear, confident communication with senior stakeholders
- Strong judgement, accountability, and follow-through
Strong advantages
- Experience in private equity, leveraged, investor-backed, or fast-moving businesses
- UK GAAP experience
- Experience leading group audits
- Experience in SaaS, technology, learning, digital, or services businesses
- Exposure to Sage Intacct or finance system transformation
- Experience improving finance operating models, controls, and reporting structures
- Experience managing globally distributed finance teams
- Experience working across EMEA, APAC, US, or LATAM finance operations
Working model
This is a South Africa-based opportunity.
Johannesburg is preferred for initial onboarding and collaboration, with flexibility considered for exceptional candidates based elsewhere in South Africa.
The client operates remotely across global teams, but the South African finance team may collaborate more closely during the initial setup period.
This may initially be a 12-month opportunity, with possible longer-term potential depending on business needs and performance.
Why this role is worth considering
This is a strong opportunity for a senior finance professional who wants real group-level responsibility in a global business.
You will have the chance to lead meaningful finance control, consolidation, reporting, audit, and transformation work across an international environment. The role offers senior stakeholder exposure, team leadership, and the opportunity to help shape a finance function during an important stage of growth and change.
You will also have the support of GCO Partners, with clear expectations, ongoing communication, and a people-first approach to long-term success.