Controllership Excellence Director - Contractor

*** Contractor - Immediate Start***

RWS is recruiting a Controllership Excellence Director to lead the execution and development of financial controls for the operations of the Group. You will be responsible for driving the standardisation of policies and processes, managing a team of financial controllers to ensure accurate and compliant reporting and implementation of an appropriate control environment across all regions. The team of financial controllers will work to ensure timely and accurate delivery, an analysis of monthly management accounts, local statutory accounts and tax filings for their locations. You will also be responsible for supporting critical projects across financial control such as internal controls framework implementation, entity rationalisation, EPM implementation and any potential acquisition integrations.

You will report into and support the Group Financial Controller to deliver on the finance transformation agenda and ensure timely production of all internal and external financial reporting, global financial policies, processes, and control.

About Group Finance

In joining RWS’s Finance team you will be a critical part of supporting a listed world-leading provider of technology-enabled language, content, and intellectual property services. RWS has growing revenues of over £750m through a combination of value accretive acquisitions and organic growth. Group finance, led by our Group CFO; Candy Davies, includes diverse teams across the globe operating in functions including business partnering, operational finance, specialist, and group functions. We cover a footprint of over 100 legal entities in 43 different countries worldwide.  

It’s a very exciting time to join RWS Finance for an individual who enjoys change and making an impact! As part of the overall RWS business strategy we are making a significant investment in upgrading our financial systems and processes to deliver enhanced reporting and control, more efficient processing enabling great value through enhanced business partnering and decision support. 

Key Responsibilities

You will supervise the team of Regional FCs, share feedback on and develop the team’s performance, help implement a rigorous monthly review process, provide guidance and expertise on controllership activities, and make decisions on behalf of the FC team where required.

Lead financial controllership team across the Group

• Take full ownership and accountability for the financial accounting and reporting for the regions
• Work with other finance leaders to perform a full RACI review across the Controllership, Finance Business Partners and Shared Service Centre
• Work with the Head of Internal Controls to implement a standardised Internal Controls Environment across the Group
• Complete the Group Policies and Procedures Project, including coordinating the communication and compliance of the new policies and procedures
• Ensure a robust and timely monthly reporting close process including analysis and follow up of all P&L and balance sheet reviews and reconciliations
• Manage working capital and cashflow, working effectively with Treasury and the Shared Service Centre
• Provide insightful analysis of regional performance within the management accounts
• Support and help coordinate efficient external audits
• Oversee team’s required training to ensure adherence to company compliance policies and procedures
• Provide technical assistance to members of the wider Controllership team

Manage financial controllership team across multiple levels

• Establish strong working relationships within the team to ensure satisfaction and talent retention
• Manage direct reports’ goals and objectives; prepare employee performance evaluations in a timely manner; ensure staff maintains Key Performance Indicator (KPI) results within management expectations where necessary
• Develop/mentor team; provide advice, counselling, soft skills guidance; interpersonal, interaction skills; promote a diverse and inclusive work environment
• Foster adoption of a culture and values of excellence within RWS

Drive continuous improvements of financial controllership

• Work with relevant teams to identify opportunities for process optimisation
• Provide feedback and recommendations to Group Financial Controller on potential opportunities to drive continuous improvement of existing financial operations
• Understand emerging technologies that may optimise financial control processes and drive the business case for those that deliver value

Ensure financial controls compliance

• Ensure adherence to all applicable laws, financial regulations, industry standards and tax laws
• Ensure appropriate internal financial controls are applied including approving payroll and balance sheet reconciliations 
• Ensure internal controls are in place to prevent fraud and error
• Ensure financial statements and reports prepared are ethical and transparent
• Ensure external audits are coordinated efficiently

Collaborate with other teams

• Build and foster relationships with Finance leadership, group finance, commercial finance, local directors, and senior business leads
• Collaborate with Master Data team for required data points, best practices and standards and data issues
• Collaborate with Shared Service Centre (SSC) process delivery teams to exchange information, as required, and support process improvement where dependencies may exist
• Collaborate with the tax team and external service providers to ensure that all external reporting and compliance is completed accurately and on time
• Collaborate with other units and stakeholders across the company to ensure alignment and support the achievement of business objectives

Skills & Experience

• Leadership experience managing a senior finance team
• Experience of working in a strong internal controls environment
• 10+ years’ experience in a finance function operating in a financial controller role
• Qualified accountant (AAT/CIMA/ACCA/ACA or global equivalent)
• 5+ years of people management experience with the ability to effectively direct and prioritise work of others
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or other business-related discipline
• Strong English Language skills
• Expert knowledge of core finance systems, ERP and related specialty functional systems, frameworks, and functionality
• Expert understanding of finance business processes, accounting policies, and statutory accounting principles to ensure compliant group finance operations
• Excellent communication skills with strong ability to interact with company stakeholders to ensure a high quality of service, while balancing expectations and realisations
• Ability to work in a fast-moving environment with a proactive approach, accustomed to working towards tight deadlines whilst maintaining quality of work
• Excellent attention to detail, commitment to accuracy and quality
• Ability to travel when necessary

At RWS, we’re here for one purpose: unlocking global understanding.

As a unique, world-leading provider of technology-enabled language, content, and intellectual property services, we remove the barriers to communication to make global connection possible. Our unrivalled experience and deep understanding of language have been developed over more than 60 years. As we look to shape the future, our ambition is to create a world where understanding is universal for everyone.

We work with over 80% of the world’s top 100 brands, more than three-quarters of Fortune’s 20 ‘Most Admired Companies’ and almost all the top pharmaceutical companies, investment banks, law firms and patent filers. Our client base spans Europe, Asia Pacific and North and South America. Our 65+ global locations across five continents service clients in the automotive, chemical, financial, legal, medical, pharmaceutical, technology and telecommunications sectors.   

Over the past 20 years we’ve been evolving our own AI solutions as well as helping clients to explore, build and use multilingual AI applications. With 45+ AI-related patents and more than 100 peer-reviewed papers, we have the experience and expertise to support clients on their AI journey.

If you like the idea of working with smart people who are passionate about breaking down language barriers and giving back to their communities, then you’ll love life at RWS. Our work fundamentally recognizes the value of every language and culture. So, we celebrate difference, we are inclusive and believe that diversity makes us strong.

We want every employee to grow as an individual and excel in their career. In return, we expect all our people to live by the values that unite us: to partner with colleagues and clients, to adopt a pioneering spirit, to be positive in progressing the work we do, and always to deliver what we promise. 

RWS Values

Get the 3Ps right – Partner, Pioneer, Progress – and we´ll Deliver together as One RWS.

For further information, please visit: RWS   

RWS embraces DEI and promotes equal opportunity, we are an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. RWS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at RWS are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, sex, age, disability, or sexual orientation. RWS will not tolerate discrimination based on any of these characteristics

Recruitment Agencies: RWS Holdings PLC does not accept agency resumes.  Please do not forward any unsolicited resumes to any RWS employees.  Any unsolicited resume received will be treated as the property of RWS and Terms & Conditions associated with the use of such resume will be considered null and void.