Senior Financial Controller (Aberdeen or Edinburgh)

ROLE DESCRIPTION

The Senior Financial Controller will play a pivotal leadership role within the Finance function and the wider business, providing strategic financial oversight, robust governance, and effective control across GDG and Ordtek’s international operations.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Senior Financial Controller will be responsible for safeguarding the financial integrity of the organisation through the delivery of high-quality financial planning and analysis, statutory and management reporting, regulatory compliance, risk management, and commercial business partnering. The role will support informed decision-making, drive operational performance, and ensure the business maintains strong financial discipline and control.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Leadership & Governance:

• Lead and manage the day-to-day finance operations of the organisations.
• Ensure the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of all financial reporting.
• Develop and maintain a robust financial control framework across all business activities.
• Drive continuous improvement in financial processes, systems, and controls.
• Support the MD and SLT in shaping financial strategy and long-term business planning.
• Ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory, taxation, and corporate governance requirements.

Financial Reporting & Analysis:

• Prepare monthly management accounts.
• Deliver detailed financial analysis and performance reporting to senior management and shareholders.
• Monitor key financial metrics, identify trends, and provide recommendations to improve business performance.
• Lead month-end and year-end close processes.
• Manage external audits and liaise with auditors, tax advisors, and regulatory bodies.
• Produce board-level financial reports and presentations.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Planning:

• Lead the annual budgeting and strategic planning process.
• Develop rolling forecasts and financial models to support decision-making.
• Partner with business leaders to ensure effective cost management and resource allocation.
• Evaluate business performance against budgets and strategic objectives.
• Support investment appraisals, business cases, and capital expenditure decisions.

Business Partnering:

• Collaborate with operational, commercial, and project delivery teams to drive financial accountability.
• Provide financial guidance and challenge to support profitable growth.
• Assist project managers in reviewing project profitability, resource utilisation, and financial performance.
• Support the development of business initiatives through financial evaluation and risk assessment.

Leadership & Team Development:

• Inspire, develop, and mentor team members while fostering accountability, collaboration, and high performance.

Risk Management & Compliance:

• Develop and maintain financial risk management frameworks.
• Ensure effective internal controls and risk mitigation strategies are implemented.
• Monitor contractual and commercial risks impacting financial performance.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant accounting standards and corporate policies.
• Support ESG and sustainability reporting requirements where applicable.

Systems & Process Improvement:

• Drive optimisation of ERP systems, financial/operational reporting tools, and business intelligence platforms.
• Lead finance transformation initiatives focused on automation, scalability, and process efficiency.
• Develop dashboards and reporting solutions to improve business visibility and decision-making.
• Promote data-driven financial management across the organisation.

Change Management:

• Successfully lead organisational change initiatives and support business transformation programmes.

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Essential:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, Economics, or a related discipline.
• Fully qualified professional accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA, or equivalent).
• Current membership of a recognised professional accounting body.
• Minimum 10 years’+ progressive finance experience, including senior financial management responsibilities.
• Experience within consultancy, engineering, energy, industrial services, technology, or project-based environments.
• Proven experience in financial control, reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and business partnering.
• Strong knowledge of IFRS, statutory reporting, taxation, and financial governance.
• Experience managing finance teams and developing high-performing finance functions.
• Demonstrated success in driving process improvements and implementing financial controls.
• Experience supporting international or multi-entity organisations.
• Experience working with ERP systems and financial reporting tools.

Desirable:

• Exposure to private equity, multinational, or high-growth business environments.
• Experience in NetSuite, Proteus, Wrike, Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent analytical platforms.

About us

At Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions (GDG), we are experts at finding innovative engineering solutions to support some of the most challenging offshore projects around the world. Offering advice, consultancy support and engineering expertise, our team of specialist engineering consultants is focused on developing the most sustainable design solutions for our clients. With a foundation in geoscience and geotechnical engineering, our expertise has grown to include foundation design, cable engineering and emerging energy technologies. As part of Venterra Group, we work alongside a dedicated network of offshore wind specialists, bringing integrated capability and international experience to support the development, delivery and long-term performance of offshore wind projects around the world.