Commerical Financial Controller

Job Summary

Kiwa UK is looking for a Commercial Financial Controller to help drive sustainable, profitable growth within our NQA business. In this role, you'll partner with senior leaders to shape strategic decisions, provide commercial insight, lead business planning and investment appraisal activities, and champion a technology-enabled, data-driven approach to financial decision-making. Acting as a trusted adviser and subject matter expert, you'll influence key initiatives while helping stakeholders build confidence and capability in making sound commercial decisions. This is a hybrid role based from our Dunstable office with travel to other sites.

About the role

• Act as a strategic partner to the Finance Director and NQA Managing Director, shaping commercial decisions and ensuring alignment with robust financial controls.
• Oversee the quarterly forecasting cycle and annual budget process, grounded in a deep understanding of the business and its key drivers.
• Review, challenge and enhance business plans, investment proposals, and expansion initiatives, ensuring commercial logic and clear value creation.
• Analyse and challenge customer and project profitability to ensure resources are directed toward the most valuable and sustainable opportunities.
• Provide insightful reporting and analysis, including costing, margins, forecast adherence, utilisation and business performance updates.
• Support commercial and systems projects, including investments, system implementations and integration planning.
• Build relationships with international Kiwa and SHV teams to identify and promote growth opportunities, while sharing best practice across the Kiwa UK Group.
• Analyse sector and market trends, identifying key risks, opportunities and areas for commercial growth.
• Partner with Finance and Data teams to improve financial literacy, coach senior stakeholders and lead finance for non-finance training sessions.
• Promote continuous improvement, standardisation and data-driven decision-making, including the development of digital decision support tools.
• Support commercial governance, contract creation, ROI analysis and commercial expansion activity.
• Support statutory audits, tax compliance, internal controls and other compliance objectives.
• Lead annual costing and transfer pricing activities, and provide analysis and support for internal and external audit requirements.

Do you have what it takes?

• A recognised professional accounting qualification (ACA, CIMA, ACCA etc.)
• Ability and confidence to influence senior stakeholders, constructively challenge assumptions and shape commercial decisions
• A strategic and curious mindset, alongside a track record for driving continuous profitability improvements
• Strong commercial and financial modelling skills, with solid understanding of revenue and cost recognition in service-based businesses
• Experience of delivering training, coaching or mentoring is an advantage
• Openness to personal development with data systems, modelling platforms and coding
• The ability to deliver to tight timescales and deadlines consistently
• Excellent planning and organisational skills
• The ability to engage and influence colleagues to achieve common goals and objectives

What can you expect from us in return?

• £70,000 - £80,000 per annum
• Generous Annual Leave – Starting at 25 days plus Bank Holidays, with the option to buy additional leave and increased entitlement with length of service
• 37.5 hours per week - Monday to Friday, hybrid role with 2 days per week in the office/ on site
• Private Medical Insurance
• Enhanced Family Leave – Enhanced maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave with 6 months full pay, plus 2 weeks full pay for paternity leave
• Salary Reviews
• Company Bonus Scheme
• Enhanced Pension Contributions
• Life Assurance – 4x your annual salary
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – Confidential support, advice, and counselling available 24/7, 365 days a year
• 24/7 GP Service – Access to medical advice anytime
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Eye Care Vouchers – Supporting your health and well-being
• Welcome Pack – Filled with company-branded goodies to kickstart your journey with us

At Kiwa, we deliver results driven by our core values: Ambitious, Reliable, and Engaged the principles that guide how we work with colleagues, customers, and everyone we encounter. We are committed to fostering personal development, encouraging you to be ambitious, explore new ideas, and contribute to making the world a safer, more sustainable place. Here, you’ll thrive in a dynamic environment with ample opportunities for growth and self-development.

As an equal opportunity employer, Kiwa celebrates diversity and is dedicated to building an inclusive, supportive workplace. We embrace flexibility in hiring talented individuals from all backgrounds globally, ensuring a work environment free from prejudice, discrimination, and intimidation. Inclusivity and equality are core to who we are, and we uphold these values without exception.

If you have any questions about this role and would like to speak a member of the Talent Team, please e-mail us at [email protected].