Financial Controller

Salary: Up to £78,000 (depending on experience)*
Location: United Kingdom (hybrid working)
Contract type: Fixed term (15 months – parental leave cover)

Working pattern: Part time (up to 30 hours per week, 3–4 days)

*This is the full-time equivalent (FTE) salary. The actual salary will be pro rata, based on the agreed working hours.

Closing date: 21/ 07/ 2025 - We encourage early applications as we reserve the right, if required, to close this role ahead of the date advertised.

Who we are

We are Public Digital, a digital transformation consultancy. We help global institutions that matter thrive in the digital era. We apply the culture, processes, business models and technologies of modern delivery to help teams build and run excellent services. Working with the leaders doing strategy, and the teams doing delivery, we operate globally, advising large organisations and governments on six continents.

We're values-driven and we articulate them in our positions on the Public Digital website.

Attitude as much as skill is critically important to us as a team and we look for entrepreneurialism, initiative, kindness, and a willingness to pitch in. We fundamentally believe transformation is about people, and that change comes from creating great teams and the conditions to successfully empower them.

About the role

This role sits at the heart of our finance function and reports directly to our CFO. You’ll be responsible for the financial operations of our UK entities, Public Digital and PD Holdings. You’ll play a key role in setting up and supporting any future international entities, with support from local experts. We're currently exploring growth in Nigeria, Canada, and the US.

You’ll manage our core financial systems and processes, including Xero, and lead on relationships with external partners like our accountants, auditors, banks, and tax advisors. You’ll also work closely with our Central Support team as their finance business partner—helping them make good financial decisions backed by clear, accurate data.

As our organisation grows, we’re looking for someone who can help us improve and simplify how we work. You’ll lead on improving our accounts payable processes and help us get better at the basics while setting things up for scale.

This is a role for someone who enjoys getting into the detail but also wants to shape how things work at a systems level. It’s hands-on, collaborative, and important to how we run Public Digital.

How you’ll make an impact

You’ll help build strong financial foundations for Public Digital as we grow. Your work will support good decisions, reduce risk and make sure we stay financially healthy.

• Own financial accounting and the balance sheet, keeping records accurate and up to date
• Own tax compliance in all jurisdictions that Public Digital operates
• Set up and improve finance policies, processes and controls that are practical and easy to follow
• Make sure we meet accounting standards and legal requirements
• Lead timely and efficient month-end and year-end processes
• Prepare and review financial reports that are clear, accurate and useful
• Keep a close eye on cash flow and working capital to support planning and resilience
• Coordinate our annual audit process and manage relationships with external auditors
• Provide clear, evidence-based financial advice to support good decisions across the business
• Work with other teams to make finance processes simpler and easier for everyone

Requirements

What we're looking for

We’re looking for someone with strong finance experience who’s confident working independently and enjoys improving how things work.

• A degree (or equivalent experience) in finance, accounting or a related field
• CCAB-qualified accountant with at least 3 years’ post-qualification experience
• Experience as a Financial Controller or in a similar senior finance role
• Strong understanding of accounting principles and financial reporting
• Good attention to detail and confidence working with financial data
• Comfortable using MacBooks and Google Workspace (like Google Sheets, Docs and Drive)
• Experience managing or supporting a team member is helpful, but not essential
  

If you don’t meet every single requirement but believe you could contribute to this role, we’d still like to hear from you.

How you will be assessed:

We want to understand your background, experiences, perspective, and what motivates you to work with us.

We start with an initial sift of all applications, assessed against the What we’re looking for criteria in the advert.

If you’re shortlisted, the selection process will include:

• A short phone interview (up to 30 minutes) with a member of our talent team. Someone from the hiring team may also join.
• A timed, pre agreed task you submit
• A panel interview with members from the finance team
• An informal peer chat with the CFO, giving you the chance to speak with someone in a similar role at Public Digital.
  

Each stage is designed to be a two-way conversation, giving you the chance to get to know us too.

Please note that we have seen an increase in candidates using AI Bots to complete their answers, we use tools designed to detect AI generated answers and will reject candidates if we suspect they have used this technology. 

Benefits

Why you should apply

• Opportunity to grow and progress rapidly within an engaged, supportive environment.
• Be entrepreneurial and contribute to the growth and success of Public Digital.
• Deliver high-impact work with leading institutions around the world.
• Emphasis on learning, development, and progression.
• Build and develop your expertise and profile through publishing blog posts, presenting at events, and sharing knowledge.
• Empowerment to do your best work.
• Home and remote working, with flexibility in how you deliver work.
• Buddy system and prioritised mental health.
• Generous holiday allowance of 30 days, plus an additional office closure over the Christmas period.
• Private healthcare cover.
• Flexible benefits allowance.

Be a part of our amazing work culture. To read more about it please visit our Careers page which gives more details about our culture, employees and benefits.

We're an equal opportunities employer. We're committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can be their best. Public Digital's mission is to help institutions thrive in the internet era - to do that well, we aim to hire and empower people who reflect the diversity of the users, communities and organisations we work with. 

We actively encourage applications from under-represented and minoritised groups, including those with lived experience of the challenges we're working to address. We're keen to hear from curious, collaborative and thoughtful people regardless of gender, age, ethnic identity, religion, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, neurodiversity or physical disability.

If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement in the job description, please apply anyway, you may just be the right candidate for this or other roles in our wider team.

Things you need to know

• Salary
  We’ll offer a salary that reflects your experience and the skills you show throughout the process. We aim to be as competitive as possible based on what you bring to the role.
• Flexible working
  We support flexible working, and you can split your time between home and our London office. Most of the team comes in around once a week to collaborate, but there’s no set requirement to be in regularly.
• Right to work
  You’ll need to already have the right to work in the UK when you start. We’re not able to sponsor visas for this role.
• Reserve list
  If you're successful at the final stage but we don’t have an immediate role available, we may place you on a reserve list for up to 6 months. This means we can get back in touch if a similar opportunity comes up within that time, and you won’t need to reapply.
• Closing date
  We encourage you to apply early, as we review applications on a rolling basis. Due to the high volume of applications we’ve been receiving, we may close the role before the advertised deadline and won’t be able to accept applications once it’s closed.
• We aim to give at least 24 hours’ notice of early closure by updating the job advert where possible. Reviewing applications as they come in also helps us get back to candidates sooner, so you're not left waiting.