Senior Entity Financial Controller

Job Description

abrdn plc is one of Europe’s largest investment companies, and we are built on a long-standing culture of caring about the future and making a positive impact. Together we invest for a better future. We do it to make a difference to the lives of our clients and customers, our employees, society, and our shareholders. Our business is structured around three distinct areas focused on our clients' changing needs. 

• abrdn Investments: A leading investment management business looking after £368bn of assets for Institutional, Wholesale and Insurance clients

• abrdn Adviser: One of the UK’s largest providers of platform services to financial advisers with £75bn in assets across our Wrap and Elevate platforms

• interactive investor: The UK’s most trusted investment platform for individual investors with 430,000 customers who have invested almost £75bn with us 

Our strategy is to build a vibrant and value-creating purpose-led organisation, with the current and future needs of our stakeholders at the heart of all we do.

About Finance

The Finance function is led by the Chief Financial Officer and comprises four specialist, centralised teams, and three business commercial teams, supported by a small CFO Office.

This position sits within Group Financial Control who are responsible for a combination of business performance management across the abrdn Group, internal and external reporting activity (group, statutory, regulatory and non-financial including sustainability), and management of the relationship with external auditors and the Audit Committee. The area consists of a number of teams including:

• Performance and Planning – responsible for all performance and planning activities centrally for the group, including coordination of planning, forecasting, quarterly business reviews and cost management across central functions.

• Group Reporting and Control – responsible for all aspect of Group external reporting, consolidation and technical accounting matters.

• Regional and Entity Control & Reporting teams – responsible for entity level and regional financial control and reporting, including discharging of responsibilities under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, as well as decision support to regional CEOs.

About the role

This position reports directly to the Head of UK and EMEA Financial Control & Reporting.  As a Senior Entity Financial Controller, you will be responsible for the financial management of the most complex and important entities across the abrdn Group, leveraging the output of the Finance Operations team while providing oversight and challenge. You may be expected to act as a finance representative on the board of specific entities or to discharge responsibilities under the UK Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR).

This role offers significant variety and development opportunities across financial control, reporting, budgeting and commercial insight, together with exposure to and stakeholder management at senior level (including key entity Boards, regional and divisional management).

While the role does not necessarily involve direct line management, you will be expected to mentor and offer support to more junior members of the team. 

Key Responsibilities 

Legal Entity Reporting and Board Level Stakeholder Management:

• Review and sign-off on commentary on legal entity financials, delivering insights to internal and external stakeholders and sign-off on monthly legal entity financials

• Review, sign-off and present local entity board packs, leading discussions on financial matters at the entity board level

• Where appropriate, represent finance as a member of entity Boards or perform a role as an FCA-designated senior management function holder under the SMCR regime

Legal Entity Control and Financial Integrity:

• Review and challenge monthly legal entity P&L and balance sheet packs to ensure IFRS trial balances are valid, accurate, and complete.

• Ensure that all balance sheet accounts have been attested to by those responsible and perform attestations for all balances related to technical and local GAAP adjustments.

Regulatory/ Statutory Reporting and Audit:

• Oversee the production and submission of statutory accounts, regulatory reporting, and local statistical reports.

• Supervise and ensure quality delivery from outsourced providers for statutory and regulatory submissions.

• Lead entity audits, coordinating between auditors and internal teams to ensure smooth execution.

Technical Adjustments and Compliance:

• Calculate, review, and post technical adjustments for complex valuations, impairments, write-offs, and exceptional transactions.

• Ensure accurate calculation, review, and posting of local GAAP adjustments and prepare required disclosures for statutory reporting.

Legal Entity Planning and Collaboration:

• Lead the legal entity planning process working together with the Performance and Planning team.

Projects:

• Act as a legal entity subject matter expert (SME) for projects and strategic initiatives.

About the candidate

• Extensive experience in a similar financial control or commercial finance role within investment management or a financial services environment.

• Qualified Accountant with audit background desirable.

• Knowledge and understanding of accounting principles, practices and processes, including financial reporting standards (IFRS or GAAP).

• Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills including proficiency in PowerPoint.

• Proficiency in financial systems and ERPs (e.g. Oracle).

• Advanced Excel skills, with the ability to handle large datasets and complex models.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment.  We define diversity in its broadest sense – this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief and ethnicity and geographical provenance.  We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone.

If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.