Assistant Divisional Financial Controller

Company Description

John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is a global leader in mission-critical flow control solutions for energy and process industries that enable efficient and sustainable operations. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, bearings, filtration systems, and predictive digital monitoring technologies.

We have a global network of more than 200 sites in over 50 countries and employ more than 6,000 people worldwide. We partner with our customers to help them keep their operations safe, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and meet the latest environmental standards.

John Crane is part of Smiths Group. For over 170 years, Smiths has been pioneering progress by engineering for a better future. We serve millions of people every year, helping to create a safer, more efficient, productive, and better-connected world across four global markets: energy, security & defence, space & aerospace, and general industrial. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs approximately 16,000 colleagues in over 50 countries.

John Crane is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to crafting an inclusive environment for all employees.

We are seeking a highly motivated and technically strong Financial Reporting & Controls Manager to play a key role in ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and effectiveness of financial reporting across a global business. This position is responsible for overseeing monthly, half-year, and year-end reporting processes, maintaining a robust control environment, and ensuring compliance with accounting standards, statutory requirements, and corporate policies.

Working closely with Finance, Tax, Internal Audit, External Auditors, and operational stakeholders, you will provide technical accounting expertise, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and support the delivery of high-quality financial information to both divisional and Group leadership. This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified accountant who enjoys combining technical excellence with process improvement and business partnering.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timely submission of monthly financial reporting to the Group reporting system.
• Partner with finance and operational teams to maintain the integrity of the balance sheet, including appropriate provisions, reconciliations, and accounting estimates.
• Provide technical accounting guidance and support the practical application of accounting standards across the division.
• Manage and enhance the internal control framework, ensuring issues are identified, resolved, and continuously improved.
• Coordinate internal audit activities, supporting audit reviews and driving the resolution of findings and recommendations.
• Lead engagement with external auditors and coordinate divisional audit requirements.
• Support transfer pricing, tax compliance, statutory reporting, and audit activities across the business.
• Own and coordinate goodwill and statutory impairment testing processes.
• Manage and coordinate half-year and year-end close activities, ensuring deadlines are achieved and reporting requirements are met.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across financial reporting, controls, and wider finance processes.
• Deliver ad hoc financial analysis, reporting, projects, and business support as required.
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders across the business to support sound financial decision-making and governance.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of best practices across financial reporting and compliance activities.

Essential

• Professionally qualified accountant (CIMA, ACCA, ACA, or equivalent).
• Strong technical accounting knowledge with relevant industry experience.
• Experience operating within a global or matrix organisation.
• Excellent understanding of financial reporting, balance sheet management, controls, and audit processes.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUPs, SUMIFS, and complex financial analysis.
• Experience working with ERP systems such as SAP, QAD, or similar platforms.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to investigate issues, identify trends, and provide practical solutions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Fluent English communication skills, both written and spoken.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across cross-functional and international teams.

Desirable

• Experience with Oracle CPM, Hyperion, IBM Cognos PAX, or similar financial consolidation and reporting tools.
• Previous experience in a multinational manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Experience leading finance process improvement initiatives and transformation projects.
• Knowledge of transfer pricing and international statutory reporting requirements.

With colleagues stretching across the globe, we are proud of our diversity. To foster inclusivity, we run employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a safe space for employees to connect and support each other. Our cross-business ERGs include Veterans, Pride Network, Black Employee Network, Women@Work Network, and Neurodiversity.

Across our company, we recognize excellence, culminating in the Smiths Excellence Awards, our annual celebration of the most extraordinary activities, people, and projects that best showcase our strengths and help drive our business forward. We announce these on our annual Smiths Day, a global celebration of Smiths around our network.

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers - Smiths Group plc)