Financial Controller

Job Title: Financial Controller

Reporting Line: Directly To The COO

Sector: Data Centre Construction

Location: Milan, Italy

Role Overview:

This position is focused on establishing the accounting function in Italy, taking ownership of all accounting activities, ensuring timely reporting, maintaining accuracy, and building a finance team as the entity expands. The role is a for an international market leading main contractor who specialise in building data centres and other mission critical industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implement and manage finance processes, accounting, and reporting for the Italian entity.
• Act as the primary contact for all accounting and tax matters, including monthly VAT returns, withholding tax, and other statutory obligations.
• Oversee all accounting operations and transactions, including accounts receivable and payable, subcontractor invoices, fixed assets, bank reconciliations, and general ledger entries.
• Collaborate on the ongoing enhancement and optimization of accounting processes.
• Prepare financial statements and disclosures in line with UK GAAP and local GAAP requirements.
• Perform daily bank reconciliations and manage all payments, ensuring that all documentation is complete and approved.
• Maintain the fixed asset register within the ERP system and post depreciation.
• Work with the payroll provider to process payroll journals, verify payroll reconciliations, and ensure timely tax and statutory payments.
• Reconcile intercompany balances within the international group, manage intercompany recharges, and process related invoices.
• Prepare balance sheet reconciliations and ensure appropriate accruals and prepayments are posted in the ERP system.
• Review ledgers for aged and credit balances to ensure accuracy and up-to-date records.
• Produce monthly management accounts and group reporting in accordance with the group finance calendar.
• Partner with the COO to develop the annual budget, five-year plan, update monthly forecasts, prepare the board pack, and present at board meetings.
• Work with the commercial team to monitor project profitability and ensure costs are allocated to the correct projects.
• Calculate accrued and deferred income and costs for projects (WIP accounting using the percentage-of-completion method).
• Undertake other ad hoc financial tasks as required.
• As the Italian entity grows, recruit, train, and mentor a finance team to deliver high-quality financial management and accounting services.
• Prepare weekly cash flow forecasts for submission to Group Treasury.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Holds a degree or master’s in accounting; professional accounting certification is highly preferred.
• Extensive experience in construction accounting is required.
• At least 10 years of proven track record in establishing and leading finance teams; experience in startups and international organizations is a plus.
• Strong knowledge of local GAAP; familiarity with UK GAAP and IFRS is an advantage.
• Experience with Business Central ERP is desirable.
• Exceptional leadership, team management, and communication abilities.
• Fully fluent in both written and spoken English and Italian.