Group Financial Controller

About BLAST

At BLAST, we’re all about creating extraordinary live and digital experiences — from arena-packing esports tournaments to unforgettable content that engages fans around the globe. We Make It Bold by challenging the norm and delivering fresh, creative formats that redefine what’s possible in the industry. We Make It Together by building close, collaborative partnerships with world-leading game publishers and brands to produce truly world-class results. And we Make It Happen by bringing energy, precision, and a problem-solving mindset to everything we do — across games like Counter-Strike, DOTA 2, Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, and Fortnite.

If you thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and share our passion for pushing boundaries, we’d love to hear from you.

About the Role

The Group Financial Controller leads BLAST's global Financial Control function, with particular emphasis on technical accounting, Group financial reporting, tax governance and maintaining a robust financial control environment across its international operations.

The role requires a technically strong, hands-on accounting leader capable of managing complex accounting matters, maintaining consistent accounting policies and ensuring accurate and reliable financial reporting across the Group.

Working closely with tax specialist and external advisers, the role oversees the Group's tax governance and compliance, including corporate tax, VAT, transfer pricing and international tax obligations. The role requires sufficient technical knowledge to assess and challenge external advice and ensure appropriate implementation.

The role also oversees the Group's Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions, ensuring strong financial controls, efficient processes and disciplined financial operations.

Reporting to the VP Group Finance, the role works closely with the CFOO, Director of FP&A and wider Finance team. While FP&A leads forecasting, budgeting and commercial performance analysis, Financial Control is accountable for the integrity of the underlying financial information, accounting judgments and statutory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Technical Accounting & Group Reporting

- Own the Group's technical accounting policies, standards and complex accounting judgments.
- Lead Group consolidation and month-end, quarter-end and year-end financial reporting across all entities.
- Ensure accurate and consistent accounting treatment, including revenue recognition, intercompany transactions, foreign currency and complex commercial arrangements.
- Lead the accounting workstreams of BLAST's IFRS readiness programme, including policy development and implementation.
- Prepare and review technical accounting papers, working with external advisers where appropriate.
- Partner with FP&A to ensure reliable financial information supports forecasting and business decisions.

2. Tax Governance & Compliance

- Manage the Group's tax governance and compliance across all jurisdictions, working with a fractional tax specialist and external advisers.
- Oversee corporate tax, VAT, transfer pricing and other international tax obligations.
- Ensure timely and accurate tax filings, provisions, reconciliations and statutory compliance.
- Review and challenge external tax advice, ensuring recommendations are appropriately implemented.
- Identify and escalate tax risks arising from international operations, intercompany arrangements and new business activities.
- Support tax and accounting considerations for international expansion and corporate transactions.

3. Financial Control & Governance

- Manage the Group Financial Control function across all legal entities and jurisdictions.
- Maintain and strengthen the Group's internal control framework, accounting standards and balance sheet governance.
- Ensure robust reconciliations, consistent accounting processes and accurate financial records.
- Lead statutory reporting and external audits, managing relationships with auditors and accounting advisers.
- Identify and escalate material accounting, control and compliance risks.
- Improve financial governance and reporting processes to support continued international growth.

4. Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable

- Oversee the Group's Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions.
- Ensure accurate and timely supplier payments, customer invoicing, cash collection and credit control.
- Maintain strong controls over supplier onboarding, payment approvals, invoicing and segregation of duties.
- Monitor aged debtor and creditor positions, working closely with Treasury on liquidity and working capital management.
- Improve purchase-to-pay and order-to-cash processes, including automation and efficiency.

5. Financial Systems & Process Improvement

- Drive improvements to the Group's accounting processes, financial controls and reporting quality.
- Lead the accounting and control workstreams of ERP implementation, including accounting configuration, reconciliations and data integrity.
- Improve automation and consistency of financial processes across entities and jurisdictions.
- Support the development of scalable financial reporting and control processes.

6. Corporate Transactions & International Growth

- Provide technical accounting and tax support for fundraising, acquisitions and corporate transactions.
- Support investor due diligence and lender reporting with accurate financial information and accounting analysis.
- Ensure appropriate accounting policies, tax arrangements and financial controls are established for new entities and business models.
- Support acquisition accounting, post-acquisition integration and Group reporting requirements.
- Work with FP&A, Treasury and external advisers to provide coordinated Finance support for strategic initiatives.

7. Leadership

- Manage and develop the Financial Control team, including Group Accounting, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable.
- Build technical accounting capability and consistent standards across the function.
- Establish clear ownership, accountability and high standards of accuracy and control.
- Act as the Group's principal day-to-day technical accounting resource, providing guidance to Finance and business stakeholders.
- Promote continuous improvement and operational discipline across Financial Control.

Requirements

Experience & Capabilities

Essential

- Qualified ACA, ACCA, CPA or equivalent.
- Significant experience in Group Financial Control or technical accounting within an international, multi-entity organisation.
- Strong technical accounting expertise, including consolidation, revenue recognition, complex accounting judgments and statutory reporting.
- Strong working knowledge of IFRS, with experience in IFRS implementation, conversion or technical accounting projects.
- Good understanding of corporate tax, VAT, transfer pricing and international tax matters, with the ability to work effectively with and challenge external tax advisers.
- Experience managing external audits, statutory reporting and financial control frameworks.
- Experience overseeing Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and balance sheet governance.
- Proven ability to improve accounting processes, controls and reporting quality.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving and stakeholder management skills.
- Hands-on approach, attention to detail and ability to work independently on complex accounting matters.

Desirable

- Big Four or equivalent accounting firm background, ideally with technical accounting or audit experience.
- Experience in an international, high-growth or acquisitive business.
- Fundraising, investor due diligence or acquisition accounting experience.
- ERP implementation or Finance systems transformation.
- Experience within media, entertainment, gaming, technology or another international project-led business.
- Experience managing tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions alongside external advisers.

Success Measures

- Accurate and timely month-end, quarter-end and year-end Group reporting and consolidation.
- Strong technical accounting standards, with consistent policies and well-supported accounting judgments.
- Successful delivery of IFRS readiness and accounting policy improvements.
- Effective tax governance, timely compliance and well-managed international tax risks.
- Strong balance sheet integrity, financial controls and efficient external audits.
- Efficient AP and AR operations, including timely supplier payments, effective collections and well-managed debtor positions.
- Improved accounting processes, automation and successful delivery of Financial Control elements of ERP implementation.
- A capable, technically strong and well-managed Financial Control team.
- Confidence in the accuracy and integrity of BLAST's financial reporting.

Benefits

- Competitive salary package
- Enhanced parental leave
- Pension and Health Insurance
- Awesome central office in the centre of London
- Team building and social events
- Team breakfasts, snacks and sodas
- Company trips (March 2026 we all went to Berlin and had a BLAST)