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Microsoft UK • Reading, United Kingdom

UK Area Financial Controller

Employment type:  Full time

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top 3 scores:
83%

Location flexibility

81%

Hours flexibility

79%

Autonomy

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Job Description

The UK Area Financial Controller will be responsible for supervising the consolidation of our cost base across different business lines and provide comprehensive insights at subsidiary level. The Controller will suggest redeployment opportunities to maximize local PnL and will track related decisions, as well as coordinating various local projects on financial optimization.

This is your chance to make a significant impact and drive financial excellence within a dynamic and collaborative environment. Join us and be part of a team that values innovation, strategic thinking, and continuous improvement.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities

Prioritization

  • Oversees and drives the execution of the operating expenses budget within the subsidiary and conducts variance analyses. Collaborates with the EMEA HQ team to identify key drivers and leads actions to maximize the return on investment (RoI) of local decisions.
  • Drives the execution of the annual business planning and monthly/quarterly forecasting processes, focusing on understanding cost drivers. Completes analysis, modelling, and research to support preliminary and adjusted forecast cycles. Partners with financial stakeholders to gather insights.
  • Provides support during financial close periods by reviewing recurring financial statements, reporting, forecasts, and presentations. Identifies trends, prepares summary analyses, and conducts variance analyses to find causes and solutions.

Partnership

  • Offers recommendations to Finance and Business leadership for managing Profit and Loss (P&L), including discussions to optimize operating expenses.
  • Ensures strong collaboration with the EMEA HQ PnL Finance team on all operating expenses and cost of goods sold (COGS)-related topics.
  • Maintains close collaboration with HR and Business Operations on headcount-related models and governance, enabling tight alignment and process support for headcount projections and corresponding P&L implications.
  • Works with Finance and Account teams to allocate and track investments, regularly assessing financial returns. Flags deviations and directs management attention for corrective actions.
  • Integrates various data sources and synthesizes the information into a comprehensive, clear narrative. Communicates results in a compelling and understandable manner.

Protect

  • Monitors control processes and procedures regarding accounting, statutory, non-financial disclosures, tax, and regulatory filings. Recommends and implements corrective measures.
  • Facilitates collaboration between business stakeholders and internal audit teams. Meets with internal and external auditors to discuss audit procedures, respond to questions, and provide necessary information and records.
  • Oversees and maintains the local Travel & Expense (T&E) policy by collaborating with Compliance, local Stat & Tax, and external advisors on updates, clarifications, and local execution.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications (RQs)

  • Master's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or related field AND experience in financial analysis, accounting, controllership or finance, or related field OR
    • Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science or related field AND experience in financial analysis, accounting, controllership or finance, or related field OR equivalent experience.
  • AICPA, CIMA or ACCA qualification is a must

Preferred Qualifications (PQs)

  • Experience in the technology or software industry.
  • Experience in matrix-based organization.
  • Experience in multinationals with multi-product/multi-segment finance roles.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.

The UK Area Financial Controller will be responsible for supervising the consolidation of our cost base across different business lines and provide comprehensive insights at subsidiary level. The Controller will suggest redeployment opportunities to maximize local PnL and will track related decisions, as well as coordinating various local projects on financial optimization.

This is your chance to make a significant impact and drive financial excellence within a dynamic and collaborative environment. Join us and be part of a team that values innovation, strategic thinking, and continuous improvement.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities

Prioritization

  • Oversees and drives the execution of the operating expenses budget within the subsidiary and conducts variance analyses. Collaborates with the EMEA HQ team to identify key drivers and leads actions to maximize the return on investment (RoI) of local decisions.
  • Drives the execution of the annual business planning and monthly/quarterly forecasting processes, focusing on understanding cost drivers. Completes analysis, modelling, and research to support preliminary and adjusted forecast cycles. Partners with financial stakeholders to gather insights.
  • Provides support during financial close periods by reviewing recurring financial statements, reporting, forecasts, and presentations. Identifies trends, prepares summary analyses, and conducts variance analyses to find causes and solutions.

Partnership

  • Offers recommendations to Finance and Business leadership for managing Profit and Loss (P&L), including discussions to optimize operating expenses.
  • Ensures strong collaboration with the EMEA HQ PnL Finance team on all operating expenses and cost of goods sold (COGS)-related topics.
  • Maintains close collaboration with HR and Business Operations on headcount-related models and governance, enabling tight alignment and process support for headcount projections and corresponding P&L implications.
  • Works with Finance and Account teams to allocate and track investments, regularly assessing financial returns. Flags deviations and directs management attention for corrective actions.
  • Integrates various data sources and synthesizes the information into a comprehensive, clear narrative. Communicates results in a compelling and understandable manner.

Protect

  • Monitors control processes and procedures regarding accounting, statutory, non-financial disclosures, tax, and regulatory filings. Recommends and implements corrective measures.
  • Facilitates collaboration between business stakeholders and internal audit teams. Meets with internal and external auditors to discuss audit procedures, respond to questions, and provide necessary information and records.
  • Oversees and maintains the local Travel & Expense (T&E) policy by collaborating with Compliance, local Stat & Tax, and external advisors on updates, clarifications, and local execution.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications (RQs)

  • Master's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or related field AND experience in financial analysis, accounting, controllership or finance, or related field OR
    • Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science or related field AND experience in financial analysis, accounting, controllership or finance, or related field OR equivalent experience.
  • AICPA, CIMA or ACCA qualification is a must

Preferred Qualifications (PQs)

  • Experience in the technology or software industry.
  • Experience in matrix-based organization.
  • Experience in multinationals with multi-product/multi-segment finance roles.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.

Company benefits

Wellbeing allowance
Health insurance
Dental coverage
Gym membership
Mental health platform access
Buy or sell annual leave
Shared parental leave
Charity donation scheme
Employee assistance programme
Employee discounts
Volunteer days
Fertility treatment leave
Open to compressed hours
Open to job sharing
Fertility benefits
Enhanced sick pay
Enhanced sick days
Compassionate leave
Travel insurance
20 days annual leave + bank holidays
Enhanced maternity leave
Enhanced paternity leave
Adoption leave
Childcare credits
Carer’s leave
Cycle to work scheme
Faith rooms
Annual bonus
Annual pay rises
Company car
Hackathons
Open to part-time employees
Pregnancy loss leave
Life insurance
Equity packages
Financial coaching
Relocation packages
Sabbaticals
Enhanced pension match/contribution

We asked employees of Microsoft UK what it's like to work there, and this is what they told us.

Location flexibility
83%
Employees are very happy with their working location freedom
Hours flexibility
81%
Employees are very happy with the flexibility in the hours they work
Benefits
67%
Employees are largely happy with the benefits their company offers
Work-life balance
63%
Employees feel that they can switch off quite easily from work
Role modelling
74%
Employees feel that most people work flexibly
Autonomy
79%
Employees feel that they can mostly manage how they get their own work done

Working at Microsoft UK

Company employees

Globally: 228,000

Gender diversity (male:female)

67:33

Currently Hiring Countries

France

Ireland

United Kingdom

Office Locations

Awards & Achievements

Most flexible companies

Most flexible companies

Flexa100 2024