Fractional Financial Controller, Liang&Eimil

Location: London / On-site Reporting to: Managing Director Commitment: 1 day per week until 31 December 2026, with the intention to reduce to approximately 1 day every two weeks thereafter, subject to review.

About Liang & Eimil

Liang & Eimil is a design-led B2B furniture, lighting and accessories business supplying interior designers, architects, retailers and commercial clients in the UK and internationally.

We are looking for an experienced Fractional Financial Controller to strengthen our financial management, reporting and controls and provide the Managing Director with reliable financial information and commercial insight.

This is not a bookkeeping role. The successful candidate will provide senior oversight of the existing finance function, improve processes and controls, and proactively identify financial risks and opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Reporting & Management Accounts

Own and review the monthly management accounts process, ensuring accurate and timely reporting. Review P&L, Balance Sheet, Trial Balance and key reconciliations. Produce clear reporting against budget, prior year and forecast, explaining significant variances. Ensure financial information across Xero, Odoo and other systems is accurate and reconciled. Provide the Managing Director with concise financial analysis and recommendations.

Cash Flow, Budgeting & Commercial Performance

Maintain budgets, rolling forecasts and forward-looking cash-flow forecasts. Monitor working capital, including debtors, creditors and stock. Monitor gross margin and identify areas of margin erosion or opportunities to improve profitability. Provide financial modelling and analysis to support significant commercial decisions.

Stock & Financial Controls

Review stock valuation, goods received/not invoiced, goods in transit, stock adjustments and provisions. Ensure appropriate month-end stock cut-off and reconciliation procedures are followed. Work with Operations to resolve discrepancies between stock and accounting records. Review and strengthen controls around purchasing, supplier invoices, payments, credit notes and expenses.

Finance Team Oversight & Process Improvement

Provide professional oversight of the existing finance/bookkeeping team. Review the accuracy and quality of work completed and ensure agreed deadlines and procedures are followed. Establish clear month-end routines, responsibilities and accountability. Identify inefficient or unnecessary manual processes and introduce improvements and automation where appropriate. Ensure key finance procedures are documented and consistently followed. Work with external accountants and advisers on year-end accounts, VAT and other statutory requirements.

What We Are Looking For

ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent qualification. Strong Financial Controller or senior finance experience within an SME. Experience within a stock/inventory-based business is important; wholesale, furniture, interiors, distribution or retail experience would be particularly valuable. Strong management accounting, balance-sheet control, cash-flow and budgeting experience. Experience improving financial controls and processes. Strong Excel and financial modelling capability. Experience with Xero; Odoo or other ERP experience would be advantageous. Commercially minded and able to translate financial information into practical business recommendations. Confident challenging information, identifying problems and following issues through to resolution. Comfortable working directly with an owner/Managing Director.

What Success Looks Like

During the initial engagement, we expect the Fractional Financial Controller to:

Establish reliable and accurate monthly management reporting. Strengthen balance-sheet, stock and financial controls. Establish effective cash-flow, budget and variance reporting. Improve visibility of gross margin, profitability and working capital. Improve the structure, efficiency and accountability of the existing finance function. Identify financial risks and issues proactively rather than waiting for management to find them. Reduce the level of financial checking and follow-up required from the Managing Director.

Once the finance processes and controls are operating effectively, the role is expected to transition towards ongoing financial oversight, review and commercial support, with an anticipated commitment of approximately one day every two weeks.