Financial Controller

The role will focus on ensuring financial compliance, cost control, and profitability while providing strategic insights to support project managers and senior leadership.

The successful candidate will also be responsible for maintaining financial data and workflows using CMap and associated project management tools while working collaboratively with the project teams.

We have staff of approximately 300 talented architects, designers, heritage consultants and surveyors across 14 offices, in the UK, Hong Kong and Australia. Winners of Architect Employer of the Year 2022.

Collaboration is central to our employee-ownership culture, providing opportunities to work on some of the finest buildings; from meticulous heritage and conservation schemes to bold contemporary design. We offer a rewarding and supportive environment for personal and professional development and our employee-owned ethos empowers everyone to use their voice. We believe in creating an equitable and inclusive culture, founded on our values, which celebrates knowledge sharing and our successes, to build an inspiring work environment.

It is our distinctive employee-owned working culture that has contributed to our status as a World Architecture Top 100 Practice, renowned for our excellence in architecture and heritage consultancy.

Our benefits package includes

• Agile, flexible and hybrid working, (a minimum of 3 days in office, up to 2 days WFH)
• Annual leave increasing with long service
• Life assurance
• Study sponsorship with paid study leave
• Sabbaticals
• Employee assistance programme
• Season ticket loans
• Cycle to work scheme
• Virtual GP service
• Subscription fees
• Company day out
• A volunteering scheme
• Enhanced learning & development opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Project Financial Management

• Oversee financial planning, monitoring, and reporting across multiple architectural projects.
• Ensure compliance with NEC4 contract requirements, including payment applications, early warnings, change control, and cost forecasting.
• Prepare, review, and approve project budgets, forecasts, and cash flow projections.
• Monitor actual vs. forecast expenditure, investigating variances and implementing corrective actions.
• Manage and oversee project invoicing, payment certification, and debtor control.

 

Contract & Compliance

• Interpret and apply NEC4 contractual clauses to financial processes.
• Ensure adherence to contractual obligations and reporting deadlines.
• Support project managers with contract administration, compensation events, and risk management from a financial perspective.
• Provide advice on commercial and contractual matters, mitigating financial risks.

 

Systems & Reporting

• Lead financial processes, ensuring accurate project set-up, budgeting, resourcing, and reporting.
• Maintain robust financial records and reporting.
• Generate monthly and quarterly financial reports for senior management, project directors, and stakeholders.
• Improve automation, efficiency, and data accuracy in reporting processes.

 

Team Collaboration & Leadership

• Work closely with the project teams (internal and external) to manage financial aspects of the project.
• Provide training and guidance on financial best practices and NEC4 compliance.
• Contribute to the development of financial controls, policies, and continuous improvement initiatives.

 

Skills & Experience Required

Essential

• • Proven experience in financial management within the architecture, engineering, or construction sector.
  • Strong knowledge and practical experience with NEC4 contracts (preferably ECC and PSC forms).
  • Proficiency in CMap or similar project management/ERP tools.
  • Strong understanding of project accounting, cost control, and forecasting.
  • Excellent numerical, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to explain financial matters to non-financial stakeholders.
  • High attention to detail and organizational skills.

 

Desirable

• • Professional qualifications (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).
  • Experience working with architectural or design-led consultancy businesses.
  • Familiarity with RIBA work stages and architectural project workflows.
  • Knowledge of other project management software (e.g., MS Project, Primavera, or equivalent).

 

Key Attributes

• Commercially astute with the ability to balance financial control and project delivery.
• Proactive and solutions-focused with a collaborative approach.
• Adaptable, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Confident in driving improvements in financial and contractual processes.

Please email a copy of your CV and portfolio referencing job code P0057 to [email protected]. Please include details of your Right to Work in the United Kingdom, as well as an available start date.

This job description is a guide to the duties the post holder will be expected to undertake. It is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive and will be subject to change as working requirements dictate and to meet the organisational requirements of Purcell.

Don’t meet every single requirement? That’s okay.

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented backgrounds can be less likely to apply unless they meet every criteria listed. At Purcell, we are committed to building an inclusive, transparent, and welcoming team. If you’re enthusiastic about the role and excited to grow and learn with us, we warmly encourage you to apply.

When applying, please feel free to use your preferred name — we don’t require full or birth names at this stage.
We are proud to foster a culture of kindness, respect, and authenticity, where everyone can thrive and bring their whole selves to work.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unfortunately unable to provide individual feedback. If you have not heard from us within 6 weeks of your original application, then you have been unsuccessful. Please continue to look at our vacancies and apply where relevant. We wish you all the best in your job search.

As world leaders of heritage and conservation, Purcell is committed to embracing diversity and equal opportunity within our international teams, reflective of the society in which we work and live.

We welcome people from all backgrounds and celebrate differences through our culture of employee ownership.