Financial Controls Project Lead

Who we’re looking for

We are looking for an experienced, commercially minded finance professional to take on a 12-month secondment as Financial Controls Project Lead for Schroders' Wealth Management business. This is a project-led role focused on assessing, standardising and strengthening the financial control environment across legal entities and jurisdictions, rather than managing day-to-day team delivery.The role will examine current financial controls, documentation, ownership, evidencing standards and remediation activity, and will establish a consistent, proportionate framework that supports stronger governance, clearer accountability and more efficient ways of working.

The successful candidate will lead a structured review of the Wealth financial control landscape, identifying inconsistency in control design, ownership, documentation and execution. They will work with Financial Controllers, process owners and stakeholders to standardise controls, align SOP documentation and RCA outputs, optimise processes, and drive practical remediation to completion.

This role will report directly to the Head of Wealth Finance and will work closely with Financial Controllers, Financial Planning & Analysis, Wealth Operations, Risk, Treasury, Tax, Regulatory Reporting, Group Reporting, Internal Audit, external auditors and Finance Transformation stakeholders.

About Schroders

Schroders is a global investment manager which provides active asset management, wealth management and investment solutions. We aim to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. We serve a diverse client base that includes pension schemes, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, high net worth individuals, family offices, as well as end clients through partnerships with distributors, financial advisers, and online platforms.

Established in 1804, we have around 5,500 people across 36 global locations. Schroders' success can be attributed to its diversified business model, spanning different asset classes, client types and geographies.

The base

This role will be London-based, with flexibility to work with colleagues across Schroders' wider office network as required.

The team

The Wealth Management Financial Control team manages the external reporting and financial control requirements for the Wealth Management operating subsidiaries across the UK, Channel Islands, Switzerland and Singapore.

The team is responsible for high-quality entity financial records, balance sheet control, statutory reporting, board reporting support, financial risk identification and remediation, and financial input into regulatory and tax requirements. The team works closely with Wealth Operations, Group Reporting, Revenue Accounting, Cost Accounting, Financial Planning, Tax and Regulatory teams to ensure financial results are accurate, controlled and fit for use.

What you’ll do

• Lead a 12-month financial controls project to assess the current Wealth Management financial control environment across entities and jurisdictions
• Map key financial controls, process ownership, control evidence, dependencies, gaps and known remediation activity
• Establish a consistent, proportionate financial control framework, aligned to SOP documentation, RCA outputs, risk appetite and governance expectations
• Identify inconsistencies, duplication, manual workarounds and control weaknesses, and develop practical recommendations to simplify, standardise and optimise processes
• Drive remediation plans through existing control owners, ensuring actions are clearly defined, prioritised, tracked and evidenced through to completion
• Work with Financial Controllers, Wealth Operations, Finance teams, Risk, Internal Audit and external auditors to strengthen controls at source and improve evidencing standards
• Support Finance Transformation and Operating Model initiatives by embedding sustainable financial control standards, governance and reporting disciplines
• The knowledge, experience and qualifications you need
• ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent professional qualification
• Significant post-qualified experience in financial control, legal entity accounting, audit or financial reporting
• Strong IFRS technical accounting knowledge, with ability to apply accounting judgement to practical issues
• Demonstrable experience assessing, designing and improving financial control frameworks, ideally across complex legal entity or multi-jurisdictional environments
• Strong understanding of risk identification, control assessment and remediation planning
• Strong stakeholder management skills and ability to influence senior leaders
• Excellent communication, organisational and problem-solving skills
• Experience in Wealth Management, Asset Management or Banking is desirable

Experience managing external audit relationships

Experience delivering finance transformation, operating model redesign, SOP documentation, RCA/control framework alignment or large-scale control improvement programmes is desirable

Knowledge of Oracle, SAP or equivalent finance platforms is desirable

What success looks like

• A clear, documented view of the current Wealth financial control environment is established across entities and jurisdictions
• Key controls, process ownership, evidence standards, gaps and dependencies are mapped and understood
• A consistent and proportionate financial control framework is in place, aligned to SOP documentation, RCA outputs and governance requirements
• Control activities are simplified, standardised and optimised while maintaining an appropriate risk environment
• Remediation actions are prioritised, owned, tracked and evidenced through to completion
• Balance sheet integrity, control evidence and financial reporting inputs are improved
• The Wealth Finance team has a sustainable control framework and operating discipline that can be embedded beyond the secondment period

We recognise potential, whoever you are

Our purpose is to deliver excellent investment performance to clients through active management. We believe diverse perspectives and an inclusive culture help us make better decisions and achieve better outcomes for our clients. That's why inclusion is a strategic priority for us, and we are an equal opportunities employer. You are welcome here, regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or any other protected characteristic.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for all roles and provide reasonable accommodations to support applicants and employees, including those with neurodiversity, disability, or physical and mental health needs. For more information, please visit our FAQs