Job Description

As we continue our mission to make people and nature happy through chocolate, we're looking for a Controls and Governance Manager to join our Finance team on a permanent basis.
Role level 3
Salary paying up to a maximum of 55,000 per annum, based on experience
Are you passionate about driving strong governance and building robust internal controls that make a real impact? At Hotel Chocolat, we're looking for a Controls and Governance Manager to play a key role in strengthening our financial control environment. Working closely with Senior Finance Manager and partnering across the business -- from Commercial and Supply Finance to our CFO and external auditors -- you'll help shape, implement and improve the controls and processes that support our continued growth. If you're a detail-oriented problem-solver who thrives on collaboration, simplification, and continuous improvement, this is your opportunity to help ensure that our ways of working are not only fit-for-purpose, but future-ready.
As well as a competitive salary and company benefits, you'll receive 50% discount on all products, and a delicious 70% discount for you and your guests when you stay at our Rabot Estate hideaway on the paradise island of Saint Lucia.
Here at Hotel Chocolat, we've adopted a hybrid working pattern where appropriate. For this role it means working 3 days a week on site, with the other 2 days spent working remotely, from home or wherever you like! The on-site location for this role is our Head Office 'Mint House' in Royston, Hertfordshire, our home since 1994; just off the A505, ten minutes' walk from Royston Train station and commutable from London Kings Cross.
What You'll Be Doing....

• Business partnering to design an efficient and effective internal control structure for Hotel Chocolat.
• Design appropriate safeguards to ensure the integrity of financial statements and reporting, changing ways of working in the organization where applicable.
• Assessment of design and operating effectiveness in internal controls.
• Business partnering to design efficient and effective solutions to mitigate any deficiencies identified.
• Stakeholder management for varying stakeholders, from those with little to no internal controls knowledge to experts.
• Develop and monitor Controls & Governance KPIs and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead on controls framework delivery and process efficiencies to enable effective period close reporting and reconciliation.
• Facilitation, driving alignment and clarity between internal/external audit and business partners.
• Address financial policy questions related to internal controls and drive compliance.
• Implement controls and governance related training and tools.
• Remediate and report instances of fraud or non-compliance within unit and drive process for mitigation.
• Broad exposure across the business including Exec, Directors group and Senior Leadership Team.

Who You are...
Essential

• Qualified finance professional (ACA preferred)
• Audit experience
• Great policy, process, and control orientation and experience with the ability to drive standards
• Understanding of technical accounting requirements with regards to UK and US GAAP
• Experience with documenting, evaluating, and testing controls
• Experience with identifying, tracking and resolving control gaps
• Business partnership experience and an ability to create control/process solutions
• High attention to detail
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• A great collaborator; resilient

Desirable

• Retail and / or Manufacturing experience
• Experience of using Microsoft D365 and Anaplan

Who We Are...
We're one of the UK's favourite premium chocolate brands, with a range of products spanning luxury gifts, alcohol and our pioneering drinking chocolate system, the Velvetiser(TM).
A cacao pod takes years to grow - it can't be rushed if it's going to be just right for our products. The same can be said for Hotel Chocolat, which originally started as a mint production company before we realised it was luxury chocolate that we were really passionate about.
Now, we're market leaders in the industry. What began as an online-only business grew to 135 stores across the UK, and we're still growing... Today, we're multi-category, multi-channel, and multi-territory, and our customers, colleagues, cacao farmers and suppliers all benefit from the success we make together.
To learn more about us and read about our People Pledge - our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion - click here:
At Hotel Chocolat, we treat each other with respect, equality and grace. Our mantra? Be brave. Be kind.
This People Pledge is underpinned by our values of Originality, Authenticity and Ethics.
We encourage new ideas and fresh thinking and for each of you to bring your ORIGINALITY to work.
We want you to be your AUTHENTIC self - and feel comfortable to share your differences, and what makes you unique.
Our commitment to being an ETHICAL business means we have a deep sense of fairness when it comes to the way we treat one another.
This applies during our recruitment process too. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer who positively celebrates a diverse and inclusive culture. We welcome people from all walks of life to join us, bringing their individuality to help us reach our ambitious growth plans. We believe this is critically important to help us create a place to work where everyone feels like they belong, can be themselves and where all of our differences are celebrated.