Our current Finance Controller is moving onto an exciting new venture and we need an experienced, proactive individual to step into this pivotal role. This is a hands-on, autonomous position — you will have responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day financial operations & transactions within Baker Consultants, working closely with the Consultancy Director and Office Manager.
You must have at least five years’ experience in a Finance Controller or comparable senior finance-related role, with a thorough working knowledge of bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, management accounts and credit control duties. Proficiency with Sage accounting software is essential — specifically Sage Line 50 or Sage 50cloud.
In addition to the core responsibilities of the role, we need someone who can:
- Lead our transition from Sage Line 50 (desktop) to Sage 50cloud — taking ownership of the migration and then managing our finances within the new platform on an ongoing basis
- Have full responsibility for credit control, with a confident, assertive and professional approach to managing debtors
- Ensure that all purchase order-related expenditure is accurately processed in Sage and correctly booked against the relevant client projects in Harvest — the platform our ecologists use to manage our projects and track costs
Person specification
You may be working in another business and looking for greater autonomy and ownership of a finance function; coming out of a larger organisation and wanting the variety that a growing SME offers; or simply ready for a role where your contribution genuinely matters to the people around you. We are always open to new ideas and new ways of working.
You should be self-motivated, highly organised and capable of working independently to strict deadlines. Strong communication skills are important — you will be dealing with clients, suppliers and colleagues regularly, both in writing and in person. Proficiency in Excel and standard office software is expected. A formal accountancy qualification (such as AAT) is desirable but not essential — relevant experience and demonstrated competence are equally valued.
Who we are:
Baker Consultants is driven by our commitment to delivering the highest quality work and a passion for our people. We are always striving to innovate and are obsessed with the intricacies of nature conservation law, policy and best practice — and how all of these interact to influence the work we do for our clients.
We have grown significantly over recent years, doubling in size and launching Soil Acoustics Ltd — our sister business bringing cutting-edge soil ecoacoustics to market. As a result, the financial operations of the business have grown in complexity and breadth, and we now need a talented Finance Controller to take full ownership of them.
If you were interested enough to read this advert, then hopefully you already know a bit about us and what we stand for. The senior members of our team have been with the business for many years — some since the very beginning in 2009 — a testament to the training, culture and variety of work we take on. We have an enviably low staff turnover rate, which reflects how much we value our staff’s wellbeing and their happiness at work. That commitment culminated in us successfully adopting a permanent 4-day week in January 2024, so we work Monday to Thursday, no Fridays, for everyone.
We’ve previously won multiple CIEEM awards (for Small Consultancy of the Year and Innovation) and were Highly Commended in the Medium Consultancy category in June 2024. We’re proud of what we’ve built — and we’re looking for someone equally proud to help us run it well.
What we can offer you:
We are a small but highly effective team who have always used remote and flexible working to give our staff the ownership they need to manage their work in the most efficient way possible. This role is based in our office in Cromford near Matlock, Derbyshire – however the typical arrangement is full office working on Mondays, with hybrid working available for the rest of the week.
We offer a competitive salary (dependent on experience), a discretionary bonus scheme and a range of other benefits, including:
- A permanent 4-day working week — Monday to Thursday, no Fridays, as standard for everyone in the business. Note this role is based on working 24hrs a week – i.e. 0.75 Full-time equivalent, so the salary would be ¾ of the full-time amount.
- Five weeks of annual leave (plus Bank Holidays)
- A contributory pension scheme
- A genuinely supportive and collegiate working environment
- Direct access to senior leadership and real influence over how the business operates
This is an exciting time to join Baker Consultants. Whether you’re drawn by the autonomy, the culture, or the opportunity to play a central role in a business that genuinely cares about doing things well — we’d love to hear from you.
To apply for the role, please submit your CV and a covering letter to [email protected].
Pay: £28,000.00-£34,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
- Transport links
- Work from home
Experience:
- Finance: 5 years (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Matlock DE4 5JJ
