Financial Controller

Popeyes is growing fast, and we are on the hunt for a Financial Controller to lead our Financial Control function across our UK and Ireland businesses.

As our Financial Controller, you’ll be at the heart of a high-growth, high-energy brand, leading a talented finance team and building the controls, processes and reporting needed to support our next stage of growth. This is a brilliant opportunity for a hands-on finance leader who loves developing people, improving ways of working and making things happen at pace.

You’ll work closely with the Finance Director, taking ownership of the day-to-day finance function while helping shape a scalable, efficient and well-controlled finance operation for one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in Europe.

The role sits within Finance, reports to the Finance Director, and is based at HQ.

If you’re a qualified finance leader who thrives in a fast-moving environment, enjoys leading and coaching a team, and gets excited by the opportunity to build, improve and influence, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll do here:
• Lead, coach and develop the Financial Control team, creating a high-performing, supportive and accountable finance function
• Own the month-end and year-end close process across the UK and Ireland, ensuring accurate, timely and well-controlled financial reporting
• Oversee monthly management accounts, balance sheet control, statutory reporting, audit and tax compliance
• Strengthen financial controls, governance and processes so the finance function can scale with the business
• Take ownership of finance systems and drive improvements that simplify, automate and standardise ways of working
• Partner with teams across the business to support restaurant operations, new openings, system implementations and key finance projects
• Provide high-quality insight and support to the Finance Director on strategic initiatives and business priorities

What we’re looking for:
• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified accountant
• Strong experience in a Financial Controller or senior finance role, ideally within multi-site retail, hospitality or leisure
• Proven experience leading month-end, year-end, statutory reporting, audit and tax processes
• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including FRS102, financial controls and balance sheet ownership
• Experience leading, coaching and developing finance teams
• A continuous improvement mindset, with experience improving processes, systems and controls
• Strong analytical skills, advanced Excel capability and confidence working with finance systems, ideally Sage Intacct
• Comfortable working at pace in a high-growth, entrepreneurial environment

Who you’ll be:
• A confident finance leader who loves bringing out the best in their team
• Energised by pace, growth and the chance to build something brilliant
• Highly organised, detail-focused and proud of getting the numbers right
• A natural coach who creates clarity, accountability and momentum
• Proactive, resilient and solution-focused
• Confident working cross-functionally with stakeholders at all levels
• Passionate about improving processes and building scalable ways of working
• Comfortable taking ownership, solving problems and making decisions
• Excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of Popeyes UK and Ireland

Our benefits:
• A competitive salary
• Flexible working
• Private healthcare
• Life Assurance
• Career progression opportunities
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Birthday day off
• Benefits platform, including cycle to work and gym discounts
• Enhanced parental leave
• Free chicken!

Popeyes UK is one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in the country, recognised by the Financial Times as the #1 fastest-growing Food & Beverage company in Europe and the #2 fastest-growing company overall in the FT1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies ranking. But our success is about more than growth—it’s about people. That’s why we’ve been recognised as one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work for two consecutive years and named among the World’s Happiest Places to Work, reflecting our commitment to creating a culture where everyone feels valued, supported and empowered to thrive.

Inclusivity and respect are at the heart of all we do. Popeyes is a place where everyone can be their true self, and everyone belongs. That’s why we assess each application on the ability to do the job and nothing else.