Harper May is partnering with a UK-headquartered, clinical-stage life sciences business based in central London.

The business operates a differentiated therapeutic platform, is progressing through active clinical development, and has established a growing US operating footprint through its US subsidiary.

As the group continues to scale in the US, a US Financial Controller is being appointed to take day-to-day ownership of the US entity accounting and reporting, working closely with the Group CFO and the UK finance team.

The Role
Reporting into the Group CFO out of the London head office, the US Financial Controller will own the US month-end close, US GAAP reporting and the ongoing strengthening of US financial controls, working alongside outsourced advisors on the ground in the US.

The role is hands-on and technically strong, ideal for a fully qualified accountant who wants meaningful US GAAP ownership in a growing multi-entity, multi-currency life sciences group.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the month-end close, management accounts and reporting for the US entity
• Prepare US GAAP reporting and support the group consolidation under IFRS or UK GAAP
• Manage the outsourced US bookkeeping, tax and payroll providers
• Own US statutory reporting and federal and state tax compliance in partnership with external advisors
• Manage multi-currency accounting, intercompany balances and FX exposure
• Support R&D tax incentive claims, clinical trial accounting and grant reporting where relevant
• Strengthen financial controls, policies and process across the US entity
• Support budgeting, forecasting and cash management for the US business

What we are looking for

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA or foreign equivalent)
• Strong technical foundation with hands-on experience of US GAAP reporting
• Experience of multi-entity, multi-currency environments
• Prior exposure to life sciences, biotech, pharmaceuticals or a scale-up group is preferred
• Comfortable owning close, statutory reporting and tax compliance end to end
• Practical, hands-on and organised, with a genuine appetite for building process in a growing business