Day in the life of a Financial Controller

In our latest Day in the Life feature, Michael discusses managing cashflow, Arne Slot and why good-quality housing matters…

I joined Squared seven months ago as a Financial Controller.

For most of my career, I’ve worked in the housing sector. I began as a Development Officer before transitioning into my first finance role as a Development Finance Manager.

A key part of my current role is dealing with the organisation’s cashflow. Ensuring this is well managed and correct is important. Knowing what our income and expenditure is essential for us to meet our debts as these are reviewed against the budgets we set at the start of each financial year. This also means being aware that income and expenditure can change for a whole variety of reasons and that shouldn’t lead to knee jerk reactions.

Ahead of the new financial year, I support the budgeting process by discussing requirements with budget holders and evaluating their broader financial impact. This often involves negotiation and, at times, saying no. Ultimately, budget decisions are made collectively and must align with the organisation’s short, medium, long-term objectives and financial priorities.

The Finance team works closely with all departments to ensure supplier invoices are paid on time and supports the Homes team to maximise income from property lettings. When a customer moves out and a property is being prepared for a new customer, that home stops generating income for the organisation. If the work is delayed, the loss continues for longer and can affect our cashflow. None of this would be possible without my team as they provide me with great support to meet the Finance department’s objectives.

Having predominantly worked in the housing sector, I’ve seen first-hand the difference good-quality housing can make compared to poor housing and the effects of homelessness on people’s daily lives. Social housing shouldn’t have to mean settling for the most basic or cheapest option. It makes far more sense to build quality homes that are sustainable and support as many people as possible. I’ve been fortunate to see people move into homes I played a part in delivering, which is incredibly rewarding—it’s a powerful reminder of why this sector, and the work we do, truly matters.

One thing noticeable about working at Squared is the culture. Having worked in different organisations of various sizes, having an approachable CEO who promotes self-expression has been fundamental to performance, morale and team cohesion.

In my leisure time, I am a keen Liverpool FC fan, I’ve certainly had better seasons! Going from winning the Premier League last year to not even competing for the title is a huge drop-off. Despite last season’s triumph, I feel it’s time for our manager, Arne Slot, to go—but that’s unlikely to happen anytime soon, so I’ll just have to grin and bear it. I used to coach children and men’s football. I first got involved through a Saturday club and later took over my son’s football team which I went on to manage for several seasons. I enjoyed It as it was a rewarding experience and a great way to giving back to the community.

I enjoy staying active, whether that’s walking in local parks, site seeing, cycling, or practising martial arts. I started with karate when I was younger and later took up Wing Chun. Following a foot injury that required surgery, I’m currently recovering and gradually taking a more measured approach to getting back into my fitness routine and leisure activities.