Role Purpose
We have partnered with a Contract Catering institution, and we are working on several Finance Manager positions at all levels, from Commercial, to Senior, and Regional.
To act as the key finance business partner for a portfolio of catering and soft FM contracts. Drive profitable growth through robust financial control, commercial analysis, and operational support.
Key Responsibilities (common to all levels)
Financial control & compliance
Own monthly P&L for assigned contracts, ensuring accurate accruals, prepayments, and cost allocations in line with UK GAAP. Manage cash flow and working capital (stock, debtors).
Commercial decision support
Partner with operational General Managers to optimise menu pricing, labour scheduling, and event margins. Challenge waste and supply chain costs using real-time data.
Budgeting & forecasting
Lead annual budget cycles and monthly re-forecasts. Provide variance analysis with actionable insights (e.g. “sales mix shift lowered gross margin by 1.2%”).
Client & contract governance
Attend client review meetings to present financial performance. Manage contract price indexation (CPI/RPI) and variation orders.
Mobilisation & bids
Support contract mobilisations and re-tenders by building financial models for new business or contract extensions.
Team leadership (Senior Manager only)
Mentor a small team (2-4 analysts / site accountants). Drive a culture of commercial curiosity.
Additional Responsibilities by Level
- Contract value :
£2m £10m p.a.
£10m £25m p.a.
£25m+ or multi contract cluster
- Stakeholders :
Site GMs, Regional Ops
Regional Directors, Client procurement
Divisional MD, Key strategic clients
- Complexity
Single site or small cluster
Multi site, complex volume swings
High risk turnarounds, large bids
- Team
No direct reports
May mentor an analyst
Manages 2-4 finance staff
Experience Required
Finance Manager: 2-3 years PQE (or qualified by experience) in contract catering / retail / hospitality finance.
Commercial Finance Manager: Fully qualified (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) with 4-6 years PQE, strong commercial modelling.
Senior Finance Manager: 8+ years PQE, proven ability to influence at board level, previous people management.
Key Competencies
Deep understanding of high-volume, low-margin operations.
Advanced Excel (Power Query / Power BI desirable).
Ability to translate complex finance into operational actions.
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