Loungers is a substantial and growing operator in the UK hospitality sector, operating over 300 sites in England and Wales across three distinct but complementary brands, Lounges, Cosy Club, and Brightside. Founded in 2002 by three friends who wanted to create a neighbourhood café-bar that they would want to go to, the Group is now the only growing all-day operator of scale in the UK and has consistently outperformed the wider UK hospitality sector over the past three years. Despite being the fastest growing café/restaurant group in the Country, Loungers has retained its entrepreneurial spirit and quirky ‘Loungey’ local community atmosphere.
The role in a nutshell
The Head of Operational Finance is responsible for both the operational excellence of our Finance Operations team and delivering the Finance Transformation plan across Group Finance.
Loungers already has strong and reliable finance processes and controls in place. The opportunity now is to build on those foundations and take them to the next level allowing Loungers to grow effectively, by leveraging technology, automation, data, and smarter ways of working.
This role offers genuine scope to influence how finance operates across the business and will manage a significant proportion of the overall finance function. You will work collaboratively with other leaders in Group Finance, the finance team and operational stakeholders to continuously improve and evolve operational finance. Crucially, transformation is not a separate programme and improvements are expected to directly enhance the way finance operates day-to-day.
This position gives the successful applicant the chance to be part of this exciting, dynamic company based from its HQ in Central Bristol.
Getting into the detail
Finance Transformation Delivery
This is an opportunity to take a finance function with strong fundamentals and shape it into a technology optimised and insight-driven capability that scales confidently with the business. You will work closely with the Head of Group Management Accounts, Group Financial Controller, and their teams to drive and deliver change across Group Finance.
You will:
* Drive the delivery of the Group Finance transformation plan, work collaboratively across Group Finance to define clear priorities, delivering initiatives effectively and ensuring measurable benefits are realised.
* Identify and eliminate manual repetitive processes in the team, embedding automation and workflow improvements that reduce risk and free up capacity.
* Maximise the value of existing finance systems and tools, driving stronger adoption and better utilisation before considering new investment. Where new solutions are justified, you will lead in gathering requirements, product selection, implementation and embedding end-to-end.
* Optimise the month-end close, by improving speed, predictability and quality
* Embed a mindset of continuous optimisation, where teams proactively challenge inefficiencies and seek better, simpler ways of working.
Finance Operations Leadership
Alongside transformation this role is as much about building people and capability as it is about evolving better processes. Success will come from developing a confident, empowered team equipped to deliver reliably and improve over time by embracing continuous progress.
You will:
* Lead and develop a team of finance professionals, continuing to strengthen performance, deepen expertise, and build future leaders across Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Cash.
* Ensure operational excellence from day one, maintaining robust processes, controls and reliable delivery to the business.
* Be customer focused, helping to resolve issues, find solutions and ensure that the department delivers on behalf of the needs of our Head Office and Site-Based Teams. This includes high quality, precise and proactive communication.
* Strengthen resilience and scalability, building capability and processes that support business growth without increasing risk or complexity.
* Build strong partnerships with senior finance and operational leaders, providing thoughtful insight and constructive challenge, and stepping in to resolve complex issues in a pragmatic way that maintains trust and momentum.
* Safeguard governance and compliance, ensuring finance policies, VAT principles and control standards are consistently understood and applied across Loungers.
* Be a present and engaged leader, investing in people’s growth and creating an environment where individuals feel confident, supported and able to perform at their best.
What you’ll bring
* ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualified, with significant experience leading operational finance within a multi-site, high-volume environment.
* A proven track record of delivering embedded, technology-enabled finance transformation, improving processes, controls and data through automation and smarter ways of working – not as standalone programmes, but as part of day-to-day operational leadership.
* Comfortable operating in a role that blends maintaining operational excellence while progressively enhancing efficiency and resilience.
* A real drive to understand the detail of everyday processes and really get hands‑on in helping to make sure the department operates smoothly day-to-day
* Demonstrable experience in evaluating, selecting and implementing finance systems and tools, with accountability for successful adoption
* Strong, hands‑on leadership background, with clear evidence of developing high‑performing teams, building capability and owning operational outcomes over the long term.
* Commercially astute and confident operating cross‑functionally, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders, navigate complexity and build credible relationships internally and externally.
What’s in it for you?
* Competitive Bonus
* Private healthcare for yourself & your family
* A culture that appreciates ideas and celebrates individuality
* Founder‑led business – we might have 300 sites, but we still maintain an entrepreneurial spirit through everything we do
* 50% off food at all Lounges, Cosy Clubs and Brightsides
* Pension contribution
* 24/7 mental health support
* Amazing events including LoungeFest – our annual company festival – Christmas parties and more
* We want to work with nice people so if you want to work hard, have fun and be part of the Loungers ride, we’d love to have you.
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