Job Description
WEST MIDLANDS
Six Figure salary plus full benefits package including disctrionary bonus, pension, healthcare and electric car.
4 Days a week in office
THE OPPORTUNITY
The role blends managing a team of three part-qualified accountants, producing accurate and meaningful management information, and supporting the Mananging Director and Senior Management Teams execute the vision of the Potrfolio.
The portfolio encompasses four companies, four trusts, a limited liabilty partnership and four small charities. The cumulative turnover of these entities is circa £9m and capital value circa £220; essentially a property investment business, comprising high yielding industrilal and commercial assets alongside low yielding residential and rural investments, with short, medium and long term development opportunities alongside a farming enterprise.
The enlargement of the off estates investments is being facilitated through acquisition funded by the use of secured lending, whilst on estates commercial portfolio expansion, via the conversion of disused agricultural properties, refurbishment of the residential assets and development sites promotion are being funded by net profits reinvestment.
The role therefore requires a strong approach to cost control and attention to detail in order to maximise net profit to provide the funds for reinvestment as secured lending is only taken on for financing asset acquisitions or large scale development once planning consented.
The MD has broad experience in private equity investment and will rely on the FD to provide the fianncial anlaysis and reporting to facilitate the business' investment strategy, supported by the senior management team comprising senior practioners in Commercial Property, Land Management, Construction and Farm sectors.
The current financial processes and ways of working review remains ongoing to ensure practices remain efficient and effective. Maintaining this as a solid platform and developing the Finance team will then enable this role to offer greater support to the MD and Senior Management Team,
This opportunity would suit a qualified Finance Professional with a technical, commercial and practical mindset who has the appetite to lead, be a team player add weight to discussions and help mould the business' strategic vision.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Financial management, reporting, analysis and decision making
- Producing insightful and timely management accounts, cash-flow forecasts, periodic bank reports, and half yearly Trustees' reports
- Preparing statutory accounts across the trading entities, trusts and charities
- Partner, trust and beneficiary management accountancy for individual accounts in the four trust entities and the LLP
- Taking ownership of budgeting, including periodic revisions through the year, and cash-flow forecasting across the trading entities and trusts as well as coordinating the information flow from the rest of the senior management team
- Working with the individual teams (Property, Land Management, Construction & Farm) to develop and track key performace indicators for each area of the business
- Build a system to allow comparative analysis of proposed investments' returns
- Overseeing an on-going focus on financial process and systems improvement, centred around the Xero and Futrli financial managment packages, and the identification of opportunities to enhance efficiency
TAX
- Working closely with appointed tax accountants and counsel to remain responsive to tax legislation and vigilant on mitigation of liabilities
-Overseeing the business' interactions with HMRC, particualrly with reagrd to VAT, NI and repairs; improvements allocations
- Computing base values information and executing capital gains tax returns
- Ensuring base values information is accurate and up to date
TREASURY
- Maintaining a comprehensive treasury management strategy that meets the disparate demands of the overall business and its constituent enterprises
- Origination of new loan opportunities, negotiation of loan agreements, loan implementation and general management
- Oversee cash management on a daily basis
- Negotiate overdraft arrangements with the clearing bank on an annual basis
- Report on loan covenants to lenders on a quarterly and annual basis
- Maintain an ongoing review of weighted cost of capital, interest to income ratios (current, projected) to ensure efficient capital allocation and risk management
- Monitor investment securities portfolios' performance and make recommendations on investment managers
PAYROLL & PENSIONS
- Overseeing the administration of payroll through Brightpay
- Managing the pension contributions process
TEAM MANAGEMENT & LEADERSIP
- Developing the capabilities and rigour of the Finance team, empowering its memebrs to make a valued contribution to the success of the overall business
- Maintaining a Roles & Responsibilities overview for the Finance team to ensure all activities are allocated an owner within the strucure
- Playing a full role as part of the Senior Management team in developing and scrutinising business plans as well as shaping the wider business' culture
- Report at monthly MD, quarterly Board and half yearly Trustees' meetings on the Finance function
GOVERNANCE
- Acting as Company Secretary (including submitting statutory accounts) and ensuring compiance with Trust Registration Service requirements
- Ensuring robust internal and banking financial controls, and supporting management systems, are in place across the business
EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS
- Maintaining strong working relationships with the clearing bank and lenders ensuring efficient decision-making and effective management including banking software admin, open and closing bank accounts, lender consents etc
- Manage realtionship with key tax advisors and ensure value is extracted at all times from their retainer as well as negotiating their fees annually, and where necessary establishing other third party advisor relationships
YOU
-Experienced, qualified Accountant
- Could suit an individual looking to make their first move into a Finance Director role
- Experience of smaller owner managed businesses
- Ideally experience of landed estates, private property company or family office
-Experience of managing a small finance function
- Comfortable supporting an active and hands on Managing Director
- Organised, practical and technically strong with sound commercial acumen
- Pragmatic and commerical decision maker
- Comfortable taking ownership of the Annual Finance timeline and successfully mixing the need for rigour, routine and flexibility to meet the demands and realities of a growing portfolio