Role: Finance Director
Location: Manchester (On site) (flexible working)
Salary: circa £90,000 - £120,000 + car allowance (flexible depending on candidate)
Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including; Car allowance, 25 days holiday / Pension / Bonus / Private Health
Summary:
Medlock Partners are delighted to be exclusively partnering our client, a successful and rapidly expanding specialist SME Manufacturing business based in Manchester as they look to appoint an ambitious and energetic Financial Director.
Following another incredible year and significant investment in infrastructure, our client is seeking a competent senior finance professional to bring strategic leadership, financial discipline and operational efficiency to support and sustain the ambitious (yet achievable) growth trajectory.
The successful candidate will sit on the board, working closely with the Managing Director and SLT, providing timely insights and challenging strategic decision making, while also improving communication with external stakeholders such as investors, banks, and auditors.
You will demonstrate a growth orientated mindset, identifying opportunities for expansion, whilst remaining in a hands-on capacity and developing the finance function.
Responsibilities:
* Develop and lead the company’s financial strategy to support scaling and long-term growth objectives.
* Act as a key advisor to the Managing Director and Board, providing strategic financial insights and risk management recommendations.
* Partner with cross-functional leadership teams to ensure financial decisions align with business goals.
* Oversee all financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and financial reporting.
* Lead monthly and annual close processes, ensuring timely and accurate financial statements.
* Deliver clear, insightful management information and KPI dashboards for leadership and investors.
* Drive profitability analysis at product, customer, and cost centre levels.
* Identify cost-saving opportunities and implement controls to improve margin and cost efficiency.
* Monitor working capital and ensure optimal inventory, debtor, and creditor management.
* Lead the implementation and optimisation of finance systems (e.g. ERP, automation tools) to enable scalable operations and reduce manual workload.
* Introduce automation in reporting, data collection, and compliance processes.
* Build and manage a high-performing finance team suited to a scaling SME.
* Support, mentor, and develop finance personnel to meet future business needs.
* Ensure full compliance with statutory regulations, audit, tax, and corporate governance requirements.
* Manage relationships with external auditors, banks, tax advisors, and other key stakeholders.
* Identify and mitigate financial and operational risks as the business scales.
* Support funding activities, investor relations, and financial due diligence for potential M&A or expansion opportunities.
* Build models and business cases for investment in people, equipment, and international expansion.
Key Requirements:
* Qualified ACCA/CIMA/ACA
* Previous experience within a similar role preferably within a rapidly expanding SME environment
* Experience within the Engineering or manufacturing industry (essential)
* Proven experience in budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and financial reporting.
* Solid grasp of financial regulations, tax, compliance, and audit processes.
* Expertise in cost centre structures, overhead recovery, and margin analysis.
* Experience implementing or upgrading finance systems (e.g., ERP, automation tools).
* Energetic, proactive and the ability to initiate and lead key financial projects
The ideal candidate will be a technically competent, ideally ACCA, ACA or CIMA qualified Finance Director who can manage the day to day financial operations, implement robust financial control and relevant systems that will aid scalability, cost control and mitigate risk. Candidate’s with transaction experience will be of interest however, this is not essential.
Joining the business at a pivotal stage, this fantastic opportunity offers the successful individual a part of and a significant role in the next phase of their incredible journey.
Candidate’s must be comfortable working in robust Manufacturing/Engineering environment and have previous experience within an expanding SME business.