Job Description
Our client is a successful, privately owned SME operating across multiple sites within a specialist operational sector. The business has built a strong reputation within its market and is entering an exciting new phase of development.
Following the planned departure of the current Finance Director, an opportunity has arisen for an experienced Financial Controller to lead the finance function and work closely with the business owners to support the continued growth and development of the organisation.
Additional Information
- Office based role, five days per week
- Occasional travel to a second operational site will be required (currently around once per week, likely reducing over time)
- A comprehensive handover will be provided by the outgoing Finance Director
- Indicative timeline: Start date ideally in September 2026
- Opportunity to play a key role within a successful and growing owner-managed business
Role Description
Reporting directly to the owners, the Financial Controller will take overall responsibility for the day-to-day finance function whilst managing a small, established team of five.
This is a broad and hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys operating within an SME environment, combining strong financial control with commercial awareness and operational involvement.
The successful candidate will be expected to operate confidently at both strategic and operational levels, remaining hands-on whilst acting as a trusted adviser to the business owners.
The finance function is well established, with robust processes, systems and reporting already in place. The successful candidate will focus on maintaining and enhancing existing systems, controls and reporting, rather than building the function from scratch.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, manage and develop a finance team of five
- Production and review of monthly management accounts and reporting to the owners
- Ownership of budgeting, forecasting and cash flow management
- Ensure the integrity of financial controls and reporting processes across all entities
- Oversee audit, statutory accounts and tax compliance, working with external auditors
- Manage relationships with external auditors, banks, insurers/brokers and professional advisers
- Oversee payroll processes (in-house, weekly and monthly payroll cycles)
- Support commercial decision making through insightful financial analysis
- Drive continuous improvement in reporting, processes and systems
- Work closely with operational management to improve business performance
- Support the ongoing development of Power BI and management reporting capability, building on the current Excel-based reporting suite
Candidate Requirements
We are seeking a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with previous experience operating in a Financial Controller, Head of Finance or Senior Finance Manager capacity within an SME environment.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- Strong SME finance leadership experience (typically within a £10m-£50m turnover business)
- Experience managing and developing a small finance team
- Excellent management accounting and financial reporting skills, with personal involvement in producing management accounts
- Advanced Excel capability, including complex linked workbooks, macros, pivot tables and management reporting models
- Experience with, or strong interest in, Power BI and reporting system development
- Strong commercial awareness and business partnering skills
- The ability to operate both strategically and hands-on
- Confidence working directly with business owners and senior stakeholders
- A proactive, pragmatic, 'roll up your sleeves' approach to problem solving
- Experience improving reporting processes and introducing new technologies (including AI) would be advantageous
Experience within manufacturing, logistics, distribution, construction, engineering, waste or other operationally-focused businesses would be advantageous, although not essential.
