Hays Senior Finance are working with a growing SME based near Runcorn. This established private company works with leading brands across the country offering a niche service and products. The business has been trading for 25 years and has long-standing relationships with its customers. Due to impending retirement the company is looking to appoint a Finance Manager to take full responsibility for all accounts matters. As Finance Manager you will own the day to day finance function end to end. This is a standalone role-ideal for someone who enjoys rolling up their sleeves across transactional accounting while also producing timely management accounts, cash insights and partnering with the leadership team in a growing, project driven environment. You'll also liaise with the external accountants, who sign off the year end accounts. Key responsibilities Own all transactional finance: AP/AR, bank reconciliations, credit control, staff expenses, company card and petty cash, fixed asset register, VAT returns (MTD), payroll input/checks (with provider). Monthly close in Xero: journals, accruals/prepayments, WIP and project costings, stock and COGS checks, balance sheet recs, variance analysis, KPI pack and board commentary. Cash management: 13‑week cash flow, customer collections, supplier terms, payment runs and liquidity planning. Project accounting: margin tracking by job, kits/components, engineers' time/call outs, and post implementation reviews to support continuous improvement. Budgeting & forecasting: support annual budget; update rolling forecasts and scenario analyses. Year end: manage queries with external accountants through to signed accounts and submission. Controls & compliance: maintain fit for purpose policies, support HMRC compliance (VAT, PAYE), and drive process automation in Xero (bank rules, approvals, dashboards, add ons). Business partnering: collaborate with Operations, Projects and Sales to improve margins, pricing discipline and working capital. About you Qualified, part qualified or QBE (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) with end to end SME finance experience. Xero or Sage Line 50 superuser who enjoys streamlining processes and building insightful dashboards. Comfortable in a standalone setting-organised, detail driven and proactive. Exposure to project/contract or manufacturing/assembly environments is helpful. Strong communication skills with the credibility to challenge and support non finance colleagues. Confident producing management accounts, cash flow forecasts and board ready packs. Right to work in the UK. Why join? Make a visible impact in an established, growing business delivering innovative solutions for blue chip customers. Autonomy to shape the finance function and implement best practice processes in Xero. Direct access to decision makers and genuine influence on performance, profitability and cash. What you need to do now If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career. Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays