Finance Manager (010526/cj2) Ashford, England
Job Title: Finance Manager
Location: Ashford, Kent
Salary: £45,000 - £55,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Job Type: Full time/Permanent
We are looking for an experienced Finance Manager with manufacturing industry experience to lead financial operations, drive performance improvements and support strategic decision-making. This is an excellent opportunity for a hands‑on finance professional to take ownership of finance processes within a fast paced manufacturing environment.
Key responsibilities
* Lead month‑end and year‑end financial close, preparation of management accounts and statutory reporting
* Produce timely management reporting, variance analysis and KPI dashboards for senior leadership
* Oversee budgeting, forecasting and long‑range planning processes; drive rolling forecasts and scenario planning
* Manage cost accounting, product costing, inventory valuation and margin analysis in a manufacturing environment
* Implement and maintain robust financial controls, policies and compliance with accounting standards
* Support operational teams with financial analysis for pricing, production planning, process improvement and cost reduction initiatives
* Drive ERP and systems improvements, including enhancements to reporting, costing and process automation
* Other duties as assigned by the SLT
Skills and experience required
* Proven experience as a Finance Manager or senior finance role within the manufacturing industry (essential)
* Strong technical skills in cost accounting, inventory management and production costing
* Hands‑on experience with ERP systems and advanced Excel skills; experience with BI tools an advantage
* Solid understanding of budgeting, forecasting, cash management and statutory reporting
* Experience leading month‑end and year‑end close, and supporting external audits
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills; able to translate financial data into actionable insight for non‑finance audiences
* Experience managing and developing finance teams
* Professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) or relevant degree preferred
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