Performance bonus,
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF POSITION:
This is a newly created role leading the finance function for a multi-entity group of manufacturing and distribution businesses. The Group Finance Director will own financial strategy, reporting, controls and compliance across the group, and act as a trusted business partner to the Managing Director and Board, providing accurate financial information, commercial insight and challenge to support profitability, cost control and sustainable growth.
The role is operationally engaged, working alongside Production, Operations, Purchasing, Sales and Supply Chain to understand and improve the financial performance of the manufacturing business, while building a high-performing finance team and the systems, structure and reporting the group needs for its next stage of growth.
CONTRACTED HOURS: Full time, 40 hours per week. Flexibility is required to meet demand
CONTRACTED TERM: Permanent
REPORTING TO: MD and Board of Directors as required
NUMBER OF DIRECT REPORTS: 4
NUMBER OF INDIRECT REPORTS: 16
LOCATION: West Bromwich
ENVIRONMENT: Hybrid with a strong requirement to be visible and engaged with the manufacturing operation.
Key Responsibilities & Performance Measures
Leadership & Strategy
- Lead the group finance function across all entities; develop and deliver the group financial strategy.
- Business partner to the Managing Director and Board; provide financial insight and challenge to support commercial decision-making, investment appraisal and growth initiatives.
- Ensure statutory and regulatory compliance across the group, including accounting standards, VAT, Corporation Tax, PAYE and financial policies.
Reporting & Planning
- Deliver accurate monthly management accounts and group consolidation to a defined timetable.
- Produce annual budgets, forecasts and cash flow projections; analyse performance against budget and forecast, and report profitability by entity, division and project.
- Present financial reports and KPIs to the Board.
Team Leadership
- Lead a finance team of 15 covering management accounts, payroll, accounts payable, credit control and transactional finance.
- Build structure, capability and succession within the team; own performance management, development and workload allocation.
Control, Cash & Treasury
- Maintain robust financial controls and balance sheet integrity across the group; manage the external audit process.
- Manage daily cash flow, forecast future cash requirements and optimise working capital; oversee banking relationships and financing facilities.
- Authorise payments in accordance with delegated authority levels.
Manufacturing & Commercial Finance
- Develop and maintain accurate product costing and manufacturing cost models; analyse actual costs against standards, budget and prior periods, and investigate variances.
- Take financial ownership of stock, WIP and working capital; improve stock accuracy and reduce slow-moving, obsolete and excess stock.
- Identify opportunities for margin improvement, cost reduction and efficiency across the group.
Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Champion continuous improvement across finance: streamline, automate and digitise processes while maintaining strong controls through change.
- Support the potential implementation of the group’s new sales system within the finance teams and assess its suitability from a finance perspective.
Other
- Oversee group insurance arrangements, business rates and R&D tax claims.
Initial Priorities (First 12 Months)
- Redesign the month-end close to deliver monthly management accounts to a fixed timetable, reducing both workload and delivery time.
- Establish a repeatable control structure — clear ownership, reconciliations and review points — so quality and delivery do not depend on specific individuals.
- Implement systems and reporting so key metrics (margin, stock, WIP, cash) are produced automatically each month rather than compiled on request.
Qualifications & Experience
- Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA) or qualified by experience with equivalent depth.
- Significant senior finance leadership experience within a manufacturing environment (essential).
- Multi-entity group experience, including consolidation and intercompany accounting.
- Demonstrable success in automating finance processes, with measurable improvements in efficiency, reporting speed and control.
- Strong track record across management accounts, budgeting and forecasting, cash flow management, payroll oversight and external audit.
Key Behavioural Competencies
- Strong commercial awareness and strategic thinking.
- Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder-influencing skills.
- High attention to detail with strong analytical ability.
- Decision-making under pressure; project management capability.
- Continuous improvement mindset.
Key Performance Indicators
- Monthly management accounts delivered to the agreed timetable.
- Budget and forecast accuracy within agreed tolerances.
- Cash flow performance and reduction in debtor days (DSO).
- Payroll accuracy (target 100%) and compliance with all statutory filing deadlines.
- Clean external audit outcomes with minimal recommendations.
- Delivery of the first-12-month priorities and ongoing improvement initiatives.
- Finance team engagement and development.
Benefits
- Private Healthcare
- Performance Bonus
- 25 days holiday + Bank holidays
*STRICTLY NO AGENCIES*
Pay: £100,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
- Work from home
Work Location: In person
