(Part-Time, 12 Month Fixed Term Contract – Maternity Cover)
Who We Are
Lean Tree is a growing technology consultancy helping organisations deliver digital transformation, technology change and business improvement.
We work with clients across both the public and private sectors, combining deep consulting expertise with a collaborative, people-first culture.
We’re a remote-first business that values flexibility, trust and continuous improvement. We’re looking for an experienced Head of Finance to join us on a 12-month maternity cover contract, ensuring our finance function continues to operate smoothly while providing accurate reporting, strong financial control and clear commercial insight.
The Role:
Location: Remote (UK) with occasional travel to our Norwich office (or office-based if preferred)
Contract: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Cover)
Hours: Approximately 20 hours per week. Some flexibility around critical payroll, payment and reporting deadlines may be required.
Reporting to: Managing Director
Proposed start date: Tuesday 22 September 2026
This is a senior, hands-on role with end-to-end ownership of Lean Tree’s finance function, from Xero administration, payroll and transactional oversight through to management reporting, forecasting, commercial analysis and financial control.
Supported by a Finance Assistant, you’ll remain close to the detail while working autonomously with the CEO, Managing Director, Senior Leadership Team and external advisers.
You’ll ensure the business has accurate financial information, effective cash and working-capital management, and robust, proportionate financial controls.
A handover period will be provided before the current Head of Finance commences maternity leave.
Key Responsibilities:
Financial Operations
- Take overall ownership of the day-to-day finance function and ensure all key deadlines are met.
- Oversee accounts payable, including invoice processing, approvals, supplier queries and payment runs.
- Oversee accounts receivable, including customer invoicing, credit control and the resolution of billing queries.
- Review work completed by the Finance Assistant, providing support, guidance and quality control.
- Ensure all transactions are accurately and promptly recorded in Xero.
Cash Flow & Treasury
- Maintain and regularly update the company’s short- and medium-term cash flow forecast.
- Monitor cash balances, expected receipts and upcoming supplier, payroll, tax and other payment commitments.
- Manage payment runs, banking activity, foreign-currency payments and currency requirements.
- Advise on the timing of significant payments, distributions and other cash commitments.
- Maintain appropriate controls over banking access, payment preparation and authorisation.
Month-End & Financial Reporting
- Own and manage the monthly financial close process.
- Prepare accurate and timely monthly management accounts, supporting schedules and financial commentary for the Senior Leadership Team.
- Maintain accurate accruals, prepayments, deferred income and revenue-recognition schedules.
- Manage bank reconciliations, balance sheet reconciliations and control accounts.
Forecasting & Budgeting
- Lead annual budgeting and monthly forecasting for revenue, direct and overhead costs, headcount and cash flow.
- Develop scenario analysis to support growth, recruitment and investment decisions where required.
- Support workforce, utilisation, project profitability and resource-planning analysis.
Commercial Finance
- Provide clear financial support and insight to non-finance stakeholders across the operational and consulting teams.
- Review project and customer profitability, margins, day rates and cost recovery.
- Support pricing, business cases, proposals and commercial decision-making.
- Monitor gross margin, utilisation and operating profitability.
- Support contract and Statement of Work reviews from a financial and commercial perspective.
Payroll & Employee-Related Finance
- Manage the monthly UK payroll process using Xero Payroll.
- Ensure payroll changes, starters, leavers, benefits, pensions and salary-sacrifice arrangements are accurately processed.
- Complete payroll reconciliations and arrange payroll and associated statutory payments.
- Ensure compliance with PAYE, National Insurance, pension and payroll-reporting requirements.
- Support year-end payroll processes, including P60s, benefits reporting and relevant HMRC submissions.
- Oversee employee expenses and ensure claims comply with company policy.
Tax & Statutory Compliance
- Prepare and submit UK VAT returns and maintain supporting VAT records.
- Coordinate corporation tax calculations, payments and information requests with external advisers.
- Support the preparation of annual statutory accounts with external advisers.
- Support Companies House, HMRC and other statutory reporting requirements.
- Ensure appropriate accounting records and supporting documentation are retained.
- Monitor relevant changes in financial, payroll and tax regulations.
UAE Branch
- Maintain accurate UAE branch accounting records and a clear, reconciled branch trial balance.
- Reconcile the UAE bank account, branch transactions and UK/UAE balances.
- Manage UAE payroll and related employee payments.
- Prepare and submit UAE VAT returns.
- Coordinate UAE corporate tax compliance and information requests with external advisers.
- Liaise with local advisers, banks and regulatory bodies as required.
Financial Controls, Systems & Processes
- Maintain and strengthen proportionate financial controls, policies and processes in line with the authorisation and controls matrix.
- Ensure segregation of duties, approval requirements and access controls are followed across Xero, payroll, banking and other finance systems.
- Identify and manage financial risks, control weaknesses and process gaps.
- Review finance processes and identify opportunities for improvement, simplification or automation.
- Support Lean Tree’s ISO and wider governance requirements where they relate to finance.
- Maintain clear process documentation and business-continuity information for critical finance activities.
Other Responsibilities
- Respond to ad hoc financial queries and analysis requests.
- Support senior leadership with strategic projects, investment decisions and business planning.
- Undertake other reasonable finance responsibilities appropriate to the role.
Behaviours & Capabilities:
We’re looking for someone who combines senior finance expertise with a collaborative, pragmatic and proactive approach. The successful candidate will demonstrate the following behaviours and capabilities:
Ownership & Accountability
- Takes full ownership of outcomes and operates confidently as Lean Tree’s principal finance contact.
- Works autonomously, manages competing deadlines and ensures critical processes are completed accurately and on time.
- Uses sound judgement to identify issues, make informed decisions and implement practical solutions.
Commercial Awareness
- Balances strong financial governance with the commercial needs of a growing consultancy.
- Uses financial insight to support pricing, investment, workforce and project decisions.
- Communicates risks, trends and opportunities clearly to senior and non-financial stakeholders.
Collaboration & Leadership
- Builds effective relationships across the business and works closely with the Senior Leadership Team.
- Supports, guides and quality-checks the work of the Finance Assistant.
- Works constructively with external advisers, banks, auditors and regulatory bodies.
Continuous Improvement
- Looks for practical opportunities to simplify, improve or automate finance processes and reporting.
- Strengthens controls and documentation in a proportionate, business-focused way.
- Embraces systems change and contributes positively to Lean Tree’s wider governance and continuous-improvement culture.
Adaptability & Resilience
- Remains calm, organised and dependable when priorities change or deadlines converge.
- Is willing to work across both transactional and strategic finance.
- Takes a positive, solutions-focused approach and remains approachable under pressure.
Knowledge & Experience:
Essential
- Professional accounting qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
- Experience in a senior finance role within a small or medium-sized business.
- Experience independently managing a broad finance function.
- Strong practical experience across accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, cash flow, management accounts, budgeting and forecasting.
- Advanced working knowledge of Xero and practical experience using Xero Payroll.
- Strong understanding of UK VAT, payroll taxes and general financial compliance.
- Experience preparing management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations and clear financial commentary.
- Experience managing or reviewing the work of junior finance team members.
- Strong Excel and financial-modelling skills.
- Excellent attention to detail, sound judgement and the ability to manage competing deadlines.
- Confidence communicating financial information to senior and non-financial stakeholders.
- · Comfortable working autonomously and taking full ownership of outcomes.
Desirable
- Experience within a consulting, professional-services or project-based business.
- Experience with revenue recognition, project accounting, utilisation and project-margin reporting.
- Experience managing finance activities across more than one jurisdiction.
- Previous experience of UAE bookkeeping, VAT, payroll or corporate tax.
- Experience supporting statutory accounts and corporation tax processes.
- Experience improving or automating finance processes.
- Experience of employee benefits, pensions, salary sacrifice and company-car arrangements.
- Experience working within an ISO-accredited or similarly controlled environment.
Values Alignment:
The successful candidate must consistently demonstrate behaviours that align with the company’s core values:
Teamwork: Works collaboratively, builds trust, and fosters an inclusive, high-performance culture.
Adaptability: Navigates uncertainty, embraces change, and continuously seeks improvement.
Drive: Takes ownership, delivers results, and thrives in a fast-paced, ambitious environment.
Integrity: Acts with honesty, transparency, and ethical responsibility in all decisions.
Commitment: Is dedicated to the business vision, takes responsibility, and sees challenges through to completion and on time.
Benefits:
- 25 days holiday allowance (plus bank holidays), pro rata
- Enhanced Employer Pension Contribution
- Private Health Insurance
- Life Insurance
Pay: £27,500.00-£30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Private medical insurance
- Work from home
Application question(s):
- The ideal working pattern is 5 days pw, 4 hours pd. Please confirm if this works for you or provide an alternative proposal of working days/hours.
Experience:
- Accountancy and Finance: 3 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- UK accountancy qualification (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Norwich NR2 1DX
