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Job Description
At Optimised, we help organisations take control of energy, utilities and sustainability performance - reducing cost, carbon and operational complexity at scale.
We’re looking for an ambitious Finance Director to take ownership of our broad, commercially important finance function and play a pivotal role in the next stage of our growth.
As a member of our Executive Leadership Team, you’ll partner directly with our CEO while leading and developing a capable finance team. You’ll ensure we have strong financial control, robust reporting and early visibility of the issues and opportunities that matter.
Alongside running an efficient, high-performing finance function, you’ll help shape the future of the business. From managing our banking relationship and supporting future investment activity to integrating acquisitions and strengthening the financial foundations of a growing Group, you’ll influence both strategy and execution.
If you’re looking for a role that combines hands-on leadership with genuine commercial influence, and where your own career can grow alongside the business, we’d love to hear from you.
We know great candidates don’t always tick every box. If you’re excited by this opportunity, share our purpose and believe you have the capability and ambition to succeed, we encourage you to apply.
Why join Optimised?
We’re not just another consultancy.
As a certified B Corp, we combine commercial performance with genuine environmental impact - helping organisations reduce energy consumption, control utility spend and accelerate decarbonisation.
With offices across the UK, this is an exciting opportunity to join a business with strong momentum, ambitious plans and a clear purpose.
Our solutions span:
- Utility Management
- Net Zero Reporting & Sustainability
- Energy Management, Data & Performance
We work closely with clients to deliver measurable operational and financial outcomes - not just reports and recommendations.
Key responsibilities
Executive Leadership Team
- Sit as a full member of an ambitious Executive Leadership Team contributing to strategy and challenge across the whole business, not just finance.
- Support the CEO in building the culture the business needs for its next stage, leading through openness, consistency and trust rather than hierarchy or title.
- Bring energy and pace to a scaling business, remaining comfortable operating hands-on when needed.
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Investment and M&A
- Support the CEO and the Group's external advisers on future fundraising as required, helping produce investor-grade numbers and models.
- Support financial due diligence and integration work on bolt-on acquisitions as they arise, working within the Group's M&A evaluation framework.
Banking, treasury and covenant management
- Manage the relationship with our lending partner, ensuring covenant and facility reporting is accurate and timely and that any concerns are identified early.
- Manage Group cash flow and treasury, giving the ELT early visibility of funding needs and financial risk rather than surprises.
Financial precision and control
- Own the monthly close, management accounts and board pack.
- Take ownership of the financial controls, systems and processes that keep reporting accurate as the Group grows through organic growth and acquisition.
- Drive month-end discipline and continuous improvement in close speed and reporting quality.
- Ensure statutory accounts, tax and compliance filings are accurate and on time.
- Lead the annual audit to a clean, efficient close.
- Build robust financial models and forecasts (budget, 3-year plan, rolling forecast) that hold up under scrutiny from lenders, investors and the Board.
Communication and People Leadership
- Lead, coach and develop a finance team of five, including direct day-to-day mentoring of our two management accountants, building a structure that scales with the business.
- Create a “no surprises” reporting culture built on genuine relationships with budget holders, not just accurate spreadsheets.
- Explain financial performance in plain terms that operational, commercial and technical colleagues actually understand and act on.
- Be visible and present across the business, building the same trust with team leads that the role requires with the Board and lenders.
What you’ll bring
- Recognised accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
- Demonstrable experience managing a complex finance function, with either broad commercial leadership responsibility or the ambition and capability to step into it. Prior FD experience is not essential, but you’ll need the technical rigour, judgement and independence to operate with significant autonomy without daily senior finance oversight.
- Some exposure to lender relationships, debt covenants or treasury would be beneficial but is not essential.
- M&A experience, or exposure to due diligence, valuation and post-deal integration of bolt-on acquisitions would be desirable, but not essential.
- Demonstrable experience leading, coaching and developing a finance team, ideally including junior or part-qualified accountants directly.
- Strong technical control and process discipline - comfortable owning systems and month-end rigour.
- Highly self-sufficient and resourceful, with the confidence to operate independently and make sound commercial judgements.
- A clear, genuine ambition to grow with the business over time, with the drive to build the commercial and strategic skills that requires.
- A naturally collaborative operating style; comfortable as a peer among an ambitious leadership team rather than leading by seniority alone.
- A communicator first: an inclusive style that lands with our workforce and translates into a story non-finance colleagues engage with.
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to build credibility quickly, influence senior stakeholders and foster alignment across teams and functions.
- Genuine interest in Optimised's mission around decarbonisation and climate impact, not just the finance brief.
- An open and approachable manner, backed up by high moral and ethical standards.
- Proactive attitude that brings drive, energy and passion to the role.
- Eligibility to work in the UK.
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Benefits
As well as our values-led and inclusive culture, we also have a great benefits package:
- Car allowance
- 25 days annual leave increasing to 28 days with length of service (+ bank holidays)
- Option to buy / sell up to 3 days holiday each year
- Contributory pension scheme (5% matched)
- Life insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Enhanced family leave policies
- Award-winning employee assistance helpline and online GP service
- Cycle to work and EV car scheme
- Annual railcard
- Annual flu jab and eye test
- A professional development and sustainability allowance
- Two sustainable holiday travel days
- One paid volunteering day each year for a charity of your choice
- Up to one professional membership fee paid for by the Company each year
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