Sowena Group
Finance Manager
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Job Title: Finance Manager
Location: Preston (3-4 days in the office)
Salary: £60,000-£65,000
Reports to: Finance Director
Sowena Group is proud to be exclusively partnered with a fast-growing, PE backed business to appoint a technically strong Finance Manager. This is a rare opportunity to step into a high-impact, development-focused role at the centre of a scaling finance function.
About the Role
This is not a traditional Finance Manager position. It's a hands-on, build-and-improve role designed for a high-potential finance professional ready to take ownership of core financial operations while helping shape a modern, scalable finance function.
Working closely with the Finance Director, you will play a critical role in strengthening financial control, improving reporting quality and enhancing processes and systems across the business. The finance function sits at the heart of Business Operations, working closely with Data, Systems and Commercial teams to drive visibility and performance. Over time, this role will develop into a highly autonomous leadership position and a key support to the Finance Director.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Control & Reporting
- Own the integrity of the balance sheet across all entities
- Review and challenge key balance sheet reconciliations
- Support strong financial controls and reporting discipline across the group
- Lead the month-end close process and timetable
- Ensure timely, accurate and consistent reporting across all entities
- Review management accounts outputs including journals, accruals and prepayments
- Support production of board and investor reporting alongside the Finance Director
- Support delivery of annual audit process and act as a key contact for external auditors
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Team Leadership & Operational Support
- Motivate, support and develop the finance team
- Create greater structure, accountability and consistency across finance operations
- Provide oversight and quality control across reporting outputs
- Partner with operational and data teams to improve visibility and decision-making
- Support capability development across the wider finance function
Systems, Processes & Controls
- Drive improvements in finance processes, automation and reporting efficiency
- Improve documentation, controls and month-end consistency
- Identify gaps in reporting, controls and operational effectiveness
- Support integration between finance and data-led reporting tools
- Help build scalable finance processes capable of supporting continued business growth
Cashflow & Commercial Support
- Support oversight of cashflow and working capital management
- Review key balance sheet areas including accruals, prepayments and provisions
- Support forecasting and operational performance analysis
- Work closely with the Finance Director on operational finance and commercial initiatives
About You
We are looking for a technically strong, ambitious finance professional who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
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Candidate Profile:
- ACA / ACCA qualification
- Strong grounding in financial accounting, controls and month-end
- Experience in SME, high-growth or PE-backed environments (preferred)
- Exposure to audit and/or group accounting (beneficial)
- Experience at Financial Accountant, Financial Reporting Manager or Finance Manager level
- Highly ambitious with a strong desire to build and improve
- Hands-on and comfortable working in detail when needed
- Ownership-driven with a strong sense of accountability
- Commercially aware and curious about business performance
- Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, evolving business
What’s on Offer
This is a unique opportunity to join a scaling, investor-backed business where you will have:
- Broad exposure across the full finance function
- Direct access to Finance Director, CEO and investors
- Involvement in operational and strategic initiatives
- Real influence over processes, controls and systems
- A clear pathway toward greater autonomy and leadership
- The chance to help shape a modern finance function
Why This Role?
This role is built for someone who wants breadth, ownership and progression, not a narrow or siloed finance position. You will be joining at a pivotal point in the business’s growth, where your impact on finance operations, reporting and systems will be both visible and meaningful.
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