Finance Manager

Budgeting & Forecasting

• Prepare annual budgets in collaboration with the Directors and management.
• Produce regular financial forecasts and reforecasts throughout the financial year.
• Develop, maintain and monitor departmental budgets, supporting budget holders to understand, manage and remain accountable for their financial performance.
• Investigate budget variances and provide recommendations to improve financial performance.
• Assist with financial modelling to support business growth, acquisitions and new service developments.

Commercial Finance

• Support the Directors and CFO with commercial decision-making by providing financial analysis, modelling and recommendations.
• Prepare financial appraisals, business cases and costing models for new services, acquisitions, investments and commercial opportunities.
• Support the development and review of commercial pricing, ensuring services are financially sustainable, competitive and commercially viable.
• Analyse occupancy, staffing costs, commissioned hours, agency usage, payroll percentages and service profitability to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Monitor local authority contract income, private client income and commissioned hours, ensuring expected income is received and variances are investigated promptly.
• Support financial due diligence, business acquisitions and the financial integration of newly acquired businesses into the Group, ensuring commercial decisions are supported by robust financial analysis and insight.

Financial Operations

• Oversee payroll processes, ensuring accuracy and timely submission.
• Work closely with payroll providers to resolve payroll queries.
• Oversee purchase ledger, sales ledger and credit control functions.
• Manage the organisation's invoicing processes, ensuring local authority, private client and contractual invoices are raised accurately, reconciled promptly and income is received in accordance with contractual arrangements.
• Complete regular reconciliations across bank accounts, customer accounts, supplier accounts and balance sheet accounts.
• Monitor aged debt and support the timely collection of outstanding income.

Finance Systems & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the implementation, configuration and ongoing optimisation of the organisation's accounting software, including supporting the migration to Xero and ensuring successful adoption across the business.
• Identify, design and implement process improvements and automation opportunities to improve the efficiency, accuracy and scalability of the finance function.
• Develop and enhance reporting tools that improve financial visibility and reporting efficiency across the organisation.
• Continuously review finance systems and controls, implementing best practice improvements.
• Ensure finance systems remain robust, scalable and fit for purpose to support the organisation's continued growth.

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure compliance with statutory accounting requirements, Companies House obligations, HMRC regulations and internal financial policies.
• Ensure financial records, payroll records and statutory filings are maintained accurately and in accordance with legislative requirements.
• Assist with the preparation of statutory accounts alongside external accountants.
• Develop, review and maintain finance policies and procedures to ensure compliance with statutory and organisational requirements.
• Undertake any duties consistent with the overall purpose of the role as directed by Directors.

Requirements

• A recognised accountancy qualification (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or AAT Level 4).
• Previous experience in a Finance Manager, Management Accountant or similar finance leadership role.
• Strong experience producing monthly management accounts, budgets, forecasts and financial modelling.
• Experience managing invoicing, reconciliations, payroll oversight and cash flow.
• Demonstrable experience implementing or configuring Xero, leading finance systems migrations, and improving finance processes through automation and digital solutions.
• Experience developing management information (MI), dashboards and financial reporting to support commercial decision-making.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency using Xero and finance reporting systems.
• Strong understanding of management accounting principles, financial controls and commercial finance.
• Excellent analytical, organisational and communication skills, with the ability to present financial information clearly to both financial and non-financial stakeholders.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach with high levels of integrity, professionalism and attention to detail.
• The legal right to live and work in the UK.

Salary & Benefits

• Salary: £45,000–£50,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Company pension contribution.
• Comprehensive induction programme.
• Ongoing professional development and CPD opportunities.
• Genuine opportunities for career progression as the organisation continues to grow.
• Modern office environment with free on-site parking.
• Invitations to corporate events and internal recognition schemes.