Head of Finance

Head of finance - Cheltenham - SME - Brilliant role and company - Potential equity scheme

About the Role

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic hands-on Head of Finance to lead our finance department, drive continuous improvements, and enhance financial intelligence to support business growth.

This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive finance professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys problem-solving, and is eager to influence high-level business decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor and develop the finance team, ensuring continuous learning and professional growth.
• Delegate routine tasks effectively to junior team members, allowing focus on strategic initiatives.
• Drive automation and efficiency improvements within finance operations.
• Assist the Finance Director and Board in shaping financial strategies and decision-making.

Financial Process Improvement & Automation

• Identify and implement process automation and system enhancements to improve business efficiency.
• Develop and maintain financial intelligence tools that enhance reporting accuracy and business insights.
• Transition regular reporting tasks into automated templates for efficiency and accuracy.
• Streamline financial workflows to reduce manual interventions and improve data accuracy.

Sales Ledger & Credit Control

• Oversee junior team members handling sales order entry and invoice processing.
• Monitor accuracy and completeness of sales invoicing, ensuring alignment with customer systems (Adquira, EE, SAP - training provided if required).
• Maintain and improve the company commercial tracker to ensure real-time visibility of financial data.
• Oversee credit control activities, ensuring timely collection of outstanding debts and preparation of a weekly credit control report for the Board.

Financial Reporting & Business Intelligence

• Produce and present weekly finance reports, including sales performance, deferred income, and managed resource summaries.
• Deliver financial insights at weekly planning meetings to support strategic decision-making.
• Work closely with the Finance Director and the Board to implement data-driven decision-making practices.

Bank Reconciliation & Supplier Ledger Management

• Reconcile bank accounts, with a primary focus on the sales ledger.
• Manage and reconcile the customer factoring account, processing funding requests as required.
• Oversee purchase ledger accounts for key suppliers, ensuring accurate invoice processing and reconciliation.
• Improve supplier account management processes to ensure efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Payroll & Employee Benefits Administration

• Oversee monthly time sheet summaries, TOIL balances, and payroll entries into Sage.
• Manage employee benefits, including health insurance and pension schemes.
• Implement efficiency improvements in payroll-related processes.

Ad Hoc & Strategic Finance Initiatives

• Support the Finance Director with high-level financial strategy and business planning.
• Generate ad hoc reports and insights for the Board and Finance Director.
• Continuously seek business improvement opportunities by analysing financial data and identifying cost-saving initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• Sage 50 or Xero:
  Minimum three years' experience in either system.
• Senior Finance Experience: At least two years in a senior finance role, with leadership responsibilities.
• Process Automation: Experience implementing finance process automation and efficiency improvements.
• Financial Reporting & Analysis: Proven ability to generate insightful financial reports that support business decisions.

Education & Certifications:

• ACCA/ACA/CIMA qualified or near completion.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced Excel (including Macros) and familiarity with Microsoft 365 (Word, Teams, SharePoint - training provided if needed).
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to business process improvements.

Why Join Us?

• Be a key player in a fast-growing, forward-thinking company.
• Opportunity to influence finance strategy and drive business transformation.
• Work in a collaborative, supportive, and innovation-driven environment.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

If you are a finance professional looking for a challenging yet rewarding role where you can make a real impact, we want to hear from you.
What you need to do now

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career. #