Finance Manager

The Business

This manufacturing business has over 130 years' experience with billions in global revenue generated every year from well-known product lines that are consumed the world over. There are several sites in the UK responsible for production and distribution across the EU. Committed to sustainability and best-in-class production, you will work in a state-of-the-art site, the largest in the UK by some considerable margin.

The Role

As an Operational Finance Manager, you will be an integral part of the site SLT, leading the analysis and reporting of production for the site. The business is extremely cutting edge, with high expectations around daily factory reporting and weekly analysis (comparing actuals to budget across core metrics), eventually feeding into monthly reporting where you will be responsible for posting relevant journals and producing meaningful commentary.

In terms of daily and weekly reporting, the new system will issue highly detailed reports for each area of production. BOM's and standard costing have already been set with forecasted figures set for production cost (labour, materials, yield etc.), these are used as a benchmark for operational success. Daily reporting is used to track site performance (intake materials, labour deviation, volumes, yield deviation, packing etc.) allowing the Finance Manager to investigate discrepancies against budget and work with the site leadership team to highlight issues, discuss potential explanations, ensuring problems can be remedied promptly before the following day.

You will gain a lot of exposure to senior personnel, locally and internationally, playing a key role in daily meetings with the site SLT and across the wider European business. You'll also participate in regular meetings with HQ to present UK production numbers and answer questions regarding UK production. This provides a great opportunity for someone who is ambitious to develop their career through high-level exposure, within a safe environment given the level of support from your reporting manager and the wider business which is one of support and collaboration.

You will also manage a small team and will need to support their development as well as create a productive work environment ensuring they remain goal-oriented and on track in this fast-paced environment.

Specific Tasks

1. Daily and weekly reporting, investigating variances against standard across key metrics, working pro-actively with site operations team to identify and resolve issues.
2. Complete month-end reporting, ensuring all journals are posted and accurate, with insightful commentary around the accounts.
3. Management of a small team, supporting with their development and keeping them goal-oriented.
4. Become a 'Super user' for internal systems.
5. Support with the set-up of new products on internal systems.
6. Play a key role in annual budgets and quarterly rolling forecasts.
7. Mass balance sheet reconciliations for stock.

Requirements

1. Qualified, part qualified or QBE accountants will be considered.
2. Someone strong with Excel, possessing an ability to create and manage complex files.
3. Manufacturing experience is essential.
4. ERP system exposure, someone system savvy who can pick up new systems.
5. Experience working in a fast-paced environment.
6. Excellent written and verbal communication skills to colleagues, team members, and management.
7. Leadership qualities and ability to effectively manage a small team.

Benefits

1. Up to £60,000.
2. 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
3. Matched company pension scheme (5%).
4. Subsidised canteen on site.
5. Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave.
6. Well-being programmes, with free optional health care cash plans to cover your everyday healthcare costs.
7. Free onsite parking, Tea, Coffee.
8. Flexible start and finish times - 8-4:30 is standard but can start between 7-9 with corresponding finish times (to be agreed prior to commencement).
9. 5 days a week in office, initially. There is some flexibility to work from home 1 day per week once the site has reached BAU but currently, there is too much emphasis on daily reporting and working with site teams to be effectively working from home. However, at month-end it is okay to work from home for a few days.
10. Study support available.