Due to aggressive growth plans,  a highly profitable, privately owned market leader is searching for a Finance Director to act as a trusted financial business partner to the Managing Director and provide financial transparency as the company continues to grow at an impressive rate.

The company is highly profitable, currently turning over approximately £70 million, with a strong presence across a diverse range of sectors. Given its innovative culture, the company plans to diversify and in turn increase the turnover by a further c40% over the next few years, whilst continuing to maintain a healthy profit margin.

Executing a deep dive analysis of every division, the Finance Director will make recommendations to the Managing Director to drive performance and will bring the necessary financial expertise and control, continually designing and implementing the required efficiencies, to ensure the business is as efficient as possible as it continues to diversify.

To achieve the aforementioned projected growth plan, it is essential that the company continues to be as innovative as possible. The Finance Director will be a true commercial advisor to the Managing Director, working closely to understand the current business and identify synergies to capitalise on new markets. The Finance Director will effectively assess the ‘risk versus opportunity’, producing robust business cases to back up any strategic decision, whilst bearing in mind that profit is key.

The Finance Director will also add significant value to the business by assessing the cost of service delivery, identifying operational weaknesses and ensuring future programs are as effective and efficient as possible to maximise margin.

It is imperative that the appointed individual to this newly created role immerses themselves in the business in order to set the appropriate Management Information packs and reporting systems to give true visibility and to drive future performance. It is also essential that the Finance Director builds exceptional relationships across the organisation, acting as a trusted advisor.

The Finance Director is a key member of Senior Leadership Team and will deliver in the following areas:

• Form a close working relationship with the Managing Director and wider Senior Leadership Team, formulating strategies to grow the business
• Provide leadership of the Finance and Accounting strategy, optimising the company’s financial performance
• Take overall responsibility for the company’s accounting function, lead and developing the finance team
• Contribute fully to the development of company strategy across all areas of the business, challenging assumptions and decision-making as appropriate and providing financial analysis and guidance on all activities, plans, targets and business drivers
• Ensure that company financial systems are robust, compliant and support current activities and future growth
• Creation and development of the monthly board pack, including the preparation and presentation of financial information, value-added commentary, KPIs reporting and analysis to help the board understand and drive performance
• Ensure corporate budgeting processes are carried out and reviewed
• Take ultimate responsibility for the company cash management policies and performance
• Ensure that the regulatory requirements of all statutory bodies are met
• Corporate finance activities, managing company policies regarding capital requirements, debt, taxation, as appropriate
• Establish a high level of credibility and develop positive working relationships with external parties including customers, suppliers, bankers and advisors

The position requires a qualified, commercially focused, high calibre financial leader with a proven track record of adding significant value in a fast moving and complex environment. It is essential that the successful candidate has the ability to positively influence at all levels within an organisation, coupled with a proven track record of positively impacting EBITDA. The individual should be strategically focused, but also very “hands-on” to ensure the accurate delivery of financial information.

It is highly likely the selected individual will have operated in an entrepreneurial complex business experiencing a similar journey of impressive growth. A proven track record of applying your commercial and technical capability to ensure the correct strategic decisions are made is also essential. You will be a driven individual with a passion for driving performance who carefully executes the risk versus opportunity equation.

The approach and behaviours of the appointed individual are just as important as their technical ability and day to day execution of their responsibilities. The Finance Director will be an approachable leader who will be act as an advisor to the business, offering the required commercial, operational and technical support.

For more information please email the retained advisor, Mark Lewis, on [email protected]