Finance Manager- Tech, Buying and Operations

Job Introduction

Role Overview

As a Finance Manager, you'll be a key member of the Finance Team, delivering an end-to-end financial service covering planning, commercial analysis and management accounts. You'll be the primary finance contact for your business area, providing clear financial information alongside the commercial insight that drives real decisions.

You'll lead up to two Finance Analysts, taking responsibility for their day-to-day support, workload planning and professional growth. You'll be an engaged and motivating manager, enabling regular development conversations and providing on-the-job coaching in both technical and leadership skills. This role suits a qualified finance professional who is curious, confident and genuinely interested in how the business works.

Key Responsibilities

• Finance ownership of Tech, Buying and Operations (including Property) although, depending on business needs and focus, there may be opportunity to support in other areas.
• Identify and develop timely, relevant analysis that gives business partners real insight, helping them to manage their areas more profitably.
• Prepare business cases for investment decisions and complete post-investment reviews, considering broader business implications.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with business area leadership, monitoring risks and opportunities to the P&L and engaging stakeholders to manage them effectively.
• Complete cost/benefit analysis and identify opportunities to improve productivity and profitability.
• Deliver monthly management accounts, with robust variance analysis and a clear narrative on performance.
• Lead the budgeting, forecasting and long range planning process for your area, working under the broader direction of your Senior Finance Manager.
• Prepare and own balance sheet reconciliations, mapping complex processes and clearly articulating risks and opportunities to senior stakeholders.

Behaviours

• Relationship Building - develops effective relationships with business area leadership; creates collaborative, honest relationships with direct reports and Finance peers; builds connections across functions outside their immediate area.
• Challenge & Influence - works with business partners to clarify the drivers of financial performance; reviews analysis to form an independent point of view; actively manages risks and opportunities and ensures business partners have appropriate actions to address them.
• Communication - proactively communicates progress and impacts with stakeholders; adapts style and approach to the audience; presents financial information in a clear and engaging way to inform commercial decision-making.
• Responsiveness & Proactivity - earns the trust of business partners by acting honestly when expectations can't be met; advises on a broader range of issues; proactively reaches out to stakeholders and leads the agenda for meetings.
• Balance Sheet Accuracy - maps complex balance sheet processes and implications for monthly balances; articulates the reconciliation process to senior stakeholders; ensures accuracy of balance sheets prepared by self and team.
• Understanding the P&L - monitors risks and opportunities to the P&L; engages stakeholders to manage these effectively; works collaboratively with business partners to produce challenging and achievable plans.
• Financial Modelling & Presentation - builds simple, future-proofed models that handle complex scenarios; provides clear outputs with scenarios, sensitivities and recommendations; presents analysis clearly and concisely to stakeholders.

Skills & Experience

• Fully qualified accountant - CIMA, ACCA, ACA or international equivalent.
• Experience managing or mentoring a Finance Analyst is desirable.
• Strong commercial awareness, ideally in a fast-paced business environment.
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling skills; ability to build models from scratch that stand the test of time.
• Experience with financial systems and using AI technologies