Senior Finance Manager

Senior Finance ManagerLocation: ManchesterJob Type: Permanent, Full-TimeSalary: Competitive (Dependent on Experience) + Bonus

About the Opportunity

We are working with a well-established and growing organisation to recruit an experienced Senior Finance Manager to join their finance leadership team.

This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially minded qualified accountant to take ownership of financial reporting, planning and business partnering across multiple business areas. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality financial information, supporting strategic decision-making and driving continuous improvement across the finance function.

This role offers significant exposure to senior leadership, providing financial insight and challenge to operational stakeholders while leading and developing a high-performing finance team.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will be responsible for delivering accurate financial reporting, leading budgeting and forecasting processes, supporting statutory reporting requirements and acting as a trusted finance business partner across the organisation.

You will oversee a team within finance, ensuring high standards of financial control, reporting accuracy and continuous improvement while helping senior stakeholders understand business performance and identify opportunities for growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the financial planning, budgeting and forecasting processes across assigned business areas.
• Oversee the preparation and review of monthly management accounts and branch accounts.
• Analyse financial performance, providing clear commentary on variances, trends and key business drivers.
• Review gross profit performance, contractor margins and consultant productivity metrics.
• Validate client profitability reports, ensuring reconciliation with management accounts.
• Review financial submissions, challenging assumptions and ensuring accuracy.
• Produce financial reports and ad hoc analysis to support Managing Directors and senior leadership with commercial decision-making.
• Build strong relationships with operational stakeholders, providing commercial insight and financial guidance.
• Support non-finance managers in understanding key financial metrics including profitability, EBITDA, conversion ratios and productivity measures.
• Challenge forecasts and operational plans to ensure financial targets remain achievable.
• Ensure compliance with financial controls, company policies and governance requirements.
• Support the preparation of statutory accounts, audit files and annual reporting requirements.
• Assist with the delivery of the external audit process.
• Provide technical accounting guidance and support across the wider finance team.
• Identify opportunities to automate reporting, improve financial processes and drive efficiencies.
• Review and approve payments in line with company controls.
• Lead, coach and develop members of the finance team, supporting professional development and performance management.
• Conduct performance reviews, set objectives and promote a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Lead or contribute to finance transformation projects and wider business initiatives.

About You

We are looking for an experienced finance professional who combines strong technical accounting knowledge with excellent commercial awareness and leadership capability.

You will be comfortable partnering with senior stakeholders, challenging financial assumptions and presenting complex financial information in a clear and meaningful way.

You will ideally have:

CIMA qualified (or equivalent).

Minimum four years' post-qualification experience within a commercial finance environment.

Strong experience preparing and reviewing management accounts.

Extensive experience with budgeting, forecasting and financial planning.

Excellent financial analysis and business partnering skills.

Strong understanding of statutory reporting and audit processes.

Experience leading, mentoring and developing finance teams.

Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.

Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with exceptional attention to detail.

Advanced Excel skills and experience working with financial reporting systems.A proactive approach with a continuous improvement mindset.

What's on Offer?

Competitive salary dependent on experience.

Opportunity to join a growing and ambitious organisation.A varied and commercially focused leadership role.

Exposure to senior stakeholders and strategic business decisions.

Opportunity to lead finance improvement initiatives and projects.

Supportive working environment with opportunities for continued professional development.

Hybrid working options available.

If you are an experienced Finance Manager looking for your next leadership opportunity where you can influence business performance, develop a finance team and make a genuine commercial impact, we would love to hear from you.