Assistant Finance Manager

Compass Group UK & Ireland; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading service provider in Birmingham is seeking an Assistant Finance Manager to strengthen business partnerships and provide financial support for various operations. The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with experience in a multi-site organization, capable of delivering financial analysis and managing stakeholder relationships effectively. The role promises opportunities for growth and contribution to sustained commercial success.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

Career development programs

Healthcare benefits

Travel discounts

Shopping discounts

Cash rewards

Wellness classes

Qualifications

• Experience in accounting roles within a multi-site large organisation.
• Ability to deliver sound financial information to non-finance professionals.
• History of training and mentoring junior staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide finance support during the integration of new business.
• Deliver financial analysis for monthly reviews.
• Lead relationships with key stakeholders.

Skills

Qualified Accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA)

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Education

Relevant accounting degree

Tools

Excel

SAP

Cognos

Job description

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Job Introduction

Job Title

Assistant Finance Manager

Responsible to

Finance Manager

Location

Parklands

Department

Finance

This role profile is a guide to the work you will initially be required to undertake. It may be changed from time to time to incorporate changing circumstances. It does not form part of your contract of employment.

Overall Purpose of the Role

This role sits within Chartwells - States schools reporting directly into the Finance Manager. As an Assistant Finance Manager, you will play a key role in Business Partnering a Head of Operations, being responsible for the key contracts in that region (c£25m ARO). You will perform an influential and high-profile role delivering financial and commercial support to this allocated Business sector. Through effective business partnering, the role will continually improve service levels, cost effectiveness and add value to commercial activities undertaken.

Chartwells State Schools have been through a transformation over the last 12 months and that has seen a positive impact on both financial performance and the use and availability of data through the integration of the Chartwells Dashboard. We are looking for an ambitious individual who is looking to grow alongside supporting the sectors targets, as we continue to grow and evolve.

Key Accountabilities

PURPOSE: Commercial Support

• Responsible for providing finance support in the transition of a large piece of new business as the operations team integrate to Compass systems and processes
• Business Partner key stakeholders (financial and non-financial) ensuring strong commercial and operational decision making, managing financial risks and opportunities
• Attend and actively contribute to designated site and client meetings
• Delivering proactive ad-hoc financial analysis with summarised findings to support business unit decision making
• Understand and manage the financial risks and opportunities arising from volumetric and other contract mechanisms - and ongoing business performance
• Understand, highlight and manage the financial risks and opportunities arising from balance sheet maintenance

PERFORMANCE

• Deliver analysis of key business reporting such as month end reports, business reviews, client reports, budgets, cash analysis and other ad-hoc analysis to be discussed at monthly review.
• Assist in training of operational teams in the use of business reporting to understand and improve their financial performance
• Monthly balance sheet review for area of responsibility, escalating key risks/ opportunities to senior stakeholders.
• Promote working capital improvements through timely, accurate contract billing and active management of debt ledgers
• Support with the budgeting and forecasting process by consolidating the budget, understanding variances and preparing the budget presentation for senior stakeholders
• Monitoring initiative delivery plan, challenging operational teams where there is a risk to achievement and highlighting to senior stakeholders
• Preparation & analysis of documentation for client tenders, negotiations and capital expenditure appraisals
• Support operational teams with understanding actions required on mobilisation and ensure that these are executed in line with timetable
• You will ensure health and safety of all colleagues within the business and report any incidents via the approved company processes

PEOPLE: Relationship Management

• Working effectively as part of a team
• Building relationships with key stakeholders
• Supervision and development of junior team members, supporting their career progression while focusing on client service, ensure adequate business partnering and commercial knowledge

Candidate Requirements: Key Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential:

• Qualified Accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) with varied experience in accounting roles
• Industry experience gained within a multi-site multi-contract complex organisation
• Experience of management accounting inclusive of accounting adjustments, producing reports/analysis to support commercial decision making
• Analytical and with a high level of attention to detail
• Experience of business partnering non-finance professionals to support the delivery of sound financial information

Desirable:

• Experience of training and mentoring junior team members
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment
• Excel Macros and VBA
• Experience of SAP and Cognos as analysis and reporting tools

Performance Standards

• Excellent communication skills - ability to communicate oral and written information concisely and logically - to both finance and non-finance people
• Pro-active and energetic approach
• Ability to analyse and evaluate information concisely
• Excellent interpersonal skills with proven ability to influence internal and external parties
• Self-motivated with an ability to effectively plan and organise own work
• Ability to take on a broad spectrum of work under pressure and to deliver in agreed timescales

Leadership behaviours

• Communication - ability to manage, develop and lead peers
• Can Do - Finds new / quicker ways of meeting goals, shows conviction in own judgement and decisions, responds quickly under pressure and overcomes hurdles to achieve targets
• Share Success - Provides task related feedback to do the job effectively and provides excellent service. Delegates tasks to develop others
• Passion for Quality - Sets demanding performance expectations, sets priorities to maximise benefits, tracks the commercial implications of a situation in a step by step way
• Win through Teamwork - Pursues friendly relationships with colleagues and clients, makes contact with colleagues across the organisation and shares own knowledge and insight and displays a high level of energy and commitment to the role and organisation

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, Chartwells is the leading provider of catering and support services to the education sector. For over a quarter of a century, Chartwells has been focusing on helping those in education to build strong bodies, sharp minds and lead long healthy lives. Every week, Chartwells serves millions of nutritious and delicious meals to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools, academies, independent schools, colleges, and universities across the UK. Chartwells is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to successfully completing pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and a Children's Barred List check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and we ask applicants to declare all previous convictions and cautions in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

Job Reference: com/1407/128200/52750158/SU #State Schools

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!