Commercial Finance Director (Water, Land and Environmental Services)

APEM; Chester; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental consultancy in the UK seeks a Commercial Finance Director to drive financial strategy and support commercial growth. This senior role involves working closely with leadership to enhance forecasting and integrate projects within a rapidly scaling business. Ideal candidates will have significant financial leadership experience and be comfortable in hybrid working environments.

Benefits

Flexible hours

Hybrid working

Support for personal development

Qualifications

• Proven track record of budget ownership and P&L responsibility.
• Experience leading transformational change.
• Ability to simplify financial information for non-financial leaders.

Responsibilities

• Shape the financial and commercial future of the business.
• Deliver sharper forecasting and financial discipline.
• Guide complex integration projects and build operational resilience.

Skills

Qualified Accountant status (ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent)

Significant financial leadership experience

Strong communication and presentation skills

Experience in forecasting and financial modelling

Tools

Excel

Power BI

Job description

About The Role

Are you an experienced finance leader with a passion for driving commercial growth? Do you thrive in high-growth, complex environments where financial insight shapes strategic decisions? Do you have a background in a people focussed business, such as professional services or consulting? Are you ready to play a pivotal role in a mission-driven consultancy making a global impact on the environment?

At APEM Group, we are a world-class environmental consultancy combining pioneering remote sensing technology, industry-leading laboratories, field survey specialists and environmental consultants with deep expertise. Since 2019, we’ve grown from 160 colleagues to nearly 1,000, expanded across three countries, and increased revenues tenfold. Now, as part of the global Applus+ Group, we are entering the next phase of our journey — building a consulting division with international reach, influence, and impact.

We’re seeking a Commercial Finance Director to join our Water, Land and Environmental Services (WLES) leadership team at a truly exciting time. This senior role will shape the financial and commercial future of a rapidly scaling, mission-driven business. You’ll work closely with the WLES Managing Director and our Global CFO, acting as a trusted partner who can deliver sharper forecasting, stronger financial discipline, and greater commercial confidence across the division.

APEM are a remote first organisation allowing your flexibility to work from home for most of your time. Our Leadership team and finance team are based in South Manchester, therefore we would expect you to be in the office once a week on average, so we have a strong preference for someone based in North West England/West Yorkshire.

This is not just a finance role; it’s an opportunity to influence strategy at the highest levels. You’ll be a driving force behind ambitious but sustainable growth, embedding a culture of accountability and insight-led decision making. You’ll play a key part in guiding complex integration projects, building resilience into our operations, and ensuring we achieve more together as a united, high-performing Group.

You’ll need to bring

• Qualified Accountant status (ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent)
• Significant financial leadership experience, ideally within consultancy or project-based businesses
• A proven track record of budget ownership, business partnering, and full P&L responsibility
• Strong experience in forecasting, scenario planning and financial modelling
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to simplify financial information for non-financial leaders
• Experience leading transformational change and embedding new ways of working

It’s a bonus if you have

• Experience in M&A and integration projects
• A background in high-growth, matrixed organisations
• Experience in treasury, cash management, and operational finance
• Ability to use advanced data analytics (Excel, Power BI) to deliver actionable insights

At APEM, we combine technical excellence with flexibility and balance. Our Ways of Working (WOW) reflect our commitment to supporting our people, whether through flexible hours, hybrid working, or supporting personal development. You’ll find an environment where you can grow as a leader, influence real-world change, and be part of a team helping to guide the global environmental transition.

Next steps

We are focused on creating a diverse and inclusive team. If you can’t tick every box on our job description, then we are still keen to hear from you and are open to supporting your development. That may be working part time or supporting you to gain experience in a specific area – we are a growing company and are able to adapt roles to reflect individual skills.

If you think you have what it takes to join our fast-growing business, please apply immediately on our website. All we need is some basic information and your CV; we will review all applications quickly and respond to all applications.

About Us

The APEM Group is a global environmental consultancy. We work with a range of clients including large corporations and governments to help them understand and solve a wide variety of environmental projects in the UK and globally. Our successful pioneering work has enabled us to grow and combine forces with other businesses who share our ethos and integrity. At our core, our people are working towards the protection of the environment across the globe.