Finance Analyst

Michael Page; Wirral; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Dynamic working environment

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Michael Page is seeking a Finance Analyst to join a market-leading international manufacturing business near the Wirral. You will deliver detailed manufacturing cost and profitability analysis and support decision-making across a complex environment.

You will engage with senior leadership and operations teams, perform variance analysis, budgets and forecasts, and contribute to long-range financial planning and capital evaluations. A strong costing background and ERP experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• Manufacturing/industrial sector experience essential.
• Strong costing, variance analysis and reporting skills.
• Able to translate data into actionable business insight.
• Advanced MS Excel skills; experience with ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Produce detailed manufacturing performance analysis across labour, materials, overheads.
• Monitor product profitability and cost of sales across lines.
• Support month-end, variance analyses vs budget/forecast.
• Analyse inventory, stock movements and working capital trends.
• Develop KPIs to support operations decisions.
• Partner with Production and Supply Chain to identify efficiencies and cost reductions.
• Prepare business cases and financial evaluations for capex.

Skills

Advanced Excel

ERP systems

Variance analysis

Manufacturing finance

Commercial insight

Education

CIMA/ACCA/ACA (or by experience)

Tools

ERP software

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a commercially focused Finance Analyst to join a market-leading international manufacturing business near the Wirral, operating within a highly specialised and rapidly growing sector. This organisation is experiencing significant investment and expansion following a major strategic transaction.

Client Details

This is a high-visibility role offering exposure to senior leadership, operational stakeholders and key strategic projects. You'll be instrumental in providing financial insight, driving performance and supporting business decision-making across a complex manufacturing environment.

Description

The key responsibilities of the Finance Analyst include:

• Producing detailed manufacturing performance analysis, including labour, material, overhead and production cost reporting
• Monitoring product profitability, margins and cost of sales performance across multiple product lines
• Supporting month-end processes, providing variance analysis against budget, forecast and prior year performance
• Analysing inventory, stock movements, slow-moving stock and working capital trends
• Developing and maintaining manufacturing KPIsKPIs to support operational decision-making
• Partnering with Production, Supply Chain and Operations teams to identify efficiencies and cost reduction opportunities
• Performing detailed analysis of raw material costs, yields, scrap rates and production variances
• Supporting annual budgets, quarterly forecasts and long-range financial planning processes
• Preparing business cases and financial evaluations for capital expenditure and investment projects
• Delivering customer, product and market profitability analysis to support commercial decision-making
• Supporting pricing reviews through margin analysis and commercial modelling
• Producing financial models and scenario analysis to evaluate business risks and opportunities
• Assisting with continuous improvement initiatives, helping drive enhanced reporting and data visibility across the business
• Working closely with senior management to provide insight into operational performance and strategic growth initiatives

Profile

A successful Finance Analyst should have:

• Experience within a manufacturing, engineering, process, chemical or industrial business
• Strong understanding of standard costing, variance analysis and manufacturing finance principles
• Commercially minded with the ability to translate data into actionable business insight
• Advanced Excel skills and experience working with ERPERP systems
• Confident working with both finance and non-finance stakeholders
• Part-qualified, finalist or qualified CIMACIMA, ACCAACCA or ACAACA (or qualified by experience)

Job Offer

This is an ideal opportunity for somebody who enjoys getting beyond the numbers and truly understanding how a manufacturing business operates. You'll have exposure to everything from production performance and inventory management through to commercial profitability, strategic investment projects and operational improvement initiatives, giving you a genuine seat at the table rather than producing reports from the sidelines.

Benefits include:

• Competitive salary
• Dynamic working
• Huge commercial exposure and growth opportunities
• Fantastic supportive & commercial leadership