Finance Director

DW Recruit; Cumbernauld; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment company in the UK is seeking an experienced Finance Director to join their senior leadership team. The role involves overseeing financial management and control, collaborating with operational teams to drive profitability, and leading financial processes. Qualified accountants with a strong background in manufacturing, excellent analytical skills, and a hands-on leadership style are preferred. This position offers the chance to work in a dynamic environment with significant responsibilities in financial governance and people development.

Qualifications

• Strong background in manufacturing or engineering.
• Proven success leading finance in a multi-site SME environment.
• Deep understanding of stock/WIP, costing, pricing, and margin management.
• Commercially minded with excellent analytical and influencing skills.
• Demonstrable track record of delivering measurable financial improvements.
• Hands-on leadership style – equally comfortable on the shop floor or in the boardroom.

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior management to deliver profitable, sustainable growth.
• Lead annual budget, quarterly forecasts, and rolling cashflow processes.
• Oversee all statutory, audit, tax, and compliance requirements.
• Take full responsibility for the purchasing function and supplier performance management.
• Lead, coach, and develop the finance and purchasing teams.

Education

Qualified accountant (CA, ACCA, ACMA)

Tools

ERP - Progress Plus, Opera

Job description

Purpose of Role

The Finance Director is a key member of the Group's senior leadership team, responsible for the full financial management and control of the business.

They will go beyond traditional reporting, proactively driving profitability, efficiency, and cash generation through close collaboration with operational and commercial team members.

This role requires a hands‑on, commercially astute finance leader with a deep understanding of manufacturing dynamics, cost structures, and continuous improvement principles.

Core Responsibilities

1. Strategic Financial Leadership
   • Partner with the senior management and site leadership teams to deliver profitable, sustainable growth and achieve strategic targets.
   • Translate financial data into clear operational insights and actions.
   • Lead the annual budget, quarterly forecasts, and rolling cashflow processes.
   • Provide high-quality board reporting with analysis on trends, risks, and opportunities.
2. Operational & Commercial Partnership
   • Work closely with operations to maximise process efficiency, labour productivity, and material utilisation.
   • Drive cost‑reduction initiatives across production, logistics, and overheads.
   • Collaborate with sales and estimating teams to ensure accurate costing and margin discipline.
   • Support commercial negotiations with major customers using cost and volume data.
3. Purchasing & Supply Chain Ownership
   • Take full responsibility for the purchasing function, ensuring strategic sourcing, supplier performance management, and cost control.
   • Review supplier base and leverage group spend to negotiate improved terms.
   • Implement structured spend analysis, benchmarking, and category management.
   • Support sustainability and waste‑reduction initiatives (e.g., energy efficiency, ISO 14001 goals).
4. Financial Control & Governance
   • Oversee all statutory, audit, tax, and compliance requirements.
   • Maintain robust internal controls and ensure financial accuracy across sites.
   • Manage group cashflow, funding facilities, and working capital (debtors, creditors, stock, WIP).
   • Ensure systems and processes (e.g., ERP - Progress Plus, Opera) are accurate and integrated for timely reporting.
5. Leadership & People Development
   • Lead, coach, and develop the finance and purchasing teams to build a proactive, commercially aware culture.
   • Promote cross‑functional collaboration between finance, operations, and sales.
   • Champion continuous improvement and lean thinking within administrative and transactional processes.

Person Specification

Essential

• Qualified accountant (CA, ACCA, ACMA)
• Strong background in manufacturing or engineering.
• Proven success leading finance in a multi‑site SME environment.
• Deep understanding of stock/WIP, costing, pricing, and margin management.
• Commercially minded with excellent analytical and influencing skills.
• Demonstrable track record of delivering measurable financial improvements.
• Hands‑on leadership style – equally comfortable on the shop floor or in the boardroom.

Desirable

• Experience with ERP systems (Progress Plus, Opera, or similar).
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles.
• Experience managing purchasing and supply chain teams.
• Exposure to ISO 9001 / 14001 environments