Finance Director

Handpicked Recruitment; England; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy group in East Sussex is seeking a Finance Director to shape financial strategy and oversee governance and performance management. The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with 5–7 years of senior finance leadership experience, capable of driving value creation in a fast-paced environment. This role offers a competitive salary and hybrid working options.

Benefits

Discretionary bonus

Wider benefits

Qualifications

• Experience in senior finance leadership roles within PE-backed organisations.
• Proven ability to manage finance in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent influencing skills at Board level.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Board and Executive Chairman on strategic projects.
• Review and enhance finance and operational processes.
• Deliver timely financial management information.
• Lead budget and forecasting cycles with variance analysis.
• Ensure statutory and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Strong academic background

Stakeholder management skills

Advanced Excel skills

Financial reporting expertise

Commercial analysis

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CPA or equivalent)

5–7 years’ post-qualification experience

Tools

Sage Line50

Job description

Title: Finance Director

Location: East Sussex – Hybrid working options

Salary: £120,000 – £140,000, plus discretionary bonus & wider benefits

Our client, a PE-backed consultancy group with a strong international footprint, is seeking a Finance Director to join their East Sussex office. This is a pivotal leadership role within the finance function, reporting directly to the Executive Chairman, and will play a critical part in shaping financial strategy, governance, and performance management across the group.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Board and Executive Chairman on strategic and corporate projects, driving value creation across the group
• Review and enhance finance, sales, operational processes, and information systems to ensure robust, scalable, and effective reporting and controls
• Develop and implement an improved financial reporting framework, including IT system enhancements to support business growth
• Manage relationships with external stakeholders, including banks, auditors, investors, and shareholders
• Deliver accurate, timely, and insightful financial management information for the Board and senior leadership team
• Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting cycles, including variance analysis and performance reporting
• Provide commercial support on strategic decision-making, including pipeline analysis, pricing, and margin optimisation
• Oversee statutory and regulatory compliance, including audit, HMRC (CT, VAT, PAYE/NI), and Companies House filings
• Drive effective working capital and cash flow management, monitoring receivables, supplier terms, and purchasing commitments
• Lead and develop core support functions including HR (payroll, PAYE/NI) and IT (team of 2), ensuring systems and processes align with business strategy
• Rapidly gain in-depth knowledge of the group’s operations, contracts, and supply chain to ensure robust controls and accurate financial representation

Role Requirements

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CPA or equivalent)
• Strong academic background with 5–7 years’ post-qualification experience in senior finance leadership roles, ideally within services/technology or PE-backed organisations
• Proven ability to manage finance in a fast‑paced, entrepreneurial environment, with hands‑on involvement where required
• Strong technical expertise in financial reporting, compliance, and commercial analysis
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at Board level
• High level of computer literacy, with advanced Excel and reporting skills (experience with Sage Line50 advantageous)
• Strategic mindset combined with a proactive, detail‑oriented, and results‑driven approach