Finance Director

Velstar; Leeds; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital agency in the UK is seeking a Finance Director to spearhead financial strategy, budgeting, and risk management. This senior role requires expertise in financial operations and excellent leadership skills to drive profitability and compliance. The ideal candidate has a proven track record in similar revenue-scale businesses and is proficient in AI-powered financial tools. This position reports directly to the CEO and involves cultivating a high-performing finance team.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Finance Director or similar role.
• Experience supporting a rapidly scaling business (£10M–£20M).
• Strong expertise in financial strategy and risk management.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial strategy, forecasting, budgeting, and risk management.
• Develop financial models and present insights to stakeholders.
• Oversee cash flow management and compliance with financial regulations.
• Drive automation across financial processes to enhance efficiency.

Skills

Financial strategy

Forecasting

Budgeting

Commercial finance

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

ACCA, CIMA, or ACA qualification

Tools

AI-powered financial automation tools

Job description

You’re our Finance Director. You’ll lead the financial strategy, forecasting, budgeting, and risk management of the business. As a senior leadership team member, you will ensure financial health, profitability, and sustainable growth while providing strategic insights to support data driven decision‑making.

This role requires strong financial acumen, commercial expertise, and leadership skills to optimise cash flow, profitability, and operational efficiency while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and governance best practices.

What your role looks like

Here’s an overview of your responsibilities and the tasks that you’re expected to do as part of your role:

Financial Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and maintain dynamic financial models to support scenario planning, investment decisions, and commercial strategy. Leverage data analytics tools to deliver actionable insights that guide revenue and margin growth.
• Present financial performance and strategic recommendations to investors, board members, and external stakeholders. Support capital raising efforts, due diligence, and shareholder communications.
• Identify and manage financial risks, ensuring long‑term financial stability.
• Develop a strong working relationship with the Executive Board

Revenue Growth & Profitability

• Drive profitability improvements by optimising cost structures and improving financial efficiencies.
• Monitor and enhance gross margin, operational costs, and revenue streams.
• Develop pricing models and financial frameworks to support commercial success delivering sustainable business growth and profitability
• Support M&A opportunities, investment planning, and business expansion initiatives.

Financial Operations & Compliance

• Oversee cash flow management, tax planning, and working capital optimisation.
• Ensure compliance with UK accounting standards and HMRC tax regulations.
• Lead annual audits and financial reporting, ensuring accuracy and regulatory adherence.
• Implement strong financial controls, governance, and risk management frameworks.
• Deliver a detailed financial board pack on a monthly basis to present to the exec board.

Process Optimisation & Technology Integration

• Drive automation and AI adoption across financial processes, optimising systems to reduce manual inefficiencies and improve accuracy.
• Establish robust financial forecasting, budgeting and scenario planning processes across all three business divisions.

Leadership & Team Development

• Build and develop a high‑performing finance team, ensuring strong succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including investors, auditors, and banks.
• Champion change management and culture development within the finance team and across the wider business during periods of rapid scale.

What we need from you

Essential:

• Proven experience as a Finance Director, Head of Finance, or equivalent role.
• Demonstrable experience supporting a rapidly scaling business, ideally at similar revenue stages (£10M–£20M).
• Strong expertise in financial strategy, forecasting, budgeting, and commercial finance.
• In‑depth knowledge of UK tax regulations, and corporate finance.
• Experience in financial risk management and governance.
• Ability to translate complex financial data into strategic business insights.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• ACCA, CIMA, or ACA qualification.

Preferred:

• Experience in e‑commerce, digital agencies, or technology‑driven businesses.
• Strong understanding of AI‑powered financial automation tools.

Reporting Structure

• Reports directly to the CEO
• Works closely with operations, account management and sales teams
• Directly manages Financial Controller