Finance Director

ZEAL Creative Limited; Manchester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

ZEAL Creative Limited is seeking a Finance Director to lead financial strategy and operations, ensuring long-term financial health and performance. The successful candidate will manage key financial processes, support strategic initiatives, and play a significant role in business success, engaging with C-suite leadership and fostering effective relationships.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

Annual company bonus scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Life Assurance

Continuous learning and development

Enhanced parental benefits

Additional time off

Christmas closure

Work from home budget

Dog friendly offices

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Finance Director.
• Experience in an advertising agency or SME.
• Confident negotiator and adept at solving problems.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day financial operations including budgeting and forecasting.
• Provide strategic financial support to company founders.
• Lead direct reports and champion a meaningful PDR programme.

Skills

Financial management

Negotiation

Strategic thinking

Relationship building

Leadership

Education

ACA, ACMA or CIMA qualified

Job description

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We are ZEAL, the UK’s most effective brand activation agency. We help the world’s biggest brands to engage, inspire and motivate consumers into action.

Our clients are some of the world’s largest FMCG retail brands. If having the chance to work with the likes of Lucozade, Ribena, Nestle, Kellogg’s, McCain, Carlsberg and other global brands sounds like the ideal day for you – then look no further than us!

We want to be the agency that all clients want to work with and just as importantly, the one that the best people in the industry want to join. Our principles around talent are simple - You bring your passion, creativity and drive and we invest in your training, long-term personal development and give you the resources you need to thrive.

We’re passionate about creating an inclusive place to work that celebrates and values diversity and inclusion, and ultimately enriches our culture.

Role in summary

As Finance Director you actively contribute to the achievement of ZEAL’s business objectives, providing direction and guidance on financial strategy to ensure the company’s long-term financial health. You ensure the company finances are safeguarded at all times, taking responsibility for delivering revenue reporting in the P&L, and supporting the business to minimise risk and maximise financial performance.

You’re an ideas generator, a strategic thinker who can play confidently at C-suite level, and importantly have the skills and drive to deliver impact in your area of expertise in line with our vision, mission and values.

What you’ll be doing:

• Day to Day Financial Management:
• Create meaningful financial KPIs for the business and provide high-quality management information and analysis as requested by the Founders and MDs, including the monthly Board pack
• Develop and execute the annual budgeting exercise in line with ZEAL’s commercial aspirations and vision
• On an agreed basis, review management accounts, journals, reconciliations, and cashbook
• Take an active role in managing cashflow, including a focus on credit control and roll out of a rolling 30-day cashflow forecast
• Provide leadership to Group Account Directors who are leading on the annual budgeting and forecasting process. Regularly review efficiency of work delivery and client profitability, making recommendations for improvement and leading identified initiatives
• Play a key role in our new business process, inputting to RFIs and RFPs and advising on the appropriate pricing model, including benchmarking fees on a regular basis
• Ensure that financial accounts are prepared, published and audited in accordance with relevant standards and to required timelines
• Review Quarterly VAT returns
• Oversee the delivery of year-end statutory accounts
• Review and approve audit files for annual audit
• Lead negotiations with suppliers and contractors
• Lead direct reports, championing them and delivering a meaningful PDR programme ensuring they have focused objectives. Identify learning/development areas to raise skills. Actively foster respectful, productive and supportive working relationships
• Strategic & Project Work:
  
  • Provide key strategic support to the Founders
  • Take a forensic approach to our numbers, Identifying key strategic financial projects that can be undertaken by the team and wider agency that will increase revenue, profitability or reduce cost
  • Work closely with the Operations Director to improve processes and efficiency and improve profit
  • Establish and develop relationships with key external partners, lawyers, insurance brokers etc
  • Regularly meet with the Board to review the status of selected corporate finance and related initiatives, identifying any issues and steps to resolve
  • Work closely with senior colleagues to regularly monitor progress on business plan deliverables, making appropriate adjustments to achieve success and control cost
  • Take a lead role in developing ZEAL’s reputation as world class player in our field, representing the Company at networking events and participating in building the ZEAL brand, profile and reputation
  • Continually monitor relevant current and future trends with respect to corporate finance and related functions

What you’ll bring to the role:

• ACA, ACMA or CIMA qualified
• Proven experience in the role of Finance Director
• Previous advertising agency or SME experience
• Confident negotiator and adept at solving problems
• An excellent relationship builder, leader, team player and people manager

How we reward you:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Annual company bonus scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Continuous learning and development
• Enhanced parental benefits

Additional benefits:

• The last Friday of every quarter is a Zeal Day off
• Christmas closure
• Work from home budget to help you achieve your dream set up
• Dog friendly offices
• A wealth of social events from our seasonal gatherings to our quarter review get-togethers

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