Finance Director (Food Manufacturing)

D R Newitt & Associates; Manchester; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing FMCG Food Manufacturer in Manchester is seeking a Finance Director to provide financial oversight and strategic planning. The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with experience in manufacturing and managing small finance teams. This role offers a hands-on opportunity to drive change and improve profitability through financial strategies and operational collaboration.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading small finance teams.
• Hands-on experience in manufacturing and financial operations.
• Strong technical skills with a focus on data accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Manage all financial operations, including accounting and analysis.
• Develop and implement financial strategies aligned with business goals.
• Create and monitor budgets, providing accurate financial forecasts.
• Ensure compliance with financial regulations.

Skills

Financial Oversight

Strategic Planning

Cost Control

Strong analytical skills

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)

Tools

ERP/reporting systems

Job description

A growing FMCG Food Manufacturer in Manchester is currently recruiting a Finance Director to join their team. Reporting into the MD, this Finance Director will provide leadership, management, and development of a defined contract, ensuring financial and operational commitments are met and exceeded.

Hands-on experience in manufacturing operations, with a good understanding of cost structures and production finance, will be required as this role will be hands-on as well as strategic.

This role will be required to drive change, including evolvement, integration, and development of IT systems, as well as provide cover for the MD in his absence and require a proven track record in leading small finance teams, with a hands-on and supportive leadership style.

Finance Director Responsibilities:

• Financial Oversight: Manage all financial operations, including accounting, financial planning, and analysis.
• Partner with the Managing Director and leadership team to set and deliver growth strategy.
• Provide financial insight and challenge to support commercial decisions across all three sales channels.
• Work closely with the Operations and Production teams to understand and interpret operational data.
• Own product costings, ensuring Bills of Materials (BOM) and Standard Costs are accurate and maintained.
• Monitor ingredient, packaging, labour, and overhead costs to assess the impact of inflationary pressures.
• Strategic Planning: Develop and implement financial strategies aligned with the company's business goals.
• Budgeting and Forecasting: Create and monitor budgets, providing accurate financial forecasts to guide decision-making.
• Cost Control: Implement strategies to control costs and improve profitability within the manufacturing processes.
• Compliance: Ensure compliance with financial regulations and internal controls.
• Reporting: Prepare financial reports for senior management and external stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Work closely with other departments to integrate financial planning into overall operations.
• Take ownership and a hands-on role of the business's finance and ERP/reporting systems, ensuring they are fit for purpose, scalable, and well-integrated with operations and commercial functions.

You will ideally be a Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with demonstrable post-qualification experience and be time-served in a fast-paced FMCG Food Manufacturing environment.

You will have a proven track record in leading small finance teams, with a hands-on and supportive leadership style.

Strong technical skills combined with a process-driven, systems-minded approach and excellent analytical skills with a high level of attention to detail and a focus on data accuracy and integrity.