Finance Manager

Artis Recruitment Ltd; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Artis Recruitment Ltd is partnering with a manufacturing business on the outskirts of Cardiff to appoint an experienced Finance Manager. You will lead day-to-day finance activities, partner with operations and drive commercial insight across cost accounting, product costing and fixed assets.

The role suits a qualified or nearly qualified accountant with strong technical accounting knowledge, business partnering and the ability to translate financial information into practical actions.

Qualifications

• Qualified or nearly qualified accountant with strong cost accounting experience.
• Able to translate financial information into practical commercial insight.
• Experience in a manufacturing environment and with production costs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day finance activities.
• Own cost accounting, including product costing and variances.
• Provide analysis of production costs, margins and performance.
• Maintain fixed asset register and capex reporting.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and month-end processes.
• Prepare management accounts and financial reporting.
• Analyze variances against budget and forecast; drive improvements.
• Partner with operational managers to improve cost control and performance.
• Monitor capital expenditure against approved budgets.

Skills

Cost accounting

Financial analysis

Business partnering

Budgeting

Forecasting

Management accounting

Stakeholder engagement

Cost control

Education

Qualified or near-qualified accountant (ACCA/CIMA/ACA)

Tools

ERP software

MS Excel

Costing software

Job description

We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Finance Manager to join a manufacturing business on the outskirts of Cardiff and play a key role in supporting both the finance function and the operational teams.

This is a hands‑on role suited to a qualified or nearly qualified accountant who combines strong technical accounting knowledge with excellent commercial and business partnering skills. You will work closely with colleagues across manufacturing, production, procurement and other operational areas, helping them understand financial performance and make better‑informed business decisions. A strong understanding of cost accounting and fixed assets is required together with the ability to translate financial information into meaningful commercial insight. Day to day responsibilities will include:

• Lead and manage the day‑to‑day finance activities
• Own and develop cost accounting, including product costing, manufacturing variances, labour and overhead analysis.
• Provide clear analysis of production costs, margins and operational performance.
• Manage and maintain the fixed asset register, including additions, disposals, depreciation and capital expenditure reporting.
• Support the budgeting, forecasting and month‑end processes.
• Prepare accurate and insightful management accounts and financial reporting.
• Analyse variances against budget and forecast, identifying key drivers and areas for improvement.
• Partner closely with operational managers to improve cost control, productivity and financial performance.
• Support capital investment proposals and monitor expenditure against approved budgets.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, controls and financial reporting.

Most importantly you will be someone who can get out from behind the desk and engage with the operation. You will be comfortable talking to production and operational colleagues, understanding what is driving performance and translating financial information into practical actions. You will be curious, commercially aware and confident enough to challenge constructively, while building trusted relationships across the business.

If you are a qualified or nearly qualified accountant with strong cost accounting experience and enjoy working closely with operational teams we’d love to hear from you.