Finance Manager

Vanilla Recruitment; Market Harborough; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Paid parking

25 days holiday + Bank Holidays

Statutory pension scheme

Discretionary bonus scheme

Job summary

Vanilla Recruitment is assisting a well-established Market Harborough-based creative services SME to recruit a Finance Manager who will own the finance function and HR duties, partnering with senior leadership to drive commercial performance and strategic decision-making.

The role covers finance, forecasting, reporting and business support in a fast-paced, project-led environment. It is standalone Finance/HR, with hybrid working (2 days WFH), 37.5 hours, and a salary up to £45,000.

Qualifications

• Must have finance and some HR administration responsibilities.
• Experience in SME or project-based sectors such as events or design.
• Strong budgeting and cash flow forecasting skills.
• Proven ability to drive financial controls and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the finance function, providing reporting, analysis and strategic guidance.
• Prepare monthly management accounts, cashflow forecasts, budgets and VAT returns.
• Manage day-to-day finance operations including multi-currency transactions and payroll.
• Oversee HR administration, contracts, holidays, and onboarding processes.
• Coordinate recruitment and onboarding activities.
• Ensure compliance with employment law and HR best practice.
• Oversee payroll processing and auto-enrolment pension administration.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Management accounting

Cash flow management

HR administration

Profitability analysis

Multi-currency transactions

Excel

Financial reporting

Education

AAT qualified or qualified by experience (Finance/HR)

Tools

Xero

Job description

We're delighted to be recruiting a Finance Manager on behalf of a well-established and growing creative services business based in Market Harborough. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced finance professional to join a successful SME, taking ownership of the finance function and hr duties while partnering closely with senior leadership to improve commercial performance, financial visibility and strategic decision-making. This role offers a broad responsibility across finance, forecasting, reporting and business support within a fast-paced project-led environment.

Please note that this is a standalone Finance / HR position.

• Salary up to £45,000
• 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
• Flexible start times available (8.30am, 9am or 9.30am)
• Hybrid working with 2 days working from home
• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Paid parking
• Statutory pension scheme
• Discretionary bonus scheme

Duties and responsibilities:

• Lead the finance function, providing financial reporting, analysis and strategic guidance to support business growth, decision-making and operational performance
• Prepare monthly management accounts, cash flow forecasts, budgets, project profitability reporting, VAT returns and year-end accounting information while maintaining strong financial controls
• Manage day-to-day financial operations including multi-currency transactions, payment runs, debtor and creditor management, payroll and pension administration
• Oversee employee administration, including maintaining HR records and systems, issuing contracts and offer letters, tracking holidays and absences, and ensuring personnel documentation is up to date
• Coordinate recruitment and onboarding activities
• Ensure compliance with employment legislation and HR best practice, supporting policies, employee handbooks, disciplinary, grievance, performance management and mandatory training requirements
• Oversee monthly payroll processing and manage the setup and ongoing administration of the employee auto-enrolment pension scheme

Required skills and experience:

• AAT qualified or qualified by experience within a Finance Manager, Finance & HR Manager or similar position with responsibility for finance and some HR Administration
• Previous experience within SME environments, ideally within project-based sectors such as events, construction, marketing, creative, engineering, technical services, architecture or design
• Budgeting, forecasting, management accounting and cash flow management experience, with the ability to support strategic business decisions
• Experience managing HR administration, including employee records, contracts, absence management, recruitment coordination and onboarding processes
• Commercially aware with the ability to analyse profitability, business performance, workforce requirements and operational efficiency
• Good knowledge of accounting systems and Excel, ideally including Xero, with experience of process improvement