Finance Manager

Captivate Group; Shoreditch; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Captivate Group is seeking a Finance Manager to oversee finance operations across four marketing services agencies. The role ensures governance, accounting integrity, and reliable financial information to enable growth and informed decisions.

You will manage the outsourced finance function, payroll, statutory compliance and reporting with a focus on accuracy and efficiency. The position is hybrid (WFH plus in-office days) and requires strong Excel and financial systems skills, with experience in

Qualifications

• Strong technical accounting and governance expertise.
• Experience managing finance operations or outsourced finance function.
• Ability to challenge the numbers to drive better outcomes.
• Exposure to working in a large group across multiple entities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee outsourced finance/bookkeeping function ensuring timely and accurate processing and reconciling of accounts payable.
• Manage monthly and annual timetable and maintain process documentation.
• Lead month-end close, group consolidation, P&L and cross charges.
• Oversee payroll, VAT, PAYE and corporation tax compliance.
• Maintain balance sheet reconciliations and intercompany balances.
• Monitor cashflow, working capital and bank relationships.
• Coordinate year-end audit and internal controls.

Skills

Technical accounting

Governance

Outsourced finance management

Financial analysis

Excel

Financial systems

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

Job description

Hybrid: WFH, Monday and Friday. In office: Tuesday-Thursday

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

Purpose of the Role:

To oversee and manage the finance operations across four marketing services agencies. The Finance Manager is responsible for maintaining strong financial governance, ensuring accounting integrity, overseeing the outsourced finance function, and supporting the Finance Director with reliable financial information to enable effective decision-making and business growth.

Key Responsibilities

1. Finance Operations & Back Office Management

• Oversee the outsourced finance/bookkeeping function ensuring timely and accurate processing and reconciling of accounts payable, oversee payment runs, bank reconciliations, expense processing and routine journals.
• Ensure finance operations are delivered to agreed service levels across all agencies.
• Management and support of the Office Manager.
• Manage and maintain the monthly and annual timetable.
• Manage and maintain process documentation.

2. Financial Reporting & Month-End Close

• Ensure the timely completion of month-end close processes across all agencies.
• Manage and maintain the group consolidation model and support group-level reporting.
• Manage and maintain the hold co P&L and associated cross charges.

3. Balance Sheet & Reconciliations

• Own the monthly balance sheet review process across all agencies.
• Ensure reconciliations are complete, supported and documented.
• Ensure that schedules for fixed assets, accruals, prepayments, deferred income and intercompany balances are maintained.
• Present balance sheet reconciliations to the Finance Director monthly.
• Monthly debtor and accrued revenue review with Finance Business Partners.

4. Cashflow & Treasury Management

• Maintain weekly and monthly group cashflow forecasts.
• Monitor working capital requirements and cash balances.
• Monitor bank access, intercompany funding and foreign currency exposure.
• Manage and maintain bank responsibilities matrix
• Review and approve payment runs in conjunction with FD.

6. Work in Progress & Project Financial Management

• Have regular WIP reviews with project teams.
• Ensure that all invoices are raised and submitted at the earliest opportunity.

7. Payroll Management

• Oversee the monthly payroll process across all agencies.
• Ensure accurate accounting for payroll, PAYE, pensions and related costs.

8. Taxation & Compliance

• Ensure statutory filings are completed including VAT returns, PAYE submissions and corporation tax compliance.
• Identify opportunities for tax efficiency including R&D credits, foreign VAT reclaims and relevant industry reliefs.
• Ensure reporting thresholds are monitored and proactively managed.

9. Audit, Controls & Governance

• Coordinate the year-end statutory audit across all entities.
• Maintain and develop the internal control framework.
• Ensure finance processes are documented and audit ready.
• Prepare support for the statutory accounts for assigned agencies in collaboration with the Auditors and Finance Business Partners.
• Ensure all statutory filings across the group are made on time.

10. Finance Systems & Process Improvement

• Own finance systems ensuring they remain fit for purpose.
• Standardise financial processes and policies across agencies.
• Expand system usage including dashboards and reporting automation.

Skills

• Strong technical accounting and governance expertise.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Experience managing finance operations or outsourced finance function.
• Ability to challenge the numbers in reviews to drive better outcomes.
• Exposure to working in a large group across multiple entities.
• Advanced Excel and financial systems skills.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.