Finance Manager - Shared Services (UK)

REL Field Marketing; Winnersh; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medicash

Enhanced company pension

Enhanced sick pay

Life insurance

EV salary sacrifice scheme

Enhanced paternity leave

Enhanced maternity leave

Adoption leave

Cycle to work scheme

Referral programme + Perkbox and Taste

Job summary

Smollan is recruiting a Finance Manager to lead our Shared Services finance operations across multiple European entities. This senior role reports to the Group Head of Finance Shared Services and involves end-to-end financial accounting, AP, AR, and employee expenses with a focus on process improvement.

You will manage a small team, drive performance during month-end, and partner with Group Accounting and Treasury to ensure tight cut-offs and accurate reporting.

Qualifications

• Strong transactional finance knowledge with operational management experience.
• Experience managing GL and transactional finance teams.
• Experience across multiple entities/jurisdictions.
• Ability to resolve complex transactional issues and improve processes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily delivery of AP, AR, employee expenses, and payments across European entities.
• Lead and coach three direct reports and manage peak month-end periods.
• Manage backlog, unapplied cash, blocked invoices, and aged ledgers.
• Support month-end close and reconciliations with Group Accounting and Treasury.
• Drive continuous improvement, automation, and policy compliance.
• Collaborate with FP&A, Procurement, HR, and commercial teams.

Education

CIMA/ACCA/ACA

Job description

Hours: Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week

Location: Winnersh, Wokingham, RG41 5TP (Hybrid)

We're looking for a Finance Manager to lead our Shares Services finance operations. This is a senior role reporting to the Group Head of Finance Shared Services.

This is a key operational management role responsible for the day-to-day delivery and performance of Financial Accounting, Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR) and Employee Expenses across multiple European entities. We are looking for someone who is comfortable getting into the detail, understanding what is happening in the transactional processes, resolving issues, challenging the process and personally driving actions through to completion. You will lead a team of finance professionals while remaining close enough to the operation to identify problems early, remove blockers and ensure that agreed service levels are consistently achieved.

What you'll be doing:

• End-to-End Operational Oversight: Lead the daily delivery of AP, AR, employee expenses, and payment processing across European entities, ensuring transactions are accurately processed within agreed SLAs .
• Team Leadership: Develop, lead & coach three direct reports (AR Team Lead, AP Team Lead & Financial Accountant), setting clear targets, manage workloads, and coach the team through complex issues, stepping in directly during peak periods like month-end to drive performance .
• Backlog & Exception Management: Proactively manage daily transaction queues to resolve unapplied cash, blocked invoices, and aged ledger items before they become accounting risks .
• Month-End & Financial Close: Partner with Group Accounting and Treasury to maintain tight cut-offs, clean ledgers, and seamless reconciliation support for month-end reporting .
• Continuous Improvement & Automation: Challenge manual workarounds, reduce spreadsheet dependencies, and optimise systems to automate and standardise workflows .
• Governance, Risk & Compliance: Enforce group policies, delegated authority limits, and segregation of duties, acting as a primary point of contact for audit requirements .
• KPI & Operational Reporting: Maintain clear performance visibility across all transactional functions, using data trends to address root causes and streamline operations .
• Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management: Collaborate with FP&A, Procurement, HR, and commercial teams to resolve dispute bottlenecks, manage expectations, and improve end-to-end processing .

What we are looking for:

• Fully Qualified or Part Qualified Accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA)
• Strong transactional finance knowledge with practical operational management experience.
• Significant experience in transactional and commercial finance, experience managing GL and transactional finance team.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end finance processes.
• Demonstrable experience managing transaction volumes, backlogs and operational KPIs.
• Strong understanding of financial controls and reconciliation processes.
• Experience working across multiple entities and/or jurisdictions.
• Proven ability to investigate and resolve complex transactional issues.
• Experience implementing or improving finance processes.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of issues through to resolution.

Why Join Us?

• Work as part of a supportive and collaborative team
• Be part of a business that values people and continuous improvement
• Annual leave: 24 days (increasing annually up to 29 days) + bank holidays
• Benefits include: Medicash, enhanced company pension, enhanced sick pay, life insurance, EV salary sacrifice scheme, enhanced paternity leave, enhanced maternity leave, adoption leave, cycle to work scheme, referral programme + Perkbox and Taste Card

Note:

We move fast. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and we may close this vacancy early.

Only those with eligibility to work in the UK without any VISA sponsorship will be considered at application stage.

More About Us...

Smollan is a full-service retail solutions partner with over 90 years of heritage, helping brands win at the point of purchase. Operating across 61 countries, we are trusted by over 500 global and local brands and employ more than 90,000 people. Our purpose is to create growth and transform lives by connecting people to products and possibilities.

We deliver intelligent, end-to-end retail execution and experiences across the physical and digital landscape, directed by data and powered by technology and people. Our capabilities include Sales & Merchandising, Activations & Experiences, and Data & Technology. Smollan grows brands by growing people, creating value for clients and impact for consumers every day.