Financial Director

QLM Search; England; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Food and Beverage Group in the UK is seeking a qualified UK Finance Director. This key leadership role involves acting as a strategic partner to the UK CEO, driving financial strategy, and leading the IT function including ERP implementation. The ideal candidate will have extensive senior finance leadership experience, strong strategic thinking, and stakeholder management skills. The role offers an opportunity to shape the future growth of the business through innovative financial leadership.

Qualifications

• Substantial senior finance leadership experience.
• Proven experience leading IT functions, preferably with ERP implementation.
• Strong track record in FMCG, food manufacturing, or ingredients sectors.

Responsibilities

• Act as a primary business partner to the UK CEO, influencing decisions.
• Lead the financial strategy to align with growth agenda.
• Drive budgeting, forecasting, and performance management processes.
• Ensure finance excellence with accurate reporting and strong controls.
• Lead the IT function and project manage new ERP implementation.
• Provide commercial and operational analysis to identify opportunities.
• Deliver timely responses to ad-hoc finance requests from the EMEA CEO.
• Build and mentor a high-performing finance team.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Financial leadership

Operational excellence

Project management

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

QLM Search is working in partnership with a leading Food / Beverage / B2B Group that is looking to appoint a UK Finance Director. With strong year‑on‑year growth, significant investment, and an ambitious strategic roadmap, the business is poised for accelerated expansion in the UK.

The Role

This is more than a finance role, it’s a leadership position central to the UK business and its future growth. As Finance Director, you will be the trusted strategic partner to the UK CEO, providing first‑class insight, challenge, and direction. You’ll combine big‑picture strategic thinking with operational excellence, ensuring the basics are executed brilliantly while enabling the business to capture growth opportunities at pace.

You will also lead the IT function, including project managing the implementation of a new ERP system designed to transform operational capability and scale the business for future growth.

Additionally, you will support the EMEA CEO by delivering ad‑hoc finance projects and analyses that guide regional strategy and decision‑making.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a primary business partner to the UK CEO, influencing decisions with clear, data‑driven insight.
• Lead the financial strategy, ensuring alignment with the division’s ambitious growth agenda.
• Drive robust budgeting, forecasting, and performance management processes.
• Ensure operational finance excellence – accurate reporting, strong controls, and compliant governance.
• Lead the IT function, including project managing the implementation of a new ERP system critical to future scalability and efficiency.
• Provide commercial and operational analysis identifying opportunities for growth, efficiency, and margin improvement.
• Deliver high‑quality, timely responses to ad‑hoc finance requests from the EMEA CEO, covering strategic and operational priorities.
• Build, mentor, and inspire a high‑performing finance team that partners effectively across the business.

About You

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with substantial senior finance leadership experience.
• Proven experience leading IT functions, preferably with ERP implementation experience.
• Strong track record in FMCG, food manufacturing, or ingredients sectors.
• Highly strategic thinker with proven commercial acumen and the ability to translate vision into action.
• Hands‑on when needed, with a commitment to “getting the basics right” every time.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, able to influence at CEO and Group level.
• Comfortable balancing long‑term strategic priorities with fast‑turnaround, high‑impact project work.