Head of Finance

Bite Talent; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Bite Talent is partnering with a fast-growing London food brand to hire a Finance Leader who owns the numbers day to day, sits with ops, and asks the right questions early.

You’ll bridge trading and reporting, own site P&Ls and investment cases, lead budgeting and forecasting with the ops team, and partner HR on headcount and rotas.

This is a hands‑on, on‑site role with a clear path to build and lead a team as the business expands.

Qualifications

• A finance leader from multi-site QSR, hospitality or retail, comfortable with fast-moving trading data
• Commercially sharp and plain-English. You explain numbers to a general manager as easily as to a board
• Curious about how restaurants really run. You’d rather be on site than stuck in a spreadsheet
• Hands-on now, with the ambition to build and lead a team later

Responsibilities

• Bridge trading and reporting. Link weekly trading data (labour, cost of sales, waste, sales mix) to the monthly management accounts so nothing comes as a surprise at month end.
• Fix issues at source. When margin slips at a site, you’ll know why, and you’ll work with the area team to sort it, not just report it.
• Lead budgeting and forecasting. Build the annual budget and rolling forecasts hand in hand with ops, alongside a hands‑on FD who wants a genuine partner.
• Back every new opening. Own site P&Ls, investment cases and post-opening reviews so the business knows which sites are earning their keep.
• Partner HR. Labour is the biggest controllable cost. You’ll help shape rotas, pay and headcount decisions with real data.
• Tighten the engine. Keep the outsourced month end on track, improve controls and systems, and make reporting simpler and faster as the estate grows.
• Be the go-to. Operators should come to you because you make their lives easier, not because they have to.

Skills

Multi-site finance leadership

Commercial finance

Budgeting and forecasting

P&L management

Job description

A growing estate. More openings in the pipeline. And no finance leader in the business yet.

I’m partnering with one of London’s fastest-growing food brands. Founder-led, investor-backed, and loved by its guests.

The model works in the capital and is now proving itself beyond it.

The leadership team has been strengthened with senior operators who have scaled brands before. Finance is the next big hire, and it matters.

Why this role exists

The business has grown fast. The finance foundations were built for a smaller company. Accounts production is outsourced and works well, but there’s no one inside the business who owns the numbers day to day, sits with ops, and asks the right questions early. That’s the gap. This hire closes it.

What you’ll actually do

• Bridge trading and reporting. Link weekly trading data (labour, cost of sales, waste, sales mix) to the monthly management accounts so nothing comes as a surprise at month end.
• Fix issues at source. When margin slips at a site, you’ll know why, and you’ll work with the area team to sort it, not just report it.
• Lead budgeting and forecasting. Build the annual budget and rolling forecasts hand in hand with ops, alongside a hands‑on FD who wants a genuine partner.
• Back every new opening. Own site P&Ls, investment cases and post-opening reviews so the business knows which sites are earning their keep.
• Partner HR. Labour is the biggest controllable cost. You’ll help shape rotas, pay and headcount decisions with real data.
• Tighten the engine. Keep the outsourced month end on track, improve controls and systems, and make reporting simpler and faster as the estate grows.
• Be the go-to. Operators should come to you because you make their lives easier, not because they have to.

What success looks like in year one

• Ops leaders trust the numbers and use them weekly
• Budget and forecast built jointly with the business, not handed down
• Clear visibility of site‑level profitability across the estate
• A finance function ready to scale with the next wave of openings

Who you are

• A finance leader from multi‑site QSR, hospitality or retail, comfortable with fast‑moving trading data
• Commercially sharp and plain‑English. You explain numbers to a general manager as easily as to a board
• Curious about how restaurants really run. You’d rather be on site than stuck in a spreadsheet
• Hands‑on now, with the ambition to build and lead a team later

Ready for your step up?

This role suits a Financial Controller, Finance Manager or Senior Commercial Finance lead who’s ready for their first Head of Finance title. If you’ve been the one doing the heavy lifting behind a senior finance leader and want the seat at the table yourself, this is it.

You’ll get real ownership, close support from a hands‑on FD, and a clear path to grow as the business does.

Why it’s worth a conversation

• A genuine step up. First of its kind hire, and nobody comes in above you
• Real influence on how the business grows, sat close to the founders and leadership team
• A brand with momentum, investor backing and a clear growth plan
• As the estate grows, so do your team and your title

Package:

£80k to £90k, with flexibility for the right person.