Head of Finance

Detectronic Ltd; Nelson; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental services provider in Nelson is seeking a strategic finance leader to support their business unit. You will manage a finance team, drive performance through financial analysis, and collaborate with senior executives. The ideal candidate has significant experience in financial leadership, strong accounting knowledge, and excellent organizational skills. This role offers competitive salary, bonus, and benefits including enhanced leave and pension.

Benefits

Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay

Company pension

Life assurance scheme

Medicash Plan

Training and career progression opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a similar financial leadership role.
• Ability to manage tight deadlines and high-pressure situations.
• Willingness to travel and stay overnight as required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the local finance team.
• Communicate financial insights to senior management.
• Prepare annual budgets and bi-weekly forecasts.
• Own and drive capex and stock costing processes.

Skills

Strong accounting knowledge

Excellent communication skills

Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Highly organized

Education

Fully qualified ACA, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent

Tools

FocalPoint

Access Dimensions

aCloud CRM

Job description

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Competitive salary + Bonus + Company benefits

You will support the Detectronic business unit within Adler & Allan by providing strategic financial leadership, commercial insight, and robust financial control. This role is pivotal in driving performance through financial analysis, decision support, and end-to-end P&L ownership. The role offers regular engagement with the Senior leadership and Executive team and is ideal for a self-motivated individual seeking to develop their business partnering and financial management skills in a dynamic and supportive environment.

More about the role:

• Lead and manage the local finance team, ensuring timely and accurate internal and group reporting, including month-end close.
• Communicate financial insights effectively to senior management, enhancing financial understanding and decision-making.
• Analyse monthly results to highlight performance trends, risks, opportunities, and variances against plan.
• Prepare annual budgets and bi-weekly forecasts, supporting financial planning with robust assumptions and analysis.
• Provide financial modelling and analysis for customer bids, product development, and business change initiatives.
• Maintain financial control of the business unit's balance sheet, including stock, WIP, debtors, creditors, accruals, and prepayments.
• Collaborate with group functions (credit control, purchase ledger, etc.) to optimise outcomes for the business unit and wider group.
• Build strong relationships with senior leaders across the business and division.
• Own and drive capex, NPD gating, and stock costing/control processes.
• Help design and implement stock management and warehousing processes with the Operations Director, ensuring cost control, inventory accuracy, and operational efficiency
• Lead monthly and quarterly business unit reviews with the Divisional Executive team.
• Standardise and improve the quality and consistency of management information and reporting across the unit.
• Develop and implement efficient processes and controls, ensuring alignment with group standards and best practices.
• Promote a group-wide mindset and foster collaboration across business units.
• Provide both support and challenge to the MD, Commercial Director, and Operations Director on strategic decisions.
• Collaborate across business units to deliver optimal outcomes for the group.
• Liaise with external auditors to support year-end processes and ensure compliance.
• Lead the finance workstreams in the ERP system transition, ensuring smooth integration and adoption.
• Challenge processes and decisions constructively at all levels of the business.
• Manage tight deadlines and high-pressure situations effectively.
• Support, develop, and grow the finance team in line with business growth.
• Handle large data volumes and translate them into actionable insights for senior management.
• Undertake any other duties within your capability as required.

About you:

• Strong accounting knowledge with proven experience in a similar role.
• Fully qualified ACA, CIMA, ACCA, or equivalent.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel; experience with accounting systems such as FocalPoint, Access Dimensions, or aCloud CRM is advantageous (training will be provided).
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain professional relationships.
• Highly organised, adaptable, and able to manage competing deadlines with strong attention to detail.
• Willingness to travel and stay overnight as required; a full UK driving licence (clean preferred) is essential.
• Must have the right to work in the UK.

What we can offer you:

• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay and leave
• Company pension
• Life assurance scheme (x4 salary)
• Medicash Plan (includes cash payments towards dental, medical, therapeutic treatments) with the option to add up to 4 dependants
• Refer a friend scheme
• Competitive annual leave plus bank holidays
• Training and career progression opportunities

About us:

At Adler and Allan Group, we're not just a company - we're environmental champions committed to protecting our planet while helping businesses thrive. We're a diverse, dynamic team dedicated to providing top-tier environmental, energy and water infrastructure services across the UK. Our mission is clear: safeguarding the environment, minimising operational disruptions, and supporting sustainability goals for our valued clients.

Adler and Allan are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We proudly embrace equal opportunities for all applicants, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. If you require any support with your application, whatever the circumstance, please let us know.