Head of Finance – SJS/12715

AFR Consulting; Doncaster; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm in Doncaster is seeking a Head of Finance to provide strategic financial leadership and oversight for their multi-site operations. The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with extensive experience in senior financial roles, focusing on enhancing financial performance and implementing process improvements. This leadership position requires a proactive and communicative individual to partner closely with senior management. The role supports flexible working with a proposed salary of £75k - £85k based on experience.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangement

Potential bonus based on profitability

Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience in senior leadership finance roles.
• Experience in multi-site, operationally complex businesses.
• Strong hands-on capability for financial tasks.

Responsibilities

• Drive financial performance and profitability across all sites.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and P&L management.
• Lead finance transformation and improve systems.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Financial analysis

Commercial acumen

Systems improvement

Team leadership

Education

Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA)

Job description

Our client is on an exciting journey, disrupting their sector by providing bespoke services to a diverse client base. Operating across over ten sites they have a robust business model based on long term contracts which generate recurring revenue and opportunities to provide additional related services. As part of their growth plan they have recognised the need to recruit a Head of Finance to business partner the MD on strategic matters and commercial opportunities, provide financial analysis and planning for the site managers and develop the existing finance function.

The ideal candidate for this opportunity will be a fully qualified accountant with experience of a senior finance role, looking to move a finance function away from just reporting numbers to a forward looking, insight providing department delivering high value, actionable information to support a rapidly growing company. The key responsibilities of this role will be:

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

• Drive financial performance and profitability across all sites.
• Challenge and support the operational team with data-led insights to increase key metrics and optimise external funding streams.
• Identify margin improvement opportunities and cost-saving initiatives—always with a commercial mindset.
• Be a thought partner to the owners on investment, acquisitions, and business scaling.

Financial Operations & Controls

• Oversee all core financial functions: budgeting, forecasting, cashflow management, P&L, balance sheet, and statutory reporting.
• Lead month-end close and provide timely, accurate management reporting to senior leadership and board.
• Own financial compliance, audits, and risk management – including adherence to local authority and regulatory frameworks (e.g. CQC, HMRC, funding bodies).

Systems & Process Improvement

• Lead finance transformation – automate manual processes, upgrade systems, and drive efficiencies.
• Implement smarter workflows across finance and operations to reduce duplication and improve visibility.
• Champion data integrity and operational reporting that supports decision-making at site and group levels.

Team & Stakeholder Leadership

• Lead and develop a small, capable finance team with a hands-on approach.
• Build strong relationships with site managers, regional ops, and external partners.
• Promote a service culture within finance – responsive, pragmatic, and solutions-focused.

Candidate profile required:

• Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) with 10+ years’ experience, including at senior leadership level.
• Experience in multi-site, operationally complex businesses
• Strong hands-on capability—you’re equally comfortable preparing board packs as digging into payroll anomalies or refining Excel models.
• Commercially sharp, able to see the story behind the numbers and act on it.
• Systems-savvy – you understand how tech and process fit together to drive smart growth.
• Proactive and pragmatic, with a mindset of “how can we do this better, faster, and simpler?”
• Comfortable balancing strategic planning with operational firefighting when needed.
• A calm, clear communicator with credibility at all levels of the business.

This is a key leadership role, combining commercial acumen, operational control, and a service-oriented mindset to support sustainable growth and strong financial performance. Ideally with prior experience as a Senior Financial Controller or Finance Director you should be comfortable working closely with the owners, operational leaders, and site managers, acting as a commercial partner – not just a number cruncher. Your focus will be on driving margins, improving systems and processes, and delivering clear, actionable financial insight across the organisation.

The role is offered with a high degree of flexibility but applicants must live within a reasonably commutable distance to Doncaster in order to spend 2-3 days a week in the office, the remaining time spent working from home with occasional visits to other sites if required. The MD is keen to secure the best candidate for the role so a salary of 75k – 85k is proposed but there may be scope for more for an exceptional candidate. A potential bonus is also available based on company profitability and personal objectives to be confirmed once in the role.