Head of Finance Recycling UK & North Europe

DS Smith; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A global leader in sustainable packaging solutions is seeking a Head of Finance for their Recycling Division in Bristol. The role involves overseeing financial operations, providing strategic guidance, and ensuring compliance with governance standards. Ideal candidates will have strong leadership skills and a proven track record in financial management. This position includes a discretionary bonus, pension scheme, and private medical insurance.

Benefits

Discretionary bonus

Pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Salary sacrifice electric car scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Employee Discounts

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior finance role, ideally within a regional or multi-site structure.
• Demonstrable expertise in governance, internal controls, and compliance.
• Exceptional business partnering skills with a track record of influencing diverse stakeholders.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and experience.
• Experience managing internal and external audit processes.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop a finance team.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Drive financial excellence and contribute to regional success.
• Provide financial oversight and strategic guidance for UK operations.
• Engage as a trusted advisor to regional departments.
• Oversee financial reporting activities and ensure compliance.
• Establish robust internal controls and mitigate financial risks.

Skills

Financial analysis

Governance and compliance

Business partnering

Technical accounting

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Job description

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Head of Finance Recycling UK & North Europe, Bristol

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Client:

DS Smith

Location:

Bristol, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

b85497517724

Job Views:

7

Posted:

12.08.2025

Expiry Date:

26.09.2025

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Job Description:

Location: Home based with travel to sites in Caerphilly, London and Europe as required.

About the role

The Finance team plays a pivotal role in guiding the company's growth trajectory, through meticulous financial analysis and foresight. We provide insightful recommendations to senior leadership, leveraging data-driven insights to optimize resource allocation and mitigate risks. With a focus on driving efficiency and maximizing shareholder value, the Finance function at DS Smith fosters a culture of accountability and transparency, underpinning the company's long-term financial sustainability and success.

We're seeking a proactive and influential individual to join our team as Head of Finance in our Recycling Division, driving financial excellence and contributing to our regional success in the UK and North Europe. This pivotal role will see you at the heart of our UK operations, providing critical financial oversight and strategic guidance. As well as providing a finance leadership role engaging with finance colleagues across the region.

Your responsibilities will span several key pillars, ensuring robust financial health and strategic alignment within the region. You will be instrumental in coaching and developing the finance team to supporting the business by contributing to the overall business strategy, identifying growth opportunities, and translating objectives into actionable financial plans.

Business Partnering is a cornerstone of this role; you will be a trusted advisor to various regional departments, providing insightful financial analysis, challenging assumptions, and supporting data-driven decision-making. You will oversee all financial reporting activities, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and adherence to accounting standards, including managing month-end and year-end close processes.

When it comes to Governance and Control, you will safeguard financial integrity by establishing robust internal controls, implementing policies, and ensuring strict compliance with regulations, proactively identifying, and mitigating financial risks.

So, if you're a strategic financial leader with a passion for driving strong governance and empowering teams, or an experience finance professional looking for your next challenge, then you might be looking for you!

About you

• Proven experience in a senior finance role, ideally within a regional or multi-site structure.
• Demonstrable expertise in governance, internal controls, and compliance.
• Exceptional business partnering skills, with a track record of influencing and collaborating with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and experience.
• Experience managing internal and external audit processes.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop a finance team.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• Discretionary bonus
• Pension scheme, life assurance and income protection
• Private medical insurance
• Salary sacrifice electric car scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee Discounts
• Cycle to work scheme

About us

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products.We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation,manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!

Fair recruitment at DS Smith

To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas, and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.