Interim Production Finance Lead

Gofractional; Rochdale; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Gofractional is seeking a finance professional in Rochdale for a 9-month interim role. You will lead the operational finance team, translating complex production data into actionable insights to enhance site efficiency and governance.

The role requires strong collaboration with operations and expertise in financial planning. Ideal candidates will have over 5 years of experience in manufacturing finance, CIMA/ACCA qualifications, advanced Excel skills, and familiarity with ERP systems.

This position supports a balanced work schedule and a competitive salary at our flagship Rochdale site.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a manufacturing operations finance role.
• Proven business partnering experience with cross-functional teams.
• Strong capability in financial governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational finance team and enhance financial governance.
• Drive production performance by monitoring costs and productivity.
• Own budgeting, forecasting, and risk mitigation for operations.

Skills

Manufacturing operations finance experience

CIMA/ACCA qualification

Advanced Excel capabilities

Stakeholder management

Lean manufacturing principles knowledge

Education

CIMA/ACCA qualification

Tools

ERP systems (SAP/SAP BW/Power BI)

Job description

What you will be doing

You will lead a small operational finance team to translate complex production and financial data into clear, actionable insights that shape strategic site decisions and drive a culture of accountability. In this role, you will partner closely with operations and global support functions to strengthen financial governance and optimize site efficiency.

• Performance & Cost Control: Drive the production performance agenda by monitoring conversion costs, labour productivity, yield losses, and waste reduction against targets.
• Financial Planning: Own the budgeting, forecasting, and risk mitigation activities for all production operations.
• Business Partnering: Build and challenge robust business cases for operational and investment initiatives, ensuring realistic assumptions and decision-ready recommendations.
• Team Leadership: Manage and develop a small onsite team while reporting directly to the Head of Business Controlling.

What you will bring

We are seeking a resilient, commercially-minded finance professional who can balance technical rigor with the communication skills needed to influence behaviour across production environments. To be successful in this fast-paced manufacturing environment, you must bring a strong blend of financial expertise and collaborative leadership.

• Experience: 5+ years in a manufacturing operations finance-based role, ideally within FMCG, food, or a high-volume manufacturing environment, alongside proven experience in business partnering with cross-functional operational teams.
• Hard skills: CIMA/ACCA qualification, advanced Excel capabilities, a solid understanding of lean manufacturing principles, and experience utilizing ERP systems (ideally SAP/SAP BW/Power BI) for product costing and inventory management.
• Soft skills: A proven record of growing and developing a team, paired with strong stakeholder management skills and the resilience to navigate challenging conversations while holding colleagues accountable.

Work Arrangement

This interim 9-month position offers a competitive salary alongside structured, balanced working hours: Monday to Thursday 08:00-16:30, and an early finish on Fridays at 15:00. Based at our flagship Rochdale site, you will enjoy a dynamic, modern workplace that serves as the heart of our UK business.