Senior Manager – Outsourced Finance

Abbeygate Search Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical cover

Pension and life assurance

Enhanced family leave

Annual leave with buy or carry options

Volunteer time off

Ongoing development

Job summary

Abbeygate Search Ltd in Manchester is seeking a Senior Manager to join its outsourced finance team. You’ll oversee a portfolio of clients, lead management accounts preparation, statutory reporting and wider accounting support, and coach junior staff.

The role blends technical accounting with commercial advice and project work, offering hybrid working and genuine opportunities to develop as the team grows in Manchester.

Qualifications

• ACA/ACCA or equivalent qualification with practice outsourcing or advisory experience.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge including UK GAAP; IFRS exposure.
• Experience managing a portfolio of clients and complex finance workstreams.
• Proven ability to develop people and manage deadlines.
• Comfort with cloud accounting and finance technology.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of management accounts, statutory reporting and wider accounting support for a client portfolio.
• Act as senior point of contact and tailor finance services to each client's needs.
• Review financial information and help clients make better commercial decisions.
• Oversee outsourced finance assignments from planning through delivery.
• Coach and develop team members; collaborate with other specialists as needed.
• Spot opportunities to expand services and contribute to Manchester team development.

Skills

Portfolio management

Management accounts

Statutory reporting

Team leadership

Client relationship management

IFRS knowledge

UK GAAP knowledge

Education

ACA/ACCA or equivalent

Tools

Cloud accounting software

Job description

We’re working with a growing accountancy and advisory firm looking to appoint a Senior Manager within its outsourced finance team in Manchester.This is not a traditional accounts role focused purely on year-end work and compliance.The team supports growing and established businesses that need additional finance leadership, better reporting or help improving how their finance function operates. Some clients require ongoing outsourced support, while others need assistance with a specific project, systems issue or period of change.You’ll take responsibility for a portfolio of clients, overseeing the accounting work while building strong relationships with the people running those businesses. The role combines technical accounting, commercial advice, project work and team leadership.

The role

• Leading the delivery of management accounts, statutory reporting and wider accounting support across a portfolio of clients.
• Acting as a senior point of contact and understanding what each client actually needs from its finance function.
• Reviewing financial information and helping clients make better commercial decisions from it.
• Overseeing outsourced finance assignments from initial planning through to delivery.
• Supporting clients with one-off projects, including finance-system reviews, process improvements, controls work and financial-information clean-ups.
• Identifying weaknesses in existing reporting or processes and recommending practical solutions.
• Managing deadlines, budgets and resources across several assignments.
• Reviewing work and making sure clients receive a consistently strong service.
• Leading, coaching and developing members of the team.
• Working alongside colleagues from other specialist areas when a client requires broader support.
• Spotting opportunities to introduce additional services where they would genuinely benefit the client.
• Contributing to the continued development of the Manchester team.

What we’re looking for

You’ll need to be ACA, ACCA or similarly qualified, with experience gained in accountancy practice, outsourced finance, accounting advisory or a relevant industry position.

You should also have:

• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including UK GAAP and some exposure to IFRS.
• Experience managing a portfolio of clients or several complex finance workstreams.
• A solid grounding in management accounts and statutory reporting.
• Experience reviewing and taking responsibility for other people’s work.
• Confidence dealing directly with business owners, Finance Directors and other senior stakeholders.
• Examples of improving a finance process, reporting output, control or accounting system.
• An interest in using cloud accounting and finance technology properly, rather than simply maintaining the existing approach.
• The judgement to recognise what a client needs and explain it without unnecessary jargon.
• Experience developing people and managing competing deadlines.

You do not necessarily need to have held the exact same job title before. An experienced Manager ready to step up could be considered, particularly if you already lead client relationships and outsourced finance work. Equally, someone currently working in industry may be relevant if they trained in practice, retain strong technical accounting knowledge and enjoy working across different businesses and projects.

The opportunity

This is a broad role with considerably more variety than a conventional accounts portfolio. You’ll have the chance to work closely with clients, improve finance functions and play a visible part in growing the Manchester team.

The package includes:

• Salary of £65,000–£80,000, depending on experience.
• Hybrid and flexible working.
• Private medical cover.
• Pension and life assurance.
• Enhanced family leave.
• Annual leave with options to buy or carry days forward.
• Paid volunteering time.
• Ongoing development and a genuine opportunity to progress as the team grows.

If you’re technically strong but enjoy the commercial and problem-solving side of finance just as much, this could be a very good next move.