Strategic Operations Finance Manager

Vaco Recruiter Services; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco Recruiter Services in Cheltenham, UK, is seeking an Operations Finance Manager to partner with site leadership, translating operational activity into financial insights and supporting strategic decisions.

You'll lead planning, forecasting, costing, and reporting across manufacturing and supply operations, drive working capital management, strengthen controls, and foster continuous improvement while ensuring accurate, timely financial information for the business.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline.
• Approximately 5–7 years or more of progressive experience in manufacturing, plant, operations, or supply finance.
• Strong background in product costing, standard costing, inventory accounting, and plant-level financial management.
• Experience supporting or leading finance activities within a complex, multi-site, or large corporate environment.
• Solid understanding of internal controls, financial governance, corporate reporting, and working capital management.
• Experience reviewing, analyzing, and reconciling manufacturing-related balance sheet accounts.
• Broad experience across financial planning, accounting, reporting, analysis, and business partnering.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional projects and working effectively with operational and non-financial stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills, with the ability to use data to influence decisions and improve business performance.
• Experience with ERP systems; experience with enterprise manufacturing or finance platforms is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Partner with site and operations leadership to provide financial guidance and support business decisions.
• Translate financial results and trends into clear, actionable insights for operational leaders.
• Lead the annual budget and quarterly forecasting processes for the manufacturing or supply operation.
• Analyze actual results against budget, forecast, and prior periods, clearly identifying key performance drivers.
• Prepare financial reports and analysis that help leadership understand business performance and emerging risks or opportunities.
• Use financial modeling and data analysis to improve forecast quality and support proactive decision-making.
• Manage and monitor working capital performance, including inventory, fixed assets, and cash-related activities.
• Support balance sheet management and reconciliation activities relevant to manufacturing and supply operations.
• Oversee product costing and standard cost processes.
• Analyze material, labor, overhead, and other variable cost drivers to identify opportunities for improved performance.
• Support timely and accurate inventory valuation and reporting.
• Investigate significant cost variances and work with operational teams to understand root causes and develop solutions.
• Provide financial support for productivity, efficiency, and cost-reduction initiatives.
• Increase financial understanding across the operation by helping non-financial leaders better understand margins, contribution, costs, and other key performance measures.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability and financial performance.
• Evaluate proposed investments and capital projects through financial analysis, return assessments, and cost-benefit evaluations.
• Support decisions that balance financial performance, operational requirements, long-term growth, and sustainability considerations.
• Encourage commercially focused thinking throughout the organization.

Skills

Financial analysis

Business partnering

Forecasting

Strategic thinking

Data analytics

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Vaco Recruiter Services in Cheltenham, UK, is seeking an Operations Finance Manager to partner with site leadership, translating operational activity into financial insights and supporting strategic decisions.

You'll lead planning, forecasting, costing, and reporting across manufacturing and supply operations, drive working capital management, strengthen controls, and foster continuous improvement while ensuring accurate, timely financial information for the business.