Finance Director role for a growing SME in South Manchester, that sits on the board and will lead the financial strategy and operations of a well-established organisation in the industrial and manufacturing sector.

Client Details

We are working with a well-established, profitable manufacturing business with turnover of approximately £12m, in South Manchester . The company operates in a technically complex manufacturing environment where margin control, costings discipline and operational insight are critical to performance.

The business is entering its next phase of development and requires a Finance Director who can act as a true commercial business partner to the Board - bringing insight, challenge and financial leadership, while maintaining strong financial controls. The Board has ambitions to grow the business past the £20m turnover mark, and the Finance Director will have a key role to play in achieving that goal.

This role would suit:

• A high-calibre first-time Finance Director, or
• A Finance Director seeking their second FD role in a smaller, owner-led environment.

Description

This Finance Director role, reports in to the Managing Director and will take full ownership of the finance function and play a key role in shaping strategic and operational decision-making across the business.

Key responsibilities include:

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

• Act as a key member of the Board, providing robust challenge, independent thinking and commercial insight.
• Support the Managing Director and Board with strategic planning, scenario modelling and investment appraisals.
• Translate financial data into clear, actionable insight for non-finance stakeholders.
• Influence decision-making across pricing, product mix, capital expenditure and growth initiatives.

Manufacturing Finance & Costings

• Full ownership of product costing models, standard costing, variance analysis and margin control.
• Work closely with operations to understand manufacturing processes, yields, waste and efficiencies.
• Drive continuous improvement in gross margin, cost control and operational performance.
• Ensure costings and operational KPIs are robust, transparent and well understood by the Board.

Financial Control & Reporting

• Lead the production of high-quality monthly management accounts, board packs and performance reporting.
• Own the budgeting, forecasting and rolling cashflow processes.
• Maintain strong balance sheet discipline, working capital management and cashflow forecasting.
• Ensure appropriate financial controls, governance and compliance frameworks are in place.

Stakeholder Management

• Lead relationships with banks, auditors, advisors and external stakeholders.
• Present confidently to lenders and support banking relationships and facility management.
• Act as Company Secretary where appropriate.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, develop and motivate the finance team.
• Create a finance function that is respected, commercial and operationally aligned.
• Promote a culture of accountability, accuracy and continuous improvement.

Profile

A successful Finance Director should have:

• Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA).
• Strong background in manufacturing finance, with deep understanding of costings and margin drivers.
• Proven experience operating at senior level (FD, Head of Finance, Financial Controller ready for step-up).
• Experience working closely with MDs, boards and senior leadership teams.
• Demonstrated ability to challenge constructively, influence decisions and hold firm when required.

Job Offer

• Base salary between £90,000 and £100,000 (DOE, potential for higher)
• Company car
• Bonus - on target 25% and stretch target 37.5%
• 10 employer pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays (with the option to buy/sell up to 5 days per year)