Finance Director - Business & Professional Services - Contract Services

Objective of the Role

As a member of the Executive Board provide dynamic and inspirational leadership in strategic and compliant Financial Management. In particular to lead and motivate the Finance Team, and through them support operations to deliver budgeted financial results. The business is going through transformation and as such the post holder will be required to support the wider process but to also implement change in the finance function to ensure it is fit for purpose. To contribute to creating a “best in class” Contract services business in the UK.  Key to the role is ensuring our systems and processes are optimised to drive further efficiencies both within finance and but also across the Company.

Main Duties and Responsibilities;

Contribute to the development of the overall strategic plan for the UK. The Finance Director is a senior management role within the company and its UK subsidiaries. The Finance Director will be responsible for the management, control and reporting of all the UK and Ireland Companies Financial Transactions.

The key to this role is to give confidence to all levels of the Company that financial work is completed with accuracy, quality and in a timely fashion. Assurance and confidence to the company are paramount.

In summary, basic responsibility will encompass;

• Profit and Loss
• Balance Sheet
• Cash Flow and Treasury
• Fixed assets
• Forecasting (Monthly and quarterly)
• Mid-Term Planning
• UK, Group and Statutory accounting
• Delivery of robust financial systems and processes
• Finance organisational design/optimisation to support the business today and the future as it continue to grow

Management of the Finance Team to ensure the accounting and Operational Control of;

• Transactions impacting upon the Profit & Loss Account and Balance Sheet of the active UK and Ireland Companies
• Sales Ledger including Invoice issuing and Credit Management
• Purchase Ledger Control including Purchase Ordering and Creditor Management
• Cash Book, Bank and Treasury activities
• Fixed Asset and Depreciation management
• Defining (as appropriate) company financial policies; and ensuring they are strictly adhered to, especially in the Management of Working Capital.
• Management of Month Closure and Preparation of the full and complete Accounts to the highest  levels of quality within the agreed reporting timetable
• Determination and resolution of anomalies within the accounts
• Ensuring all Reconciliations are carried out, with all reconciliation items investigated and minimising rolling reconciliations.
• Maintaining accurate Accruals and prepayment records
• Ensuring Journals are correctly annotated and that a in depth and detailed audit trail is maintained.
• Maintaining accurate VAT records, and ensuring VAT returns are completed to the HMRC in time.
• Managing the Payroll process, and that the appropriate HMRC and Pension payments are completed within the allowed time and to the levels of accuracy required,.
• Managing the Year End process, including working with advisors to complete the audit and tax returns.

Commercial;

In conjunction with the Board review deal book content to ensure compliance with expectations on margins. Review and support the Regional Managing Director to take forward to group applications for capital investment in relation to client bids/tender.

Operational and Statutory Reporting;

Monthly, Quarterly, Annually and as required

Preparation and analysis of the overall Company financial reports, compared to trend, Budget and Forecast of the:

• Profit & Loss Account
• Balance Sheet and Cash Flow and ancillary reports

Ensuring the reporting is timely and  tailored to the various reporting routes including to UK MD and Senior Management

Ensure that the Finance team provides monthly reporting of KPI’s and contract level financial performance vs. budget and that the Heads of Sectors hold monthly reviews with location managers to investigate and understand variances.

Intra-Group to the German Parent Company, through reporting systems. Ensure all standing data is also monitored and maintained in line with Parent company requirements.

UK and other Statutory bodies, covering both Annual Accounts and taxation reporting.

Other governmental and non-governmental bodies.

Budgets and Forecasts;

Lead the Finance Team and support the Regional Managing Director during the Budget and Forecast processes, especially with the provision of current trend and year to date actual information.

     Reporting and Systems;

Major upgrade of ERP system (Microsoft Dynamics/Navision), including review of all finance processes, ledger structure and associated headcount/human resources. Implement robust financial reporting systems which streamline and automate processes both in finance and operational controls.

     M&A;

As required take a proactive role in acquisitions carry out required due diligence reviews and report findings. Give detailed analysis on financial risk and reward of prospective mergers and/or acquisitions. As required support the successful integration of acquired activity within the company.