Financial Director - #2189705

Head of Finance / Finance Director

Location: Birmingham

Salary: £90,000 – £100,000 + Up to 10% Bonus & Benefits

Working Pattern: 4 days on-site / 1 day working from home

An opportunity to take full ownership of the UK finance function for an established manufacturing business, operating as the most senior finance leader in the UK and reporting directly to the European Group CFO.

We are recruiting a Head of Finance / Finance Director for a successful, well-established manufacturing business with significant operations in the West Midlands.

This is a genuine senior leadership appointment, offering full responsibility for the UK finance function, direct exposure to European Group leadership and the opportunity to influence the financial, commercial and operational direction of the business.

Working closely with the Operations Director, you'll be a key member of the senior leadership team, providing the financial leadership, commercial insight and constructive challenge needed to drive business performance.

Importantly, this is a role that combines strategic influence, hands-on financial leadership and people management. You'll have the autonomy to lead and develop your finance team, strengthen financial processes and controls, and ensure finance plays a central role in the decisions shaping the business.

The Role:

As the most senior finance professional in the UK business, you'll take ownership of the finance function, leading the team and acting as the principal finance partner to the Operations Director and wider leadership team.

Your responsibilities will include:

• UK finance leadership – Take full ownership of the UK finance function, leading, mentoring and developing the finance team while maintaining high standards of performance and accountability.
• Senior business partnering – Work alongside the Operations Director and operational leadership team, providing commercial insight, financial challenge and strategic support.
• Manufacturing performance – Drive a clear understanding of manufacturing costs, margins, stock, operational efficiencies and profitability, identifying opportunities to improve business performance.
• Financial planning and analysis – Lead budgeting, forecasting and financial planning, ensuring the business has accurate, meaningful information to support decision-making.
• Financial control and governance – Maintain full oversight of month-end, statutory reporting, audit, taxation, cash flow, working capital and financial compliance.
• Group reporting and stakeholder management – Report directly to the European Group CFO, providing clear financial reporting, analysis and insight into UK performance.
• Commercial and strategic decision-making – Support investment appraisals, capital expenditure, business cases and initiatives that contribute to future growth and profitability.
• Continuous improvement – Identify opportunities to improve financial systems, reporting, processes and controls, driving greater efficiency and effectiveness across the finance function.
• Corporate governance – Oversee the company's statutory and Company Secretarial responsibilities.

About You:

We're looking for an established and credible finance leader who understands manufacturing and knows how to get the best from both their finance team and the wider business.

You'll ideally already be operating as a Head of Finance, Finance Director or Senior Financial Controller within a manufacturing environment, with experience of taking ownership of a finance function and partnering closely with operational leadership.

Manufacturing experience and proven finance team leadership are essential.

You'll need to demonstrate:

• A recognised accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA or CIMA).
• Strong finance leadership experience gained within a manufacturing business.
• A proven track record of leading, developing and motivating finance teams.
• Strong financial control, reporting and technical accounting expertise.
• A good understanding of manufacturing costs, stock, margins, working capital and operational performance.
• The commercial awareness and confidence to challenge and influence senior operational stakeholders.
• Experience of budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and performance improvement.
• A hands-on approach, with the ability to operate strategically while remaining comfortable with the financial detail.
• Experience of improving financial processes, reporting, systems or controls.

Experience within a European or international group structure would be advantageous, as would exposure to FMCG and manufacturing businesses.

Above all, we're looking for someone with strong leadership qualities, commercial judgement and the confidence to make a genuine difference to the business.

Why Consider This Opportunity?:

This is an opportunity to lead finance, not simply manage it.

You'll be the number one finance person in the UK business, with the autonomy and responsibility that comes with that position.

You'll work directly with the Operations Director, have a reporting line into the European Group CFO and play an important role in shaping the financial and operational performance of an established manufacturing business.

• Genuine ownership of the UK finance function, with the freedom to lead and develop your team.
• Senior-level influence, working closely with the Operations Director and European Group CFO.
• A broad leadership remit, combining financial control, commercial business partnering, operational performance and strategic planning.
• The opportunity to make improvements, developing processes, reporting and systems to support the future direction of the business.
• An established manufacturing operation, offering the complexity, variety and commercial challenges that experienced finance leaders enjoy.
• A competitive package, including a performance-related bonus of up to 10%, pension, life assurance, health benefits and hybrid working.

If you're an experienced manufacturing Head of Finance or Finance Director who enjoys being close to the operation, leading people and influencing business performance, this could be a particularly interesting opportunity.

For a confidential conversation, please get in touch. Equally, if you're not actively looking but would be interested in understanding the opportunity, I'd welcome a discussion.