Finance Manager

Job Description

Job title: Finance Manager
Reports to: Head of Finance
Location: Chichester (hybrid)
Working pattern: Flexible home working up to three days per week, office based two days a week from our Chichester office
Department: Central Finance
Salary: Competitive

The Interim Finance Manager (18 month FTC) is a central hands-on figure who supports the head of finance in leading the operational day-to-day running of our busy, fast-paced and dynamic finance team. The interim finance manager is responsible for leading and developing a team of 3 finance staff, maintaining the highest standards in month end reporting within a tight timeframe, delivering on the external audit, preparing Group VAT returns and driving forwards process improvements and efficiencies with the D365 F&O finance system.

General

• Line management and responsibility for ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of a team of 3 part-qualified management accountants.
• Monitor the day-to-day financial operations within the company, including sales invoicing, cash receipts/payments and other transactions.
• Thorough review of payment submissions and to act as first approver on all payments.
• Supervision and mentoring of two management accountants and one sales ledger clerk.
• Maintain financial policies and procedures for the company.
• Assist the head of finance with management reporting and external returns where required.
• Assist in the preparation of the weekly and monthly cashflow forecast when required.

Management accounts

• Responsibility for preparation and review of monthly management accounts for 3 trading entities to tight deadlines, including P&L, balance sheet and cashflow (3 day GL close to report to the Group Team).
• Oversight and responsibility for monthly reconciliation of key control accounts including all bank reconciliations.
• Management of the month end timetable, overseeing staff to ensure adherence to deadlines.
• Journal sales accruals & general provisions.
• Preparation of summaries for the management pack.
• Preparation and delivery of month end flash sales report to senior management.
• Month end sales reconciliations for Audio and eBook sales.
• Responsible for monthly review of Aged Debtors and Creditors and follow up outstanding balances as required.
• Maintenance and review of intercompany balances.
• Other: support business with ad-hoc requests for financial information.

Tax

• Preparation and submission of UK Group VAT returns.
• Liaison with BDO on tax matters & information requests (payroll, VAT, Corp Tax and International taxes).

External audit

• Preparation of year end audit schedules and pre-fieldwork to a tight timetable for the Big 4 external audit.
• Liaison with external auditors on day-to-day requests.

Finance system

• Working cross-functionally with the Technology team and finance systems manager on transformation projects to improve and automate controls and month end processes.
• Following recent implementation of the new ERP system D365 F&O, identify and implement ways to make optimal use of the new ERP system to drive improvements in the month end close process and management accounts reporting.

ABOUT YOU

As a successful candidate, you will be ACA/ACCA/CIMA Qualified with strong hands-on experience in preparation of management accounts within industry and the ability to prioritise and deliver to tight deadlines. Part qualified candidates will be considered. To succeed in the finance manager role, you will need more than just accounting skills and analytical experience:

• Ability to lead, to work as part of a team, to work independently.
• Ability to communicate effectively with staff and external bodies at all levels.
• Time management skills and ability to prioritise and deliver to tight deadlines.
• Ability to delegate and manage the work of others.
• Proactive with a positive determination to drive process improvements in a high-growth organisation.
• Positive determination to drive systems and financial process improvements in a high-growth organisation.
• Commercial and business awareness.