Description

Finance Business Partner

East Midlands

£70,000+ + Benefits

About the Company

W Talent Finance is a specialist recruitment partner dedicated to placing high-calibre accounting professionals across both practice and commerce & industry markets. With a deep understanding of the finance landscape, we support businesses ranging from ambitious SMEs to established international organisations, delivering tailored recruitment solutions that drive business performance.

We are partnering with a well-established, specialist manufacturing business operating within a technically advanced and highly regulated industry. The organisation supplies complex, high-value components to major customers within the global engineering and aerospace supply chain.

With a strong focus on quality, operational performance and continuous improvement, the business operates in an environment where precision, efficiency and robust financial control are critical to success.

The organisation offers an opportunity to join a technically sophisticated manufacturing environment, working closely with senior finance leadership and operational colleagues to support performance, strengthen financial processes and contribute to the continued success of the business.

The Role

As a Finance Business Partner you will play a key role within the finance function, working closely with the Finance Director to ensure the effective management of day-to-day financial operations and the delivery of accurate, timely and meaningful financial information.

This is a hands-on role suited to an experienced finance professional who enjoys being close to the detail, taking ownership of the numbers and working collaboratively with the wider business. You will be responsible for the integrity of financial reporting, the smooth running of month-end processes and the maintenance of robust financial controls within a manufacturing environment.

A key aspect of the position will be understanding the relationship between financial performance and operational activity, including production costs, inventory, work in progress, margins and business efficiency. You will work with operational stakeholders to investigate variances, identify opportunities for improvement and provide practical financial insight to support decision-making.

Working as the Finance Director's key operational finance partner, you will bring a proactive, commercially aware and solutions-focused approach, ensuring that the finance function continues to provide a reliable and effective service to the business.

This is an excellent opportunity for a capable Financial Controller looking to make a tangible impact within an established manufacturing organisation, combining strong technical accounting skills with commercial awareness and a willingness to get involved in the detail.

Key Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the monthly management accounts process, ensuring accurate and timely reporting
• Prepare and review profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, cash flow information and supporting schedules
• Manage month-end and year-end processes, ensuring financial information is complete, accurate and delivered to agreed deadlines
• Analyse financial performance against budget, forecast and prior periods, investigating variances and highlighting key areas of focus
• Monitor manufacturing costs, production expenditure, gross margins and operational performance
• Review inventory, stock valuations and work-in-progress balances, ensuring appropriate financial controls and accurate reporting
• Support product costing, cost allocation and analysis of material, labour and overhead variances
• Work closely with operational and production teams to understand cost drivers, improve financial visibility and support efficiency initiatives
• Maintain robust balance sheet reconciliations and ensure appropriate control over key financial accounts
• Oversee the integrity of the general ledger and ensure transactions are accurately recorded
• Support budgeting, forecasting and cash flow management, providing reliable financial information to support business planning
• Monitor working capital, including stock, creditors and debtors, identifying opportunities to improve cash management
• Ensure compliance with relevant accounting standards, statutory requirements and internal financial policies
• Coordinate year-end audit requirements and liaise with external auditors and other professional advisers as required
• Oversee VAT reporting and other relevant financial compliance activities
• Review and improve finance processes, reporting procedures and internal controls
• Identify opportunities to improve the accuracy, efficiency and effectiveness of financial systems and processes
• Produce meaningful financial analysis and management information to support commercial and operational decision-making
• Provide day-to-day support to the Finance Director, taking ownership of financial matters and escalating significant issues appropriately
• Build effective working relationships across finance, operations and the wider business
• Support the development of a responsive, accurate and commercially focused finance function

About You

• Proven experience in a Financial Controller, Finance Manager or equivalent hands-on finance role
• Previous experience working within a manufacturing, engineering or other operationally complex business is essential
• Strong technical accounting skills, with the ability to take ownership of month-end reporting and financial controls
• Good understanding of management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, budgeting and variance analysis
• Experience working with manufacturing costs, stock, inventory, work in progress and product margins
• Commercially aware, with the ability to understand operational performance and translate financial information into practical insight
• Comfortable working closely with a Finance Director and taking responsibility for the day-to-day running of financial processes
• A hands-on approach, with a willingness to investigate issues, challenge discrepancies and get into the detail when required
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with excellent attention to detail
• Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting and cash flow management
• Good understanding of financial controls, compliance and audit requirements
• Confident communicating financial information to non-finance stakeholders
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines
• Proactive and solutions-focused, with the confidence to identify opportunities for improvement
• Strong IT skills, particularly Microsoft Excel, alongside experience using an ERP system or integrated finance system
• A collaborative working style, combined with the ability to work independently and take ownership
• Qualified, part-qualified or qualified by experience, with relevant practical experience and technical capability

What's on Offer

• Competitive salary of £70,000+
• Opportunity to work closely with the Finance Director in a key finance position
• A hands-on role within a specialist manufacturing environment
• Exposure to operational finance, manufacturing performance and commercial decision-making
• Opportunity to make a tangible contribution to financial reporting, controls and process improvement
• A varied role combining technical accounting with commercial business partnering
• The opportunity to develop and broaden your experience within an established organisation
• Supportive working environment with opportunities to build strong relationships across the business
• Additional benefits package