About this role
Head of Finance – Clear Path to Finance Director
Location: North Kent (on site, Monday to Friday)
Contract: Full time, permanent
Salary: £65,000–£75,000 depending on experience plus performance bonus
Reporting to: Managing Director
The opportunity
A privately owned, family-led group of companies is looking for a qualified Head of Finance to work as the Managing Director's right hand, and to grow into the Finance Director role.
The group operates across construction and related services, is hands-on and quick to make decisions, and has ambitious growth plans. It is restructuring its finance function and wants someone who will become a long-term part of the business.
You will work side by side with the MD, be involved in the big decisions, and be the person they turn to for an honest view on the numbers and where the business is heading. To begin with you will run finance single-handed, from processing through to management accounts, cash, compliance and commercial insight. As the business grows, you will recruit an Accounts Assistant and build the team around you.
This is a role to grow into, with a defined route to Finance Director and a seat at the senior leadership table. Candidates who already have Finance Director experience will be considered for the FD role from the start.
What you'll be doing
Run the finance function
Purchase and sales ledger, bank reconciliations, supplier payment runs and credit controlPayroll, pensions, VAT, CIS and other HMRC submissionsMonth-end close and monthly management accounts with clear commentary for every group companyYear-end preparation, working with the external accountants and auditorsStrong financial controls across the group, including purchase order controls Cash and working capital
Daily cash position and rolling 13-week cash flow forecastsManage debtor days, customer credit limits and supplier termsBuild relationships with banks, lenders and asset finance providers Project finance
Applications for payment, valuations, variations, retentions and final accountsProject cost reporting and contract profitability Commercial insight
Profitability by customer, contract, project and division, spotting revenue leakage and margin opportunitiesOperational reporting covering labour, fleet, fuel and overheads, plus KPI dashboardsAnnual budgets, rolling forecasts and budget vs actual reportingPricing reviews and investment models, including ROI on equipment and infrastructureSupport acquisitions and growth, and present clear recommendations to the MD and directors Systems and improvement
Get the most out of Sage and improve the quality and speed of reportingRemove manual work from finance processes and lead any new system implementation How the role will grow
Year one: take full ownership of finance, tighten controls and reporting, and become the MD's trusted right handAs the business grows: recruit, train and manage an Accounts Assistant and build the team the business needsFinance Director: join the senior leadership team, lead strategy, funding and acquisitions, and own the group's financial direction About you
Essential
Qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA or CIMA), or a finalist with substantial senior experienceExperience as a Finance Director, Financial Controller, Head of Finance or Finance Manager in an SME, ideally running finance alone or with a small teamGenuinely hands-on: happy to do the processing as well as the reportingManagement accounts, budgeting, forecasting and cash flow forecastingExperience across multiple entities or a group of companiesStrong Excel and accounting system skills (Sage preferred)Full UK driving license Desirable
Experience in construction, engineering, logistics or another project-based or asset-heavy sectorCIS and project accounting, including applications, valuations and retentionsExperience building or managing a finance teamExperience with lenders, asset finance, due diligence or acquisitionsFinance Director experience, for candidates looking to start at that level You'll thrive here if you want a long-term role you can grow with, have the ambition to become a Finance Director, take ownership and work well on your own, and are confident enough to challenge and advise an MD who will trust you completely.
What's on offer
£65,000–£75,000 plus performance-related bonusA clear route to Finance DirectorCompany pensionFree on-site parkingProfessional development, including CPD supportA supportive, entrepreneurial environment with regular team events