Head of Finance/Finance Director
Posted 2 days ago by HAYS
Negotiable
Inside
Hybrid
Bristol, Gloucestershire, UK
Summary: This role is for a Head of Finance/Finance Director at a fast-growing start-up in Bristol, starting as a 6-month interim position with potential for permanent placement. The successful candidate will lead the finance function, providing strategic insights and ensuring financial integrity while supporting the company's growth. The position offers a hybrid working arrangement and requires a proactive individual with strong financial expertise.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own all day to day finance operations, processes and controls (P2P/O2C, GL, month end and year end).
- Lead budgeting, forecasting and cashflow management; produce timely MI and board ready reporting.
- Safeguard cost control and profitability; monitor performance KPIs and drive data led decisions.
- Build & improve scalable systems, policies and processes suitable for a growing business.
- Partner closely with the leadership team; translate financials into clear, commercial actions.
- Uphold confidentiality around all financial information, costs and performance figures.
Key Skills:
- ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified.
- Proven experience as a Financial Controller or in a senior finance role, ideally within a growing SME.
- Strong technical accounting expertise, with experience building or refining finance systems and processes.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver consolidated month-end accounts and high-quality C-suite reporting.
- Highly commercial mindset, with a clear focus on cost management, margin improvement, and profitability.
- Ability to translate financial data into practical, strategic insight that influences decision-making.
- Meticulous attention to detail, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to operate at pace.
- Proactive, confident, and comfortable taking ownership in a fast-moving environment.
- Experience using Xero.
- Availability: immediately available or on short notice.
Salary (Rate): £80,000 yearly
City: Bristol
Country: UK
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: Senior
Industry: Other
6-month contract starting January 2026
- Head of Finance/Finance Director - Bristol (Start Up)
- £65,000-£80,000 (depending on experience)
- Part time options will be considered (3-4 days)
- Interim initially 6 months (with temp to perm opportunity)
- Hybrid: 3 days on site/2 from home
- Systems: Xero
A newly created No.1 in Finance role within a fast growing, ambitious Bristol start up. You'll shape the finance function, support strategic decision making, and play a key role in scaling the business. Interested? Reach out to Charlie Maidment from the Hays Bristol/Bath senior finance team.
About the role:
An exciting, hands on opportunity to join a fast growing and dynamic start up in Bristol as their number 1 in finance. You'll lead the finance function end to end, owning operations, processes and controls, while providing strategic insight to help the leadership team make informed, commercial decisions. This is a high impact role for someone ambitious and driven who thrives in a flexible, fast changing environment. We are looking for a highly capable, financially and commercially driven Financial Controller to take ownership of the finance function and play a critical role in shaping key business decisions.
This is a pivotal leadership role, responsible not only for the accuracy and integrity of financial reporting, but also for driving commercial insight, cost management, and profitability across the business. You will act as a trusted financial partner to the CEO, founders, and leadership team, helping translate financial performance into clear, actionable decisions as the business continues to scale.
You will build and refine core finance processes from the ground up, lead consolidated reporting, and ensure the business has the financial visibility and discipline required to grow sustainably. This role combines hands-on financial control with strategic and commercial influence, offering the opportunity to directly impact how the business operates, invests, and grows.
What you'll do
- Own all day to day finance operations, processes and controls (P2P/O2C, GL, month end and year end).
- Lead budgeting, forecasting and cashflow management; produce timely MI and board ready reporting.
- Safeguard cost control and profitability; monitor performance KPIs and drive data led decisions.
- Build & improve scalable systems, policies and processes suitable for a growing business.
- Partner closely with the leadership team; translate financials into clear, commercial actions.
- Uphold confidentiality around all financial information, costs and performance figures.
About you
- ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified.
- Proven experience as a Financial Controller or in a senior finance role, ideally within a growing SME.
- Strong technical accounting expertise, with experience building or refining finance systems and processes.
- Demonstrated ability to deliver consolidated month-end accounts and high-quality C-suite reporting.
- Highly commercial mindset, with a clear focus on cost management, margin improvement, and profitability.
- Ability to translate financial data into practical, strategic insight that influences decision-making.
- Meticulous attention to detail, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to operate at pace.
- Proactive, confident, and comfortable taking ownership in a fast-moving environment.
- Experience using Xero.
- Availability: immediately available or on short notice.
How to apply
If you're available now (or at short notice) and would like the company details and full job spec, please reach out to Charles Maidment from the Hays Senior Finance - Bristol team: