Head of Finance
Posted 1 week ago by AtkinsClarke
£60 Per hour
Inside
Hybrid
Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
Summary: The Interim Head of Finance role is a hands-on leadership position aimed at providing stability and control during a critical period for a growing organization. The successful candidate will oversee a finance team, ensuring accurate financial reporting and driving improvements in financial processes. This role requires a proactive leader who can navigate a fast-paced environment and enhance the finance function's value. The position is hybrid, requiring 3-4 days on-site work in the West Midlands.
Key Responsibilities:
- Leading the monthly close process, ensuring accurate and timely reporting
- Managing and developing a multi-layered finance team across transactional and management accounting
- Driving improvements across AR/AP processes, particularly around cash collection and controls
- Strengthening financial governance, controls and balance sheet integrity
- Delivering clear variance analysis and meaningful insight to support decision-making
- Supporting budgeting, forecasting and long-term planning processes
- Leading year-end activities and managing external audit relationships
- Reviewing and improving finance processes, systems and team structure
- Partnering with operational stakeholders to drive accountability and performance
Key Skills:
- ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualification (or equivalent)
- Proven experience as a Financial Controller or Head of Finance within a growing or complex business
- Strong technical accounting and financial control capability
- Experience leading and developing sizeable finance teams
- The confidence to challenge, reset expectations and address performance issues where needed
- A proactive, “roll sleeves up” approach with a focus on improvement and delivery
- Experience within project-based, operational or infrastructure-led businesses would be advantageous but is not essential
Salary (Rate): £400.00 daily
City: West Midlands
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: Senior
Industry: Finance
Interim Head of Finance 6 Month Contract | West Midlands | Hybrid (3–4 days on-site) | Day Rate (c.£350–£400, inside IR35)
THE OPPORTUNITY
AtkinsClarke are supporting a growing, well-backed organisation with the appointment of an Interim Head of Finance to provide leadership and stability during a critical period. This is a hands-on leadership role, stepping into a well-established but evolving finance function to ensure control, improve performance and support the business through a demanding financial cycle. The role requires someone who is comfortable taking ownership quickly, setting clear expectations and driving improvements - not just maintaining the status quo.
THE ORGANISATION
Our client is a high-growth, operationally focused business with revenues of c.£90m, operating within a specialist, evolving and market-proof sector. The business has experienced strong growth and investment in recent years, alongside some operational and financial challenges that are now driving a renewed focus on control, performance and forward planning. Finance plays a central role in this - supporting operational delivery, improving visibility and ensuring the business is set up for sustainable growth.
THE ROLE
Reporting to the Finance Director, you will take full ownership of the finance function, leading a team of c.10–12 people and ensuring the delivery of accurate, timely and insightful financial information. This is a broad and hands-on Head of Finance role, with a strong focus on both control and team leadership.
- Leading the monthly close process, ensuring accurate and timely reporting
- Managing and developing a multi-layered finance team across transactional and management accounting
- Driving improvements across AR/AP processes, particularly around cash collection and controls
- Strengthening financial governance, controls and balance sheet integrity
- Delivering clear variance analysis and meaningful insight to support decision-making
- Supporting budgeting, forecasting and long-term planning processes
- Leading year-end activities and managing external audit relationships
- Reviewing and improving finance processes, systems and team structure
- Partnering with operational stakeholders to drive accountability and performance
A key part of the role will be moving the team beyond transactional processing into a more value-adding, insight-led function.
THE PERSON
We are looking for a capable, resilient finance leader who is comfortable operating in a fast-paced and sometimes challenging environment. You will bring:
- ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualification (or equivalent)
- Proven experience as a Financial Controller or Head of Finance within a growing or complex business
- Strong technical accounting and financial control capability
- Experience leading and developing sizeable finance teams
- The confidence to challenge, reset expectations and address performance issues where needed
- A proactive, “roll sleeves up” approach with a focus on improvement and delivery
- Experience within project-based, operational or infrastructure-led businesses would be advantageous but is not essential.
THE OFFER
6-month interim contract (potential for extension or longer-term opportunity)
Day rate between £350 – £400 per day (inside IR35)
High-impact leadership role with immediate responsibility
Opportunity to shape and improve a finance function during a key period
Hybrid working with 3–4 days on-site required
To apply for this position, please click on the apply now button and your CV will be sent directly to the responsible recruiter. We will respond to successful applicants within 7 days, however, please feel free to get in touch if you would like any further information about your application.
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