Financial Controller - Fast Growth SME

My client is a profitable and fast growing owner managed import/distribution SME based in Manchester, selling to a range of top quality household name Retailers. Having doubled t/o to over £7m within the last 3 years, the high calibre MD has ambitious plans for significant business growth going forward.

As a result of this expansion, the excellent "switched on" MD now seeks a high potential Finance professional to head up the Finance function and provide financial support and advice. 

The successful candidate has the opportunity to develop as the MD's "right hand" in playing a wider operational and commercial proactive role to support the ambitious business growth strategy.

Reporting directly to the MD, initial key responsibilities will include:

• Control and development of all aspects of the Accounts function with support from a couple of Assistant Accountants.
• Production of timely monthly management accounts, with commentary and analysis to highlight KPI's/business performance trends.
• Year end statutory accounts and liaison with Auditors.
• Import and shipping documentation.
• Cash flow management.
• Operating on an Opera accounts platform, ongoing development of financial and wider operational systems and processes in line with the needs of a growing business.
• Financial input to new business initiatives and growth opportunities.
• Represent the company in a professional and credible way in dealing directly with the full range of professional stakeholders - Auditors, Tax Authorities, Bank etc.

The successful candidate is likely to be a fully qualified accountant, or possibly a Finalist with strong potential either:

• Trained in Practice with an excellent grounding with a range of similar small-medium sized SME clients, seeking to now develop their career in Industry/Commerce.
• Alternatively, experience in a similar SME, attracted by the opportunity to move to an exciting faster growing entrepreneur run company of this nature. 

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate a strong combination of:

• Hands-on strong attention to detail to deliver consistent "right first time" accurate and robust financial, management and statutory accounts.
• In addition, proactive wider business understanding to develop your role to become the MD's professional "right hand" to be able to spot issues and provide practical solutions, as well as to be a trusted "sounding board" in the financial appraisal of new business initiatives/opportunities to support well informed decision making processes.

My client offers a competitive starting salary up to £50k plus annual bonus and potential for future share options. The salary level will naturally increase in line with the development of your role within this growing and ambitious SME business.

Please send your CV and salary details in confidence to Martin Morgan, the retained consultant. All relevant candidates can expect a prompt direct response.