Head of Finance

Head of Finance 

Salary: Circa £65,000 to £85,000 

Location: Amersham (Hybrid) with travel other branches

We are working with a well-established, multi-office professional services firm to appoint a hands-on Head of Finance who will take ownership of the day-to-day finance function and play a genuine part in an ambitious growth story.

This is a business with a strong reputation in its field and serious plans to scale, both organically and through acquisition. It is a buy-and-build operation with a healthy appetite for growth, and this role sits right at the heart of it. There is real scope here to shape how the finance function runs and to make a tangible commercial impact as the firm expands.

This is positioned as a Financial Controller role leading to Finance Director, and the client will consider candidates at either level · whether you are an established Head of Finance or a strong FC ready to step up. What matters most is the calibre of the person and the value they can add.

The Package

• Base salary of circa £65,000 to £85,000, depending on experience 
• Discretionary performance-related bonus linked to company performance
• 24 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Hybrid working, with 2 days per week from home
• Based at the head office in Amersham, with regular travel to other offices to build relationships and provide support
• and much more.

The Role

As Head of Finance, you will own the day-to-day financial operations of the firm, covering the full spectrum of finance from budgeting and forecasting through to management accounts, cash flow and audit. An early priority will be reviewing the cash flow forecast and performance against budget, giving the leadership team the insight they need to prioritise the actions that deliver the greatest impact. You will design and embed efficient, decision-ready reporting, and play a central role in the firm’s acquisition strategy through due diligence and the commercial appraisal of potential targets.

As the business grows by acquisition, you will be instrumental in assessing, integrating and getting under the skin of new additions, making sure each one is the right fit and lands well. Just as important as the technical detail is the influence you bring.

This is a role for someone who can win the confidence of the wider senior leadership team, bring people with them, and constructively challenge the status quo to drive the continued modernisation of the firm. You will need the charm and credibility to push back in the right way, and the commercial instinct to know what’s best to help keep the business moving forward.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Managing and motivating a small finance team 
• Managing the financial performance of the company, reviewing the cost base for savings while supporting top-line growth 
• Playing a key role in acquisition activity, from commercial appraisal of targets through to due diligence and integration
• Preparing monthly management reports and month-end reporting, covering unbilled WIP, billings, aged debtors, payments and receipts
• Producing WIP reports and overseeing VAT processes 
• Overseeing daily bank reconciliations and bank on account queries, including deposits, cheque queries and transfers
• Updating the Directors regularly on the cash flow position
• Ensuring the firm’s compliance with financial regulatory requirements Reviewing current procedures and processes to identify improvements Managing an end-to-end audit of current systems, acting as first point of contact for external auditors and liaising with external accountants for year-end 
• Identifying risks to delivery, proposing solutions and managing stakeholder expectations throughout

What We’re Looking For

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) 
• Strong cash flow forecasting and variance analysis experience (actual vs forecast) 
• Experience supporting due diligence and acquisitions, ideally within a buy-and-build or acquisitive business 
• Experience of statutory accounts and running an annual audit 
• High numeracy with sound technical skills and an analytical approach 
• Commercial and business awareness, with the confidence to influence at senior level · Excellent communication and presentation skills 
• Strong attention to detail and an investigative nature 
• Experience within a law firm or other regulated professional services environment is ideal, with an understanding of the sector’s specific accounting complexities, though candidates from other backgrounds with the right calibre will be considered

The Person

You will be a dynamic, commercial and confident operator who enjoys being hands-on and close to the detail. You bring genuine charm and presence, the ability to influence and win people over, and the resilience to challenge constructively where it counts. You thrive in a fast-moving, acquisitive environment and see beyond the numbers to the decisions they inform. You will ideally bring an understanding of a regulated, partnership-style environment and the particular complexities that come with it, though the right person from a different background who can quickly get up to speed will be just as welcome. Above all, you want to add real, visible value to a growing business as it scales, modernises and brings new firms into the fold.

Interested?

Apply now with your CV, or get in touch for a confidential conversation about the role.