Finance Director

Finance Director Artemis Human Capital has partnered exclusively with a fast-growing Northern Ireland manufacturing SME to appoint a Finance Director as the business enters an exciting and ambitious next stage of its development. This is a pivotal leadership appointment within a successful entrepreneurial business with significant growth plans. The incoming Finance Director will work closely with the shareholders and senior leadership team, initially taking ownership of the financial strategy and infrastructure of the organisation while playing an increasingly influential role in the wider direction of the business.

This opportunity extends considerably beyond the traditional Finance Director remit. The successful individual will help shape strategy, lead significant business transformation and build the systems, processes, management information and organisational capability required to support the company's longer-term ambitions. As part of the organisation's succession planning, there is also the potential for the role to develop into broader executive leadership over time.

The Role The Finance Director will:
Act as a key member of the senior leadership team and contribute to the overall strategy and direction of the business. Lead the finance function and provide high-quality financial and commercial insight to shareholders and senior management. Develop robust budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow and strategic financial planning. Create meaningful management information and KPIs to support faster and better-informed decision-making. Improve visibility around profitability, margins, working capital and operational performance.

Provide constructive commercial challenge across the organisation. Lead the continued development of financial controls, processes and governance. Play a central leadership role in a significant ERP and digital transformation programme. Work alongside external specialists and internal stakeholders to ensure technology investment delivers genuine operational efficiencies and improved business intelligence. Identify opportunities to improve profitability, productivity and cash generation. Support strategic investment and capital-allocation decisions.

Develop the finance team and broader management capability. Help create scalable structures and processes capable of supporting significant future growth. Work closely with the shareholders around longer-term business and succession planning.

The Person We are seeking an accomplished senior finance professional with the commercial capability and leadership presence to influence well beyond the finance function. Candidates are likely to be ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified and currently operating as a Finance Director, Head of Finance or in an equivalent senior leadership position. We are particularly interested in individuals who can demonstrate:
Significant experience within a manufacturing, engineering or similarly operational environment. Strong commercial and strategic capability alongside financial expertise. Experience working within an entrepreneurial, owner-managed or SME environment. Evidence of successfully leading change and business transformation. Experience implementing or significantly developing ERP/business systems. The ability to turn financial and operational data into meaningful commercial action. Strong leadership and stakeholder-management capability. Experience developing teams, processes and organisational capability.

The confidence to challenge at Board/shareholder level while remaining pragmatic and collaborative. An ability to move comfortably between strategic thinking and the operational detail of a growing SME. Previous exposure to rapid growth, investment, M&A, business integration or…