Finance Manager

Central Finance Manager

Location:

Fareham (hybrid – minimum 2 days per week in the office)

Salary:
Competitive, depending on experience

Role type:
Full‑time, permanent

We are looking for an experienced Central Finance Manager to play a key leadership role within our growing finance function. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys owning financial reporting end‑to‑end, setting high standards, developing people, and ensuring that management information is accurate, consistent, and genuinely useful for decision‑making.

You will lead and support a team of Management Accountants, take ownership of monthly reporting across multiple entities, and act as a senior point of judgement within the finance function. The role also includes the opportunity to support targeted performance improvement activity where additional focus is required.

• Own the monthly management reporting cycle across a multi‑entity structure.
• Ensure reporting is accurate, timely, consistent, and well‑presented.
• Review and quality‑check outputs before senior review.
• Maintain strong financial controls, reconciliations, and documentation.

• Lead, mentor, and develop Management Accountants and Assistant Management Accountants.
• Act as a senior escalation point for technical or judgement‑based questions.
• Support the team in moving beyond reporting numbers to explaining performance drivers and trends.

• Own reporting timetables and delivery discipline.
• Improve efficiency, clarity, and consistency of finance processes.
• Work with internal teams and external providers to ensure high‑quality outputs.

• Coordinate information requests related to statutory reporting and audits.
• Act as a key finance contact for stakeholders, providing clear, reliable information.
  
  Ensure finance outputs remain audit‑ready throughout the year.

• Where required, support short, well‑defined improvement initiatives for specific business areas.
• Use financial insight to help identify root causes and improvement actions.
  
  Track progress and embed improvements before returning focus fully to BAU delivery.

(This element of the role is selective and time‑bound – not continuous change management.)

• Strong experience in management accounting within a multi‑entity or professional services environment.
• Confident ownership of month‑end reporting and financial control.
• Proven people leadership and coaching experience.
• Solid technical accounting knowledge and sound judgement.
  
  Ability to prioritise effectively and stay calm under pressure.

• Practice or audit background.
• Experience supporting business improvement or stabilisation initiatives.
• Exposure to outsourced finance or shared‑service environments.
• Confident with Xero ecosystem.

• A senior, visible role with real ownership and influence.
• Opportunity to shape how financial reporting operates at scale.
• Exposure to a broad, diverse group structure.
• Clear progression opportunities for the right individual.
• A culture that values high standards, pragmatism, and continuous improvement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome candidates from all backgrounds.