Head of Finance

Location:

Studio-based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester

Hours:

Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Planit is looking for an experienced and proactive Head of Finance to play a lead role in advancing our finance function, and the wider practice, for continued success through a 2-year fixed-term contract.

Planit is an interdisciplinary design practice, bringing together Landscape Architects, Urban Designers, and Visual Storytellers across five studios in the UK. Our Finance Team is based in the practice’s headquarters in Altrincham, our hometown and a place we've been helping shape through public realm design for over a decade.

Our Finance Team, sits at the heart of the practice, overseen by Director for Finance, Lindsay Humblet. As our Head of Finance, you will take responsibility for the smooth running of all aspects of financial management within the practice, from budgeting, forecasting and management reporting through to credit control and cash management. Working closely with the Director and Studio Director Teams, you will provide financial insight and reporting, help improve project profitability, and contribute to informed decision-making across the business.

The ability to work well with people, as well as numbers, is essential; taking a Business Partnering attitude and mentoring approach to the role. Translating financial information into clear and practical guidance, improving financial literacy, and helping the team understand their role in improving financial performance are vital. Likewise, enabling the development and career advancement of the Finance Team, consisting of an Assistant Management Accountant and Assistant Accountant, within the duration of the fixed-term contract, is a key facet to this appointment.

We are seeking a CIMA, ACA or ACCA qualified accountant with a minimum of 5- years’ post qualification experience. Experience with in design or professional services would be advantageous, but we’re open to fresh perspectives that enable the practice’s purpose to ‘Design for All Life to Thrive in Balance’, and values as an accredited B Corp.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day finance function, supervising and developing the team and maintaining accurate accounting records.
• Prepare and present monthly management accounts and deliver insightful management information, KPIs and financial analysis to support strategic and operational decision-making across all studios and disciplines. This will include leading monthly finance meetings with the senior leadership design teams and supporting quarterly Finance Management meetings.
• Lead annual budgeting and regular forecasting, monitoring performance, costs and financial risks against business targets.
• Manage cashflow, banking relationships, bank balances and payment planning, ensuring timely reconciliations.
• Oversee sales invoicing, credit control and debt recovery, working with project leads to ensure completed work is billed promptly.
• Manage purchase ledger, supplier approvals and payment runs, alongside staff expenses, petty cash and company credit cards.
• Lead revenue recognition and work-in-progress reviews in line with UK GAAP, including fee forecasts, accrued and deferred income.
• Partner with project and studio leads to drive financial performance, overseeing profitability, labour budgets, resource allocation and staff utilisation, while providing commercial insight and recommendations to Directors.
• Oversight of and overall responsibility for payroll, pensions and employee benefits in conjunction with HR colleagues, to ensure accurate accounting and related tax reporting is provided to our external payroll service provider.
• Oversight of VAT preparation, with overall responsibility for compliance and relevant HMRC filings.
• Co…