We are working with a well-established distribution business in West Sussex, supplying specialist technical products. The company was acquired last year by a growing UK group and has recently appointed a new Managing Director. It is profitable, ambitious and now needs a finance function to match.
Today, finance runs on Sage 50 with one on-site finance administrator and an external firm of accountants producing the monthly management accounts. The numbers get done but there is very little commercial insight behind them, particularly around customer and product profitability.
THE ROLEThis is a hybrid brief: part change project, part ongoing strategic finance partnering. You will work closely with the MD as a trusted business partner while leading the finance function through a step change.
Phase 1 - Assess and improve- Review the existing team, processes and Sage 50 set-up, and define the gap between what is and what could be
- Build a commercial finance overlay that gives the MD a true and timely picture of the business
- Extract the best possible MI from current systems, with a focus on product and customer profitability
- Introduce budgeting and forecasting disciplines to support the growth plan
- Assess the management accounts and wider services provided by the external accountants, and recommend what should be brought in house
- Potentially lead the evaluation and selection of a new ERP/finance system
- Own the business case, requirements definition and vendor selection
- Manage the implementation, including data migration, testing and go-live, alongside internal teams and external partners
- Ensure the new system delivers robust stock control and accurate margin reporting at product and business-unit level
- Manage the risks to business continuity through the transition
- Proven track record of ERP selection and implementation, ideally more than one full cycle from business case through to embedded go-live
- Strong working knowledge of stock control systems and processes
- Demonstrated experience designing or improving margin reporting
Experience as a genuine finance business partner to an MD or CEO, not purely back office - Comfortable working on a portfolio/fractional basis — able to prioritise ruthlessly and be efficient with time on site
- Sector background in distribution, manufacturing or another product-based business carrying physical stock
- Familiarity with systems likely to be shortlisted (Sage, Sage Intacct, Net Suite, Microsoft Dynamics, Xero plus add-ons)
- Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA)
- Experience in owner-managed or PE-backed businesses of a similar scale
- 2–3 days per week, with flexibility to flex up during implementation
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