Job Title: Finance Manager
Location: Ashford , Kent
Salary: £45,000 - £55,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Job Type: Full time/Permanent
We are looking for an experienced Finance Manager with manufacturing industry experience to lead financial operations, drive performance improvements and support strategic decision-making. This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on finance professional to take ownership of finance processes within a fast paced manufacturing environment.
Key responsibilities
*Lead month-end and year end financial close, preparation of management accounts and statutory reporting
*Produce timely management reporting, variance analysis and KPI dashboards for senior leadership
*Oversee budgeting, forecasting and long-range planning processes; drive rolling forecasts and scenario planning
*Manage cost accounting, product costing, inventory valuation and margin analysis in a manufacturing environment
*Implement and maintain robust financial controls, policies and compliance with accounting standards
*Support operational teams with financial analysis for pricing, production planning, process improvement and cost reduction initiatives
*Drive ERP and systems improvements, including enhancements to reporting, costing and process automation
*Other duties as assigned by the SLT
Skills and experience required
*Proven experience as a Finance Manager or senior finance role within the manufacturing industry (essential)
*Strong technical skills in cost accounting, inventory management and production costing
*Hands-on experience with ERP systems and advanced Excel skills; experience with BI tools an advantage
*Solid understanding of budgeting, forecasting, cash management and statutory reporting
*Experience leading month-end and year-end close, and supporting external audits
*Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills; able to translate financial data into actionable insight for non-finance audiences
*Experience managing and developing finance teams
*Professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) or relevant degree preferred