Group Finance Director

Academia have an exciting opportunity to join the executive leadership team as Group Finance Director, where you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the financial future of a dynamic, investor-backed organisation poised for significant growth.

As a trusted advisor to the Board, you’ll lead the development and execution of a forward-thinking financial strategy that drives operational excellence, unlocks long-term value, and supports ambitious expansion plans. Your influence will extend across the business, ensuring robust governance, insightful financial reporting, and a culture of performance and accountability.

This role offers the chance to make a tangible impact, strengthening financial controls, delivering cost efficiencies, and optimising commercial performance in a fast-paced, results-driven environment. You’ll manage high-level investor relationships, provide clear and credible reporting, and play a key role in preparing the business for a successful exit.

Beyond core finance leadership, you’ll be at the forefront of strategic initiatives, including targeted acquisitions and a Buy & Build growth strategy. You’ll assess opportunities, lead due diligence, and oversee seamless integrations, maximising value creation and accelerating growth.

We’re looking for a hands-on, commercially astute finance leader with a proven track record in scaling businesses, ideally within investor-backed environments. You’ll bring strong technical expertise, operational insight, and a collaborative leadership style that inspires confidence and drives continuous improvement.

If you’re ready to lead from the front, influence at the highest level, and help shape the future of a high-growth organisation, this role offers the platform to do just that.

*Please note: The successful candidate may be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check, in line with our safeguarding and compliance policies.

You will be responsible for:

• Partner with the CEO and investors to deliver a transformation programme aligned with long-term value creation.
• Strengthen financial planning, controls, and reporting to best-practice standards.
• Drive cash management discipline and operational efficiency, ensuring compliance with banking covenants and enabling reinvestment in growth.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking through improved KPI frameworks.
• Support strategic initiatives including targeted acquisitions and a Buy & Build growth strategy.
• Oversee legal and commercial contract governance, working closely with legal team to review; customer, supplier and partner agreements.
• Ensure commercial terms are aligned to company key objectives
• Support contractual negotiations on major bids, MSAs, supplier terms, NDAs, ensuring financial exposure and liability are fully understood and mitigated.
• Governance: Ensure controls, policies, and procedures are appropriate for day-day sales business
• Board Reporting: Own the financial pack, build a reporting ethos that provides real-time insights and supports agile decision-making.
• Cost-to-Serve insight: Partner with CEO to deliver initiatives to drive CTS by tracking profitability by customer, project, business unit and help drive cost savings.
• Systems: Champion finance transformation projects including ERP upgrades, BI tools, automation, and digitisation of processes.
• Build strong relationships with banks, investors, and other stakeholders to support the business’s ambitions and help prepare business for exit
• Identify and deliver cost-saving initiatives across the organisation.
• Develop and mentor the finance team, fostering a culture of excellence, ownership, and accountability.

Key Skills & Experience:

• Formal accounting qualification and strong academic background.
• Proven experience as CFO/Finance Director in a growth-focused business.
• Sound commercial and legal knowledge of UK and EU markets.
• Track record of driving change, delivering cost savings, and enabling growth.
• Strong operational experience with hands-on leadership style.
• Skilled at balancing operational detail with strategic decision-making.
• Energetic, pragmatic, and collaborative, with the gravitas to influence at Board, investor, and operational levels.
• Relevant sector experience (professional services, IT services, reseller, or MPS).
• Strong bias towards financial control, commercial decision-making, and hands-on delivery.
• Highly organised, systems-savvy, and analytically strong with excellent attention to detail.
• Confident, independent, and proactive—comfortable both challenging and being challenged.

Why Academia?

Academia is an innovative and rapidly expanding technology company on a mission to transform IT services for large public and private sector customers. We’re not just a supplier; we’re a trusted partner for thousands of clients.

Our ethos is simple, if we can provide great technology and make it work, we will empower our customers to optimise their investment in technology. Your IT success is our business.

Building a strong reputation over 20 years as a top-tier provider of IT solutions and services, the company has sustained double-digit growth, with revenues exceeding £150 million in FY24. We have picked up prestigious industry awards along the way, including the highly prized CRN reseller of the year award.

Backed by Strive Capital, which has provided strong financial and strategic support since 2020, Academia is well-equipped to continue expanding into new areas. Our dedicated lifecycle division, launched to meet the growing demand for sustainable IT solutions, reinforces our commitment to reducing environmental impact while supporting the full lifecycle of our technology.

Our culture is built on teamwork, innovation, integrity, ambition, and a commitment to delivering excellent customer service. With ambitious growth plans and a supportive, collaborative environment, Academia is a fantastic place for professionals eager to make an impact. Join us and become part of one of the UK’s most exciting tech success stories.