Finance Manager in Harrogate

Our first dedicated finance hire, someone to build the function and grow with us as we scale.

Location: Harrogate or Wakefield

Salary: Competitive

Type: Full time, permanent

Working: Office or hybrid

About us

Avery Fairbank and Eden International are specialist executive search brands working across the data centre and built environment sectors globally. We have offices in Harrogate and Wakefield, with a London office opening in September 2026. Avery Fairbank, Eden International and our US business, Avera Partners, are sister brands under shared ownership. Each leads in its own part of the market, and this role is the single finance function supporting all of them. We're on a clear growth trajectory, and we're bringing finance into the business for the first time. This is a rare chance to build a finance function from the ground up and to grow with us as we scale.

The opportunity

This is our first dedicated internal finance hire. Reporting to the Managing Director and working alongside our external accountants, you'll own the day to day finance operation, help put the right systems and controls in place, and become the person who gives leadership a clear, current view of the numbers. It's a genuine build role. Early on you'll be practical and operational, getting the right systems and processes in place, tightening credit control, and running the fundamentals cleanly. As the business grows, the role is designed to grow with you.

What you'll own

• BILLING AND CREDIT CONTROL
• Invoicing: raise and issue client invoices accurately and on time, including USD invoicing for US clients.
• Credit control: own credit control from start to finish, chasing debtors and holding clients to agreed terms.
• Payments: manage supplier payments, expenses and card reconciliation.
• COMMISSIONS AND GUARANTEES
• Payroll: manage payroll inputs; payroll is processed by our external accountants.
• Commissions: calculate and reconcile consultant commissions transparently.
• Rebates: track placement guarantees and administer rebates correctly.
• REPORTING AND INSIGHT
• Reporting: produce monthly management accounts and a clear board and KPI pack.
• Forecasting: own cash flow forecasting, budgeting and variance analysis.
• Analytics: track the numbers that matter, including net fee income, gross profit, revenue per head and debtor days.
• SYSTEMS, CONTROLS AND GROWTH
• Systems: help put the right finance systems and processes in place.
• Controls: build robust financial controls and disciplined revenue recognition.
• Growth: partner with leadership on the numbers as the business grows (GBP and USD).

What we're looking for

• ESSENTIAL
• Qualified or finalist accountant (ACCA, CIMA or ACA), or a strong finance manager qualified by experience who has run a function.
• Experience owning finance in an SME, ideally as the sole or lead finance person.
• Comfortable improving finance systems and processes as a business grows.
• A commercial, analytical head and a genuine builder's mentality.
• High integrity and a natural instinct for controls and accuracy.
• DESIRABLE
• Finance experience in recruitment, executive search or professional services.
• Exposure to multiple entities and currencies, including USD.
• Familiarity with commission and rebate or clawback accounting.
• Experience inside a scaling, fast growing business.

Growing with us

This is a role with real headroom. We're looking for someone who wants to build something and grow with us as the business scales, and where that leads is a conversation we'd love to have with the right person.