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- Tasks: Lead financial control and commercial performance in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
- Company: Join a UK manufacturing leader known for bespoke industrial equipment.
- Benefits: Hybrid work model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact on finance transformation and operational success.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in manufacturing finance with strong analytical skills.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative team driving innovation and efficiency.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
Axon Moore is exclusively partnering with a UK manufacturing and engineering business designing and delivering bespoke industrial equipment and production systems. All design, manufacturing and assembly are carried out in-house, enabling high quality, flexibility and long-term customer relationships.
Location – North Manchester
Hybrid – 5 days onsite
The Role: The business is looking to appoint a Finance & Commercial Director to play a critical leadership role within the business. Reporting into senior leadership, you will be responsible for financial control, manufacturing costing, procurement, commercial performance and systems ownership. Acting as the key finance partner to operations, you will ensure that operational decisions translate into profitable, sustainable outcomes. This role will lead a significant finance and systems transformation, embedding robust controls, improving margin visibility and building a modern commercial performance function.
Key Responsibilities:- Lead month-end close and produce accurate management accounts (P&L, balance sheet, cashflow, KPIs)
- Maintain strong balance sheet control across inventory, WIP, accruals and fixed assets
- Lead budgeting, forecasting and financial modelling
- Support statutory reporting and audit processes
- Own weekly cashflow forecasting and working capital management
- Oversee invoicing, milestone billing and credit control
- Ensure strong AP governance and purchasing compliance
- Build and maintain robust standard costing models (materials, labour, overheads)
- Own BOM, routing and labour accuracy in partnership with operations and engineering
- Deliver margin analysis, variance reporting and improvement actions
- Support design-for-manufacture and standardisation initiatives
- Act as finance owner of the ERP and cloud accounting systems
- Govern financial and costing master data, workflows and controls
- Ensure accurate job costing, traceability and real-time commercial insight
- Lead accounting system transitions and integrations
- Establish and lead a structured procurement function
- Lead supplier negotiations and manage commercial terms
- Drive procurement KPIs including savings, PPV and supplier performance
- Ensure procurement insight feeds into pricing and project decisions
- Own quoted-versus-actual job costing and margin tracking
- Partner with operations on project close-outs and cost-to-complete analysis
- Validate project pricing, engineering changes and non-standard requests
- Identify and mitigate commercial and margin risk
- 5+ years’ experience in a manufacturing finance role
- Strong hands-on experience with inventory, BOMs, WIP and labour costing
- ERP implementation or ownership experience in a manufacturing environment
- Experience working with cloud accounting systems
- Commercially minded with strong analytical and modelling skills
- Confident partnering with operations and engineering teams
- Experience operating as the senior finance lead in an SME environment
- Experience in engineered-to-order, fabrication or assembly manufacturing
- Exposure to project-based costing and production planning systems
- Experience within a group or investor-backed environment
- ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualified (or QBE with significant relevant experience)
- Advanced Excel skills; BI or dashboarding experience advantageous
For immediate consideration or more information on the role, please contact Aaron Conneran at Axon Moore.
Finance & Commercial Director in Manchester employer: Axon Moore
Contact Detail:
Axon Moore Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance & Commercial Director in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance and manufacturing sectors. A casual chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their products, values, and recent news. This will help you tailor your answers and show you’re genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with the role of Finance & Commercial Director. Highlight your achievements in financial control and systems transformation.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step.
We think you need these skills to ace Finance & Commercial Director in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the Finance & Commercial Director role. Highlight your experience in manufacturing finance, inventory management, and ERP systems. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your achievements in financial control and commercial performance that relate to our needs.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role requires strong analytical abilities, make sure to mention any relevant projects where you've used these skills. We love seeing how you've improved margin visibility or led financial transformations in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Axon Moore
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Finance & Commercial Director, you’ll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key financial metrics like P&L, cash flow, and margin analysis. Be ready to discuss how you've used these in past roles to drive business success.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role is all about leadership, so prepare examples of how you've led teams through financial transformations or system implementations. Highlight your experience in partnering with operations and engineering teams to achieve commercial goals.
✨Understand the Business Model
Familiarise yourself with the manufacturing and engineering sector, especially bespoke industrial equipment. Be prepared to discuss how your financial strategies can enhance operational efficiency and profitability in this specific context.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills, particularly around project costing and procurement. Think of scenarios where you’ve identified risks or improved processes, and be ready to explain your thought process and outcomes.