6-month interim contract or permanent depending on circumstances, starting early December 2026 (full-time preferred, four days considered)
We are looking for an experienced Finance Manager to join the Catch A Fire team. You’ll be a commercially minded, hands‑on finance leader who brings rigour and accuracy to the day‑to‑day finances whilst helping shape where the agency goes next.
You’ll be used to the fast‑paced nature of agency life and familiar with the opportunities and challenges we face. You’ll have a strong appetite for growth and a collaborative, ‘can‑do’ attitude.
This is an important role at the heart of the agency. You will work alongside our experienced agency Non-Exec CFO, and support our exec team on strategy and decisions. You’ll work closely with every team across the agency, from client leadership to creative and operations.
This role is all about helping to guide the next chapter of our agency in a sustainable and profitable way, one that fuels our creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
Catch A Fire
We’re a strategic creative agency specialising in Food & Drink, ESG and Not for Profit.
We believe great ideas have the power to change the world – to do good for people AND planet. It’s why we work with brands that share our ethos and why we’re proud to be part of the B Corp network of companies that try to create fundamental positive change.
Now entering the ninth year of our agency, we are committed to continuing to build a talented and motivated team that set us all up for future success and importantly, to deliver against our agency vision.
B Corp Certified
We are proud to be a fully certified B Corp business which reflects our purpose and intention to manage profit & purpose in a meaningful way, whilst ensuring a positive impact on the planet.
Finance Manager Role
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Financial control and operations
- Maintaining our Xero accounting package, including processing all entries.
- Produce a monthly management and board pack with KPIs (currently done using Fathom) to include clear commentary that explains performance, highlights the key decisions required and sets out recommendations.
- Cashflow management, including managing working capital and owning the agency’s banking relationships.
- Leading the weekly finance review/forecast meeting with the client leadership team to gather all relevant information and ensure the revenue pipeline is accurate and up to date.
- Manage the sales invoicing process within the agency, including signing off final agreed fee scope and raising draft invoices once a PO is received from the client.
- Ownership of creditor and debtor status, to include updating the team weekly where required.
- Overseeing and approving weekly payment runs.
- Owning payroll, ensuring all new starters are communicated to the external payroll provider and organised on a timely basis.
- Production: uploading final estimates, issuing third‑party POs to suppliers and tracking job bags as invoices arrive.
- Working with our external accountants to keep VAT, PAYE, corporation tax and annual statutory accounts accurate, compliant and filed on time.
- Autonomy to implement systems improvements and explore the use of AI to enhance our systems and processes and implement efficiencies
- Ad Hoc requests of a finance nature from the Managing Director, Executive Team and Non-Exec CFO.
Agency and client profitability
- Profitability insight: Analyse profitability by client, project and service offering, along with utilisation rates of the team, fee recovery and overservicing, and recommend clear actions on pricing, resourcing and scope.
- Job status reporting: Produce weekly job status reports for live projects with recommended actions to keep each job on track and protect margin.
- Client service partnership: Work closely with the Client Services Director to make sure clients and jobs run efficiently and profitably, from scoping and estimating through to delivery, change requests and final billing.
- Commercial models:Help to shape rate cards, retainer and project pricing models, and the commercials of new business proposals, so that growth is profitable.
- Commercial coaching:Coach and share knowledge with the client leadership team to build their understanding of agency finance and commercials, so that commercial thinking becomes part of everyday client work.
As the successful candidate beds into the agency there may be the scope to get involved in the strategic direction of the agency, and own other important areas covering sound financial management and governance, to include;
- Leadership partner: Act as the finance lead on the senior leadership team, partnering with the exec team on agency strategy, growth plans and key commercial decisions.
- Budgeting and forecasting:Own the annual budget and rolling quarterly forecasts, turning the new business and client pipeline into a clear view of revenue, margin, capacity and cash.
- Scenario planning: Work with the Managing Director and Operations Director to model the financial impact of key decisions, such as new hires or expanding into new services.
- Building for scale: Review and strengthen controls, systems and processes so the finance function can scale with the agency.
- Handover: Leave a documented, well‑run finance function and support the recruitment and onboarding of a permanent successor (if the interim position is not something that either party wants to formalise ongoing).
What we need to see (essential):
- Minimum three years hands‑on experience working within a finance department undertaking a similar role.
- Accounting qualifications OR be able to evidence that you are qualified by experience.
- Robust working knowledge of Xero.
- A self‑starter who can effectively switch between leadership and hands‑on delivery of the day‑to‑day finance essentials.
- Strong commercial and FP&A skills, including budgeting, forecasting, scenario modelling and margin analysis.
- Advanced Excel skills.
- Confident communication and a collaborative approach, with the ability to explain the numbers clearly and build the commercial confidence of non‑finance colleagues.
- Experience of meeting deadlines and working under pressure.
- Available to start in early December 2026 for a 6‑month period.
- Experience in a marketing, creative or professional services agency, including project accounting, time tracking and WIP.
- Experience in a fast‑moving, founder‑led business where priorities can change quickly.
We want to change the world for the better and we believe that starts with investing in our team. We like to be judged on the good we do, not just the good work we make - our team is driven by the shared mission of creating work that Sparks a Better Future.
- 30 days annual leave, inclusive of Bank Holidays.
- 3 extra days to get festive with a full Christmas shutdown.
- A day off for your birthday – a chance to celebrate!
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
- Vitality Private Medical Insurance (after 3 months)
- An ‘Ignite’ CSR Day, allowing time away from your desk to support our chosen charity.
- Hybrid working – 2 days in the office and 3 days at home.
- Bakery lunch provided on a Friday and lots of snacks for the weekdays too
- Regular staff social fun!
- An Employee Assistance Programme, offering free advice and support.
- Pension Scheme (after 3 months).
Catch a Fire is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees with regard to race, colour, marital status, sex, nationality or ethnic or national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability or membership or non‑membership of a trade union. We are committed to promoting an environment where all individuals are recruited, appraised, trained, and promoted on the basis of fairness, professional competence, and contribution.
