Part-Time Financial Controller in Hereford

About Certainly Wood

We are one of the UK's largest specialist producers and distributors of kiln-dried firewood, and the company that pioneered the category. We are a business that moves fast, thinks commercially, and cares about doing things properly. Now, as we continue to grow, we need a sharp, experienced financial controller to own our numbers and provide clear, timely financial insight to the leadership team.

The role

This is a hands-on, standalone finance role working closely with our directors. You will own the day-to-day financial management of the business, ensure our reporting is accurate and timely, and give us the financial clarity we need to make good decisions. You will have the support of our bookkeeper/accounts assistant and work alongside our external accountants at year-end. Because firewood is a highly seasonal business with a significant peak from autumn through to spring, you will need to be comfortable managing cash flow through those cycles and flagging risk and opportunity as they arise. This is a part-time role of one to two days per week, with flexibility on how those days are structured. There is scope to work partly remotely, though some on-site presence at our Herefordshire site will be expected.

What you will be responsible for:

• Preparation and delivery of monthly management accounts, with variance analysis and commentary for the directors
• Cash flow forecasting and monitoring, with particular attention to the demands of our seasonal production and sales cycle
• Annual budgeting and rolling forecasts
• VAT returns and other HMRC compliance submissions
• Oversight of accounts payable and receivable, ensuring the business pays and is paid on time
• Payroll oversight, working with our payroll provider
• Banking relationships and treasury management
• Supporting the preparation of year-end statutory accounts in conjunction with our external auditors
• Identifying opportunities to tighten processes, improve cost control, and strengthen financial controls
• Ad hoc commercial analysis to support pricing, investment, and operational decisions

What we are looking for:

You will be a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA). Equally important is your mindset: we need someone who is straightforward, commercially curious, and capable of working with a high degree of autonomy in a business where not everything is perfectly documented on arrival. You will have:

• Solid experience running the finances of an owner-managed or privately held SME
• Confidence with management accounts, cash flow management, and reporting to non-finance directors
• Familiarity with accounting software. We use Xero; experience with this is preferred
• The ability to build good working relationships with people across the business
• A practical, problem-solving approach; you spot an issue and fix it, rather than waiting for someone to ask
• Experience in a production, manufacturing, agricultural or food and drink environment would be a real advantage, as would familiarity with businesses that carry significant seasonal cash flow patterns.

What we offer:

• A part-time role with genuine flexibility; we care about output, not hours logged
• Competitive remuneration reflective of your experience, structured as a salary or day rate by agreement
• The chance to work with a market-leading, genuinely sustainable British business that has real ambition
• A close-knit, unpretentious team in a beautiful Herefordshire setting
• The satisfaction of making a visible difference; your work will be seen and valued directly by the people who run the business

To apply:

Please send a CV and a brief covering note explaining your relevant experience and what appeals to you about this role to staylor@certainlywood.co.uk.