Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | Finance Director in Southampton

Our client is a long‑established and highly successful logistics and haulage business with over 50 years of heritage. Operating across Southern England, they have built a strong reputation for service excellence, reflected in consistently high customer satisfaction and market leadership within their region.

Following a sustained period of growth, with turnover projected to increase from c.£27m to £35m in the coming year and continued double‑digit growth thereafter, the business is now seeking to appoint a Chief Financial Officer / Finance Director. This represents a key appointment at an important stage in the company’s evolution, where stronger financial infrastructure, enhanced banking relationships and more forward‑looking commercial insight will underpin the next phase of growth.

The Role

Working closely with the owners on a day‑to‑day basis, the CFO / FD will play a central role in strengthening the financial platform of the business while also contributing to future growth strategy. Key responsibilities will include:

• Providing overall leadership of financial accounting, reporting and controls
• Developing a more robust treasury and funding strategy, including strengthening relationships with lenders and supporting future funding exercises
• Partnering with the owners to shape medium and long‑term business plans, aligning financial strategy with growth ambitions
• Introducing greater rigour around financial analysis, scenario planning and return on investment across operational initiatives
• Ensuring appropriate financial controls, governance and risk management frameworks are in place to support a scaling business
• Enhancing systems, reporting and processes, including optimisation of existing platforms such as Sage 200

This is a hands‑on role in a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment, requiring both technical credibility and commercial pragmatism.

The Person

We are seeking a commercially aware and relationship‑driven finance leader, capable of operating credibly at both operational and strategic levels within a family‑owned business. You will bring:

• A recognised professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), with a strong grounding in financial reporting standards
• Proven experience as a Finance Director or CFO within a growing SME environment
• Strong experience of banking relationships, funding structures and debt facilities, ideally including asset‑backed finance
• The ability to introduce structure and insight into a business that has grown successfully but requires more formalised financial planning and analysis
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the credibility to act as a trusted advisor to owner‑managers and external stakeholders
• A pragmatic, solutions‑focused approach, with the ability to balance attention to detail with commercial decision making
• Experience within logistics, transport or asset‑intensive sectors would be advantageous but is not essential.

The Opportunity

A rare opportunity to shape the financial direction of a successful and growing regional market leader. Direct access to, and influence with, the owners of the business. The chance to elevate and improve the finance function and play a key role in supporting continued expansion. Exposure to future funding strategy and lender engagement as the business outgrows its current facilities. This role will suit a finance leader who enjoys working closely with owners, bringing both technical discipline and commercial value, and who is motivated by the opportunity to make a visible and lasting impact within a well‑established business.