Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead financial performance and governance for £50m commercial contracts while managing a team of Finance Managers.
- Company: Join Company of Cooks, a leader in food and drink at iconic UK cultural destinations.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, remote work options, personal development, and a great wellbeing strategy.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic environment that values creativity, community, and financial excellence.
- Qualifications: Must be a fully qualified accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) with significant financial leadership experience.
- Other info: Flexible working with 1-2 days from home and opportunities for career growth.
The predicted salary is between 47000 - 62000 £ per year.
Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.
This range is provided by Company of Cooks. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.
Base pay range
We are Company of Cooks, and we believe brilliant food and drink starts with brilliant people. For over 25 years, we’ve been part of some of the UK’s most loved cultural destinations, from historic palaces and botanical gardens to buzzing galleries and performance spaces, running the cafés, restaurants, bars and events that bring these incredible places to life.
Our values – Craft, Creativity and Community – guide everything we do. They shape how we work together, how we support our partners, and how we make each guest feel welcome. If you care about food, people and doing things properly, you’ll feel right at home here.
Wherever we are, we do more than serve. We bring places to life through food, service and creativity and we’re looking for a Senior Finance Manager to work across our Venues and Destinations business.
Location: London – working across a mix of London Venues, with flexibility to work from home 1-2 days per week
Working Pattern: 40 hours per week – Monday – Friday
We are looking for a highly experienced Senior Finance Manager to take full ownership of the financial performance and governance of c.£50m worth of commercial contracts. This role is the final layer of financial control, ensuring financial integrity, optimising performance, and driving continuous improvements in cost control and processes.
Managing a team of up to five Finance Managers, the Senior Finance Manager will provide strategic financial leadership while ensuring robust financial oversight across multiple contracts. A key part of this role involves working closely with the Commercial Growth team, identifying issues and opportunities, and collaborating to establish better cost controls and financial processes.
This is a high-impact role requiring a fully qualified accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) with significant experience in financial leadership within a multi-site commercial environment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Act as the final layer of financial control, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and financial discipline across all contracts.
- Oversee financial governance and integrity across a portfolio of c.£50m commercial contracts.
- Provide financial challenge and scrutiny to Finance Managers and Location Accountants, ensuring all reporting and analysis are robust.
- Lead the development and enforcement of cost control measures and financial processes to maximise efficiency and profitability.
- Implement robust processes to monitor, manage, and reduce outstanding debt across multiple contracts. Proactively engage with clients to ensure timely collections and reduce aged debt exposure.
- Develop strategies to optimise working capital, ensuring efficient cash flow management across all sites.
Strategic Business Partnering:
- Work closely with General Managers and operational leadership to drive performance, providing insights and challenge on financial results.
- Partner with the Commercial Growth team, highlighting financial issues and seeking their support in implementing cost control improvements.
- Influence strategic decision-making by providing detailed financial analysis, forecasts, and performance reviews.
- Identify opportunities for margin improvement, labour efficiencies, and cost reduction across all contracts.
- Manage, mentor, and develop a team of Finance Managers, ensuring they are effectively supporting their Location Accountants and operational teams.
- Ensure each Finance Manager receives direct support, spending at least one day per week on-site with each of them.
- Provide training and development opportunities to enhance the commercial and financial acumen of the finance team.
Performance Monitoring & Reporting:
- Take responsibility for the financial reporting, forecasting, and budgeting process across all contracts.
- Ensure all financial reports are delivered accurately and on time, with clear insights and recommendations.
- Monitor key financial metrics, such as GP%, labour cost ratios, overhead spend, and revenue growth.
- Ensure all pricing strategies, contractual obligations, and financial plans align with business objectives.
Process Improvement & Compliance:
- Lead the implementation of improved financial processes and controls in collaboration with the Commercial Growth team.
- Ensure compliance with internal policies, financial regulations, and contractual obligations.
The Ideal Candidate:
- Fully qualified accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) with strong experience.
- Significant experience in a senior financial leadership role, ideally in a multi-site commercial environment (contract catering, hospitality, retail, or similar).
- Strong ability to challenge financial performance, ensuring cost control and profitability.
- Excellent commercial awareness, with experience managing large financial portfolios.
- Proven leadership skills, with experience in managing and developing finance teams.
- Confident communicator, capable of influencing senior stakeholders and operational teams.
- Strong analytical skills, with expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.
- Comfortable working with financial reporting systems and data analytics tools
- Willing to travel frequently to multiple sites, spending at least a half day per week with each of the Finance Managers on site.
- Strong Excel skills, including advanced lookups and pivot tables
- Experience with financial reporting tools such as Power BI and SAP.
- Strong knowledge of contract catering or hospitality industry financial dynamics.
What’s in it for you?
- A highly strategic finance leadership role, working closely with commercial and operational teams.
- The opportunity to shape and develop financial processes across a £50m+ business portfolio.
- Competitive salary, benefits, and career development opportunities.
- A dynamic, data-driven environment that values financial excellence and commercial insight.
Working with Company of Cooks has its perks! People are at the heart of everything we do, so we\’ve developed a range of benefits to keep you happy.
- Personal Development and Training opportunities
- Private medical eligibility
- Eye care
- A great wellbeing strategy – including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance
- Family friendly support
- Regular social events and communication with our leaders
- Professional subscriptions
- Recognition schemes and people awards
- Long service awards
- Access to some great high street discount vouchers
Seniority level
-
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
-
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
-
Job function
Finance
-
Industries
Hospitality
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Company of Cooks by 2x
Get notified about new Finance Manager jobs in London Area, United Kingdom.
London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
Manager – Finance in M&A – Finance Centre of Excellence
London, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
London, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago
London, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago
London, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
Head of Commercial Finance – Consumer – PLC
London Area, United Kingdom £110,000.00-£125,000.00 15 hours ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago
Manager, Finance & Strategy – Roald Dahl Story Company
London, England, United Kingdom 6 days ago
Colchester, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago
Finance Director | Fast Growth Facilities Services | London
London Area, United Kingdom £120,000.00-£150,000.00 22 hours ago
London, England, United Kingdom 1 month ago
London, England, United Kingdom £70,000.00-£80,000.00 14 hours ago
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Senior Finance Manager employer: Company of Cooks
Contact Detail:
Company of Cooks Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Finance Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Company of Cooks' values: Craft, Creativity, and Community. Understanding these principles will help you align your approach during interviews and discussions, showcasing how you can contribute to their mission.
✨Tip Number 2
Network within the hospitality and contract catering sectors. Attend industry events or connect with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn to gain insights into current trends and challenges, which can be beneficial in your conversations with the hiring team.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience in financial leadership within multi-site environments. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've optimised financial processes and improved cost control, as this is a key focus for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Research the financial dynamics of the contract catering and hospitality industries. Being knowledgeable about the unique challenges and opportunities in these sectors will demonstrate your expertise and readiness for the Senior Finance Manager position.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Finance Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in financial leadership, particularly in multi-site commercial environments. Emphasise your qualifications (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) and any specific achievements that align with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for food and community, aligning with the company's values of Craft, Creativity, and Community. Discuss how your experience can contribute to optimising financial performance and governance across their contracts.
Showcase Leadership Skills: Highlight your experience in managing and developing finance teams. Provide examples of how you've mentored others and improved team performance, as this is a key aspect of the Senior Finance Manager role.
Demonstrate Analytical Expertise: Include specific examples of your analytical skills, particularly in budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning. Mention any tools you are proficient in, such as Excel or financial reporting systems, to show you are well-equipped for the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Company of Cooks
✨Showcase Your Financial Acumen
As a Senior Finance Manager, it's crucial to demonstrate your deep understanding of financial principles. Be prepared to discuss your experience with financial governance, cost control measures, and how you've optimised financial performance in previous roles.
✨Emphasise Leadership Experience
Highlight your experience in managing and developing finance teams. Share specific examples of how you've mentored team members and improved their performance, as this role involves leading a team of Finance Managers.
✨Prepare for Strategic Discussions
Since the role requires strategic business partnering, be ready to discuss how you've influenced decision-making in past positions. Prepare insights on financial analysis and forecasts that have led to successful outcomes.
✨Demonstrate Industry Knowledge
Familiarise yourself with the contract catering or hospitality industry's financial dynamics. Be prepared to discuss how your knowledge can contribute to the company's goals and how you can implement effective financial processes.
