Finance Manager

We are looking for an experienced, commercially minded Finance Manager to join our Finance team and support business performance and decision-making. This is a broad role that goes beyond traditional financial reporting. Working with Department Heads and operational teams, you will use financial planning, analysis and insight to help the business understand performance, identify opportunities and make informed decisions. You will lead budgeting, forecasting and strategic planning, and provide financial oversight across assigned product lines. You will also work with our manufacturing operations, analysing costs, productivity, profitability and variances to improve efficiency and performance. An excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys getting beyond the numbers and using financial information to make a tangible difference.

Key responsibilities

• Business Partnering & Strategic Support
  • Lead end-to-end financial management of assigned product lines, aligned to business objectives and corporate strategy.
  • Build strong relationships with Department Heads and act as a trusted partner in financial decision-making.
  • Provide financial insight, commercial analysis and recommendations to support growth, profitability and efficiency.
• Budgeting, Forecasting & Performance Management
  • Lead the annual budgeting process, periodic forecasts and long-term strategic planning.
  • Support product lines with budget preparation, forecasting and performance monitoring across sales, overheads and operating expenses.
  • Manage sales forecasting and provide regular forecast updates to management.
  • Monitor actual performance against budgets, forecasts and strategic plans, identifying variances and driving corrective actions.
• Financial Reporting & Analysis
  • Prepare and distribute monthly reporting packs, management reports and performance analyses.
  • Monitor and report key financial and operational performance indicators.
  • Support management with ad hoc analysis to drive operational improvements.
• Manufacturing Finance & Cost Control
  • Lead product line profitability analysis and cost management.
  • Review and validate manufacturing variances, recommend corrective actions and ensure accurate posting to the General Ledger.
  • Analyse production recovery rates and manufacturing efficiency.
  • Review timesheet reports and labour cost allocations for accuracy and efficiency.
  • Monitor direct material price variances and validate purchased parts' average costs.
  • Drive continuous improvement in standard and absorption costing methodologies.
  • Review completed manufacturing jobs to ensure all costs are captured and allocated.
  • Support cost reduction and continuous improvement programmes across manufacturing.
• Inventory & Asset Management
  • Manage and analyse inventory performance at product line level, identifying risks and opportunities to improve inventory control and working capital.
  • Support inventory counts and stock reconciliation, and own fixed asset reporting at product line level.
• Commercial Finance Support
  • Support pricing decisions and profitability analysis for products, projects and customers.
  • Review customer contracts and provide financial and commercial guidance on terms.
  • Support customer account reconciliations and resolve commercial finance issues.
• Process Improvement & Systems Development
  • Implement process improvements to enhance financial controls and reporting efficiency, particularly around standard costing, absorption costing and manufacturing finance.
  • Promote digitalisation to increase reporting accuracy, efficiency and transparency.
• Audit, Compliance & Group Reporting
  • Assist with internal and external audits and ensure timely resolution of findings.
  • Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls, accounting standards and regulatory requirements.
  • Act as a key finance contact for the Parent Company in China, providing financial analysis and business support as required.
• Additional Responsibilities
  • Support management with ad hoc projects, business initiatives and special assignments, and undertake other duties as reasonably required.

About you

You will combine strong technical finance capability with commercial awareness and the confidence to work across the business. You will ideally have:

• Professional accountancy qualification such as ACCA, or working towards it with significant relevant experience.
• A degree or equivalent in Finance, Accounting, Business or a related discipline.
• Experience in a Finance Business Partnering or commercial finance role.
• Manufacturing experience, with a good understanding of manufacturing costs and performance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, turning complex data into meaningful business insight.
• Experience of budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis and management reporting.
• The ability to challenge constructively and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong Excel and data analysis skills, with an interest in automation and improving reporting.
• Experience of Power Apps or similar digital tools would be advantageous.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, managing competing priorities to deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, explaining financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• A pragmatic, proactive and commercially focused approach.
• The ability to work effectively with colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds.
• Knowledge of power electronics or a related engineering/manufacturing environment would be advantageous, as would fluent Mandarin.