Finance Analyst & Business Partner

Hutcheon Mearns is delighted to be retained by ESG Drysdale for the appointment of a new Financial Analyst & Business Partner, based at their Cockburnspath site, easily commutable from East Lothian, the Scottish Borders & Berwick.

ESG Drysdale is the United Kingdom’s only brassica-focused producer organisation and one of just three vegetable producer organisations nationwide. In 2023, ESG Drysdale reached a group turnover of circa £55m and operates across 200 miles of coastline, supporting 18 farmers and delivering to national supermarkets, B2B and foodservice markets.

As Financial Analyst & Business Partner, you will play a key strategic and commercial role within ESG Drysdale. You will work closely with operational, commercial, and supply chain teams to drive performance, improve decision‑making, and enhance financial understanding across the business. This is a newly created position for an exciting time to be joining the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted business partner to commercial, operational, and supply chain leaders, providing financial insights and strategic support
• Analyse weekly and monthly performance (volume, margin, yield, waste) and provide detailed & actionable standard costing analysis, commentary and recommendations
• Lead the budgeting and forecasting process for your business units, including scenario planning and sensitivity analysis
• Raise and reconcile self‑bill invoices within the group
• Partner with commercial teams on B2B profitability analysis, pricing models, and contract negotiations
• Support supply chain efficiency projects and capital investment appraisals
• Monitor KPIs including stock losses, waste levels, cost‑to‑serve, and logistics performance
• Translate complex financial data into understandable reports and presentations for non‑financial stakeholders
• Collaborate with the central finance team on month‑end reporting, accruals, and variance analysis
• Drive continuous improvement in financial processes, systems, and reporting tools
• Ensure compliance with relevant financial controls, audit requirements, and company policies

Desirable Skills And Experience

• Experience in group or intercompany accounting
• Strong understanding of budgeting processes and financial control
• High level of competence in Excel and experience with financial reporting tools
• Qualifications: ACCA, CIMA, CA or equivalent level/experience
• Previous experience as a finance business partner, ideally in FMCG, food manufacturing, agriculture, or fresh produce
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of margin management and cost drivers in a low‑margin, high‑volume environment
• Power Query or Power BI experience

An attractive & competitive financial package is on offer for this fantastic opportunity.

For further information, please contact Craig Sinclair, Recruitment Manager at Hutcheon Mearns.