At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a finance team, translate data into insights, and drive operational performance.
- Company: Join Danish Crown UK, a trusted and ambitious food business.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, structured hours, and a dynamic workplace.
- Other info: High autonomy role with opportunities for personal and team growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on financial discipline and continuous improvement.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in finance, CIMA/ACCA qualified, strong Excel skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
An exciting opportunity to lead production reporting, manage a dedicated team, and drive operational performance at our state-of-the-art flagship slicing site and UK Head Office.
What you will be doing
- You will lead a small operational finance team to translate complex production and financial data into clear, actionable insights that shape strategic site decisions and drive a culture of accountability.
- In this role, you will partner closely with operations and global support functions to strengthen financial governance and optimize site efficiency.
- Performance & Cost Control: Drive the production performance agenda by monitoring conversion costs, labour productivity, yield losses, and waste reduction against targets.
- Financial Planning: Own the budgeting, forecasting, and risk mitigation activities for all production operations.
- Business Partnering: Build and challenge robust business cases for operational and investment initiatives, ensuring realistic assumptions and decision-ready recommendations.
- Team Leadership: Manage and develop a small onsite team while reporting directly to the Head of Business Controlling.
What you will bring
- We are seeking a resilient, commercially-minded finance professional who can balance technical rigor with the communication skills needed to influence behaviour across production environments.
- To be successful in this fast-paced manufacturing environment, you must bring a strong blend of financial expertise and collaborative leadership.
- Experience: 5+ years in a manufacturing operations finance-based role, ideally within FMCG, food, or a high-volume manufacturing environment, alongside proven experience in business partnering with cross-functional operational teams.
- Hard skills: CIMA/ACCA qualification, advanced Excel capabilities, a solid understanding of lean manufacturing principles, and experience utilizing ERP systems (ideally SAP/SAP BW/Power BI) for product costing and inventory management.
- Soft skills: A proven record of growing and developing a team, paired with strong stakeholder management skills and the resilience to navigate challenging conversations while holding colleagues accountable.
Why join us
This interim 9-month position offers a competitive salary alongside structured, balanced working hours: Monday to Thursday 08:00-16:30, and an early finish on Fridays at 15:00. You will step into a role with high autonomy, where your insights will directly influence behaviour, shape cost-saving opportunities, and guide strategic choices at our premier facility. Based at our flagship Rochdale site, you will enjoy a dynamic, modern workplace that serves as the heart of our UK business. This is an exceptional opportunity to stretch your capabilities, lead an established team, and leave a lasting impact on our financial discipline and continuous improvement journey.
About us
Danish Crown UK is a business built on trust, teamwork and ambition. We exist to deliver food that people believe in, and we know that takes strong leadership and collaborative cultures. Our leadership principles guide us. We act for the good of the whole organisation. We hire brilliant people and help them grow. We are ambitious, curious and open to new ideas. We build trust by accepting mistakes as part of development. We believe real leadership is earned through example, not title. Whoever joins us will help create a workplace where people feel safe to speak up, share ideas, challenge old ways of working and stretch themselves to achieve more. If that sounds like the environment where you thrive, we would love to hear from you.
Production Finance Lead - Interim employer: Friland
Danish Crown UK is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of trust, teamwork, and ambition, making it an ideal place for finance professionals looking to make a meaningful impact. Located at our flagship Rochdale site, you will benefit from a dynamic work environment with structured hours, allowing for a healthy work-life balance while leading a dedicated team in driving operational performance. With a strong focus on employee growth and collaboration, you will have the opportunity to influence strategic decisions and contribute to our continuous improvement journey.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Production Finance Lead - Interim
✨Get Involved in Financial Networks
Join local financial associations or forums where you can connect with professionals in financial-controlling. Networking events often lead to temporary positions, as companies look for quick hires when they need extra hands.
✨Showcase Your Skills on Temporary Job Boards
Focus on platforms that specifically cater to temporary roles in finance. Sites like Reed or Totaljobs often list short-term gigs that are perfect for getting your foot in the door, and you can apply directly through our website for roles at Friland.
✨Leverage Your Uni's Career Services
If you're still in university, tap into your career services for internship or temporary job placements. They often have insider info on companies like Friland looking for temporary financial support, and they might help you polish your pitch.
✨Flexible Availability is Key
For temporary positions in financial-controlling, your availability can make a huge difference. Highlight your willingness to start immediately or work irregular hours when speaking to employers. This flexibility can land you that sought-after role!
We think you need these skills to ace Production Finance Lead - Interim
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Academic Aces:In the financial controlling game, grades and relevant certifications can make a significant difference. Be sure to highlight your academic achievements, like finance-related coursework and any professional certifications you’ve got on your CV that show you’re clued up in this area. It’s all about demonstrating that you’re not just good at numbers but also know your stuff!
Quantify Your Achievements:When applying for a temporary role in financial controlling, make sure your CV reflects any previous experience with real, measurable outcomes. Use numbers to showcase your past successes, like percentage improvements in budgeting or cost savings you’ve achieved in previous roles. This not only gives us insights into your capabilities but also tells us you're results-driven.
Personalise Your Application:We love seeing applicants who take the time to tailor their applications! In your cover letter, mention why you’re particularly interested in the temporary role with Friland and how your specific skills and experiences align with the job. Show us that you see this role as an opportunity to contribute, even if it's for a short stint!
Flexibility is Key:Since this is a temporary position, make sure to highlight your availability in your application. We’re interested in knowing how soon you can start and if you’re open to working flexible hours. This shows us your eagerness to jump right in and adapt to the dynamic needs of our team at Friland.
How to prepare for a job interview at Friland
✨Get Hands-On with Financial Tools
Being in financial controlling means you’ll likely be working with various software like Excel, Power BI, or even SAP. Make sure you brush up on these tools and prepare to discuss your experience using them. Being able to reference specific projects or analyses where you employed these programs will definitely give you an edge.
✨Prepare for Technical Financial Questions
Expect scenario-based questions where you might need to analyse financial statements or suggest budgetary strategies during the interview. Practising common financial concepts like variance analysis or cost control measures will not only boost your confidence but also prove your suitability for the role.
✨Show Your Flexibility and Adaptability
As this is a temporary position, the interviewers will want to see that you can hit the ground running. Be sure to highlight any previous short-term roles or projects where you successfully adapted to new environments quickly – this will showcase your readiness to tackle challenges head-on.
✨Highlight Your Commitment to Precision
In financial controlling, attention to detail is absolutely crucial. Be ready to provide examples from your past work that demonstrate your ability to spot discrepancies and ensure accuracy in financial reporting. Your precision could be the factor that sets you apart in a temporary role like this one!
