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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Support leadership in financial visibility and decision-making during a critical scale-up phase.
- Company: Dynamic SME scale-up, backed by private equity, based in Bristol.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, competitive salary, and opportunity for impactful contributions.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in a fast-paced environment while enhancing your finance skills.
- Qualifications: Qualified accountant with experience in SME scale-ups and strong German language skills.
- Other info: Short-term role with significant career growth potential and hands-on experience.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
Contract: 6 months initially (February 2026 start)
Context: SME scale-up, PE-backed / PE-ready
Bristol-based role (Hybrid / flexible working available) - with occasional travel abroad
Role purpose
The Interim Commercial Finance Manager will support the leadership team through a critical scale-up phase, improving financial visibility, forecasting accuracy and commercial decision-making. The role is hands-on and delivery-focused, ensuring the business has robust, investor-grade financial insight and is well-prepared for future PE or exit activity. This is a short-term, high-impact role focused on clarity, control and value creation.
Essential skills & experience
- Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent)
- Proven experience in SME scale-ups, PE-backed or fast-growth environments
- Strong commercial finance / business partnering background
- Comfortable operating hands-on with limited structure or resource
- Able to simplify complexity and move quickly without over-engineering
- Strong stakeholder management skills at leadership level
- German language skills (written & verbal)
Key responsibilities
- Commercial partnering & insight
- Act as the primary finance partner to senior operational and commercial leaders
- Provide clear, actionable insight into revenue, margins, costs and profitability drivers
- Support pricing, investment and resource decisions with robust financial analysis
- Forecasting, budgeting & planning
- Own and improve short-term and medium-term forecasting (monthly, quarterly, annual)
- Reduce forecast volatility and improve confidence in numbers
- Build or refine simple, scalable models suitable for a growing SME
- Management reporting & KPIs
- Design and deliver concise management reporting packs focused on key value drivers
- Define and standardise KPIs across revenue, margin, cash and operational performance
- Ensure consistency between management accounts, forecasts and board reporting
- EBITDA quality & cash focus
- Improve understanding and transparency of EBITDA performance and movements
- Identify and implement margin improvement and cost control opportunities
- Support working capital optimisation and cash flow forecasting
- Exit readiness / PE hygiene
- Ensure financial information is well-structured, explainable and diligence-ready
- Support preparation of financial narratives and data for investors or advisors
- Improve documentation, assumptions and controls to reduce key-person risk
- Interim delivery & handover
- Deliver tangible improvements within the 6-month period
- Upskill internal teams where appropriate and leave clear tools, processes and documentation
- Ensure a smooth handover to permanent or extended finance leadership
What success looks like after 6 months
- Forecasts are reliable, explainable and trusted
- Management reporting is concise, consistent and decision-useful
- Clear visibility of EBITDA drivers and cash performance
- Leadership is better equipped to make commercial decisions.
- The business is materially more "investor-ready" than at day one
What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, available in the coming weeks & feel you meet the criteria, reach out to Charles Maidment from Hays Bristol senior finance contracts team. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
German-speaking Project Accountant in Bristol employer: Hays Accountancy and Finance
Contact Detail:
Hays Accountancy and Finance Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land German-speaking Project Accountant in Bristol
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance world, especially those who have experience in SME scale-ups or PE-backed environments. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings that aren't even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your commercial finance knowledge and stakeholder management skills. Be ready to share examples of how you've simplified complex financial data in past roles. We want to see you shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to showcase your German language skills! If you're fluent, make sure to highlight this in conversations and interviews. It could be the cherry on top that sets you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website for a smoother process! We love seeing applications come directly from motivated candidates like you. Plus, it gives us a chance to connect with you more personally.
We think you need these skills to ace German-speaking Project Accountant in Bristol
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Interim Commercial Finance Manager. Highlight your experience in SME scale-ups and your commercial finance skills. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past achievements and how they relate to the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Show Off Your German Skills: Since this role requires German language skills, don’t forget to mention your proficiency! If you have any relevant experience using German in a professional setting, make sure to include that in your application.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hays Accountancy and Finance
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Project Accountant, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've improved forecasting accuracy or managed budgets in previous roles. This shows you can hit the ground running.
✨Speak Their Language
Since this role requires German language skills, practice your German before the interview. Be prepared to answer questions in German or discuss your experience with German-speaking stakeholders. This will highlight your communication skills and cultural fit.
✨Showcase Your Hands-On Experience
This position is all about being delivery-focused. Prepare examples of how you've successfully navigated fast-paced environments with limited resources. Share specific instances where you simplified complex financial processes to drive results.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Management Questions
Expect questions about your experience working with senior leaders. Think of examples where you've provided actionable insights that influenced decision-making. Highlight your ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with various stakeholders.
