Head of Finance Shared Service in Manchester

Your new company is a highly acquisitive, market-leading listed group embarking on a major finance transformation programme and establishing a newly created Finance Shared Service Centre. The organisation is building a Centre of Accounting Excellence designed to strengthen technical capability, enhance reporting quality and deliver a scalable finance operating model that can support continued growth. This is an exciting opportunity to join the business at a pivotal moment and play a defining role in shaping a best-in-class accounting function from the ground up.

Your new role involves taking full responsibility for designing, implementing and leading the group's newly created accounting and reporting function. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on technical expertise, covering financial accounting, group reporting, technical accounting, financial controls and governance across multiple business units. You will be instrumental in building and developing a high-performing team, embedding robust processes, and establishing a consistent reporting framework that aligns with the expectations of a listed organisation.

You will partner closely with senior stakeholders across Finance, Risk and Operations, taking ownership of key accounting policies, IFRS compliance and the integration of newly acquired entities. This position also plays a central role in driving transformation initiatives, including systems improvements and finance process optimisation, ensuring the shared service develops into a true Centre of Excellence.

To succeed in this role, you will be a technically strong, qualified accountant ACA/ACCA/CIMA with significant experience in financial accounting, reporting and technical governance within a complex or listed group environment. You will bring a proven track record of developing and leading high-performing teams and will be confident operating in a newly created function where processes, structures and ways of working are being built for the first time. Success will also require strong project leadership capability, excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to communicate effectively and credibly at senior levels. Experience within a fast-paced, acquisitive or transformation-driven organisation would be highly beneficial.

Joining at this early stage in the organisation's transformation provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of its accounting and reporting function. You will have full visibility across Group Finance and the Executive Leadership Team, with the scope to build a best-in-class shared service that has a lasting impact on the business. In return, you will receive a competitive salary, an excellent benefits package and long-term career development opportunities within a forward-thinking, ambitious and growing organisation.

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