Head of Finance Planning and Controls

Join Howdens as a Head of Financial Planning and Controls and be part of our finance leadership team within Supply Operations. Due to an internal promotion, we are hiring for this leadership role which would suit an experienced finance professional who has led teams and is looking to make their mark through elevating and transforming our processes and systems. We’re currently going through a systems transformation within our finance function, and we will look to you to ensure that we’re improving our day-to-day financial controls, processes and ways of working.

This leadership role ensures that all divisional reporting to Group Finance is delivered, overseeing all management and financial accounting, internal controls, completion of statutory accounts, accurate reporting to HMRC, payment of our suppliers and requires regular liaison with our other finance teams across the business. Reporting to the Finance Director, you will drive performance and excellent standards across your team ensuring that all Group reporting is delivered accurately and on time. This permanent role is based at our Howden office in East Riding of Yorkshire four days a week with one day working from home.

Why Join Howdens

• Be part of a team that is undertaking a systems transformation and developing our processes and ways of working.
• Be at the forefront of embedding group projects into our supply operations finance team.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Excellent opportunities to progress as part of an established leadership team.

What you’ll be doing as a Head of Financial Planning and Controls

• Driving performance and excellent standards across the team through strong leadership.
• Overseeing all group reporting requirements including period end and year end reporting, information for city announcements, cashflow forecasts and budgets and quarterly forecasts.
• Ensuring that all key financial accounting policies align to accounting standards, are documented fully and are followed by the Supply Finance team.
• Deputising for the Finance Director, Supply, in any communications, requirements or projects with Group Finance, or across other parts of Finance outside of Supply.
• Developing the periodic Finance Pack, and general consolidated management reporting.
• Ensuring information is reported accurately and on time, and relevant to all stakeholders.
• Reporting and control of Central overheads.
• Maintaining the integrity of the financial statements and reporting, ensuring that balance sheet controls remain strong, with reconciliations performed and reviewed in a timely manner.
• Ensuring that we are paying our suppliers in line with agreed payment terms, closing queries efficiently and quickly to reduce overdue balances to a minimum.
• Cash and banking controls must remain fit for purpose, with appropriate authorisation of payments in place.
• Managing any interactions with our external and internal audit teams.
• Reporting to HMRC accurately and with effective financial controls.
• Coordinating all information for the annual insurance renewal, liaising with key teams to consolidate Business Interruption and Property information.

What you’ll need to bring as a Head of Financial Planning and Controls

• Demonstrable experience within a Finance leadership and technical accounting role leading a team and driving performance.
• Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA).
• Exceptional influencing and stakeholder management skills, providing a professional and effective service to our finance teams, and developing relationships across different functions.
• Commercially and politically astute, able to inject challenge to drive performance among stakeholders, whilst maintaining excellent customer service.
• Highly motivated, self-starter with a passion to constantly strive to deliver results.
• Strong communication skills, with an appreciation of the wider political business agenda and strategic implications.
• A team player who can drive activities cross functionally and support colleagues.
• Able to demonstrate a continuous improvement mindset, constantly evaluating systems and processes and implementing opportunities to improve them.
• Ability to develop and act upon own ideas to drive increased profit and cash for the business.
• Organisational and planning strength with an ability to deliver to tight deadlines, and to respond quickly to changes in direction and/or priorities.

About Howdens

As the UK’s leading trade kitchen supplier, Howdens proudly supports over 460,000 trade professionals through our network of 900+ depots. As a constituent of the FTSE 100 and with record sales of £2.3 billion in 2023, we continue to expand, offering exciting opportunities for growth in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.

What We Can Offer You As

• Competitive Salary and Annual Bonus (up to 40%).
• Company Car or Annual Car Allowance.
• Private Healthcare for you and your family.
• Excellent pension scheme (company contribution of up to 12%).
• Free daily meal at on-site canteen.
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays per year with the opportunity to buy extra holidays.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Share save scheme.
• Exceptional reward and recognition events.

We’re creating a future where world-class service, innovation, and sustainability are at the core of everything we do. If you’re looking for a place to grow and advance your career as a Head of Finance, we’d love to hear from you at Howdens.

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Howdens is founded on the principle of being Worthwhile for ALL concerned. We’re working hard to ensure we provide an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome. We will do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, please email with the job title and location, and we will be happy to help you.