Finance Director

About The Role

Countrywide Healthcare Services (part of PHS Group) is seeking a Finance Director to work directly for the Managing Director, providing commercial and financial challenge and support as part of the Countrywide Leadership Team. The role has responsibility for financial reporting, customer billing, and credit management functions.

Purpose of the Role

• Commercial and Financial advice, challenge and support to the MD and Management team, including budgeting, forecasting, and management of costs.
• Leadership, management, and control of financial reporting, management accounting, customer billing, and credit management for Countrywide Healthcare Supplies.
• Ensuring alignment with PHS Group financial controls and reporting requirements.
• Contributing to the overall strategy, direction, growth, and profitability of the business.

Principal Responsibilities - Leadership

• Contribute proactively and professionally to overall performance and profitable growth.
• Leadership, management, and motivation of the customer billing and credit management function.
• Development of talent and proactive management of performance.
• Setting and monitoring of key KPIs - rewarding success and addressing challenges.
• Recruitment of new team members.

Principal Responsibilities - Finance

• Preparation and management of the annual budget, monthly forecast, and detailed reporting and analysis of any variances.
• Preparation of monthly management accounts, including profit and loss account, balance sheet, and cash flow.
• Providing guidance and support to the MD for the profitable development of the business.
• Providing proactive and meaningful financial analysis, input, and advice on operational issues and commercial decision-making.
• Presenting management reports in a consistent, cohesive, and comprehensible way.
• Interpreting variances and trends in financial data and relating these to operational performance.
• Preparing periodic trading reviews and board reports.
• Co-ordinating the Company’s budget and periodic forecasting processes.
• Reviewing business processes to improve operational efficiency and company profitability.
• Ensuring a robust financial control infrastructure exists.

Principal Responsibilities - Customer Billing and Credit Management

• Providing support and guidance to ensure customers are billed correctly and that cash is collected.
• Producing high-quality, accurate regular and ad hoc reports on Credit Management performance.
• Managing cash collection to terms and delivering budgeted DSO.
• Taking personal responsibility for ensuring that the largest customer accounts are kept within terms.
• Monitoring Accounts Receivable and Working Capital reporting for accuracy.
• Determining and reviewing credit limits and setting credit-rating criteria.

Qualifications and Experience

• Qualified accountant.
• Broad financial management background in a business-to-business service organisation.
• Commercially astute and able to work effectively with a strong leadership team.
• Experience of sustaining profitability and quality using key performance indicators.
• Understanding of key business drivers that contribute to value.
• Demonstrates commercial awareness without compromising financial conduct.
• Seeks opportunities to streamline administrative functions.

Communication and Information

• Provides incisive and user-friendly management information and meaningful financial analysis.
• Contributes constructively towards the development of strategy and policy.
• Provides accurate and timely reporting to Group finance.
• Displays well-developed presentation and communication skills.

Personal Characteristics

• Strong leader and team player.
• Works hard to deliver results personally and through teams.
• Takes ownership and gets things done.
• Displays honesty, openness, and integrity.
• Identifies and implements ways of doing things better.

Countrywide Healthcare Supplies is based in Barnsley. Candidates are expected to live within easy travelling distance of the office. While we operate a hybrid working policy, the Finance Director should expect to spend most of their time in the office. The role will involve travel to other offices in the UK.