Job Description
About us...
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Protos Networks is a growing technology business specialising in networking and cyber security solutions and services. We work with organisations to design, secure, manage and develop resilient technology environments, building long-term relationships with our customers and partners.
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As our business continues to grow, we are looking to strengthen our internal operations through the appointment of a Finance & HR Manager who will take ownership of two critical business functions and help develop them for the future.
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Role Overview
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The Finance & HR Manager will take ownership of the day-to-day operation and continued development of both the Finance and HR functions at Protos Networks. This is a broad, hands-on role that combines strong financial management with responsibility for the employee lifecycle, HR processes, policies, and people administration.
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Working closely with the Managing Director and the wider leadership team, the Finance & HR Manager will ensure that both functions provide accurate information, effective controls, efficient processes, and appropriate support to the business. This is not simply a role focused on maintaining existing processes. A key part of the position will be assessing how we currently operate and identifying opportunities to improve our systems, processes, reporting and controls.
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The successful candidate will therefore be equally comfortable managing day-to-day activities and taking a longer-term view of how the Finance and HR functions should evolve as we continue to grow.
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Key Responsibilities
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Finance
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Key responsibilities will include:
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· Take ownership of day-to-day financial operations and financial controls.
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· Manage accounts payable and accounts receivable.
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· Manage credit control and debtor management, ensuring appropriate processes are in place
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· Complete and oversee bank reconciliations
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· Prepare monthly management accounts accurately and within agreed timescales.
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· Produce and analyse monthly profit and loss, balance sheet and cash-flow reporting.
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· Lead the annual budgeting process and provide regular budget-versus-actual reporting.
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· Develop and maintain short and medium-term cash-flow forecasts.
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· Provide financial analysis and insight to support commercial and strategic decision-making.
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· Monitor financial and operational KPIs, identifying trends, risks and opportunities.
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· Manage payroll preparation, processing and reconciliation.
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· Maintain the accounting system and ensure financial records are complete, accurate and appropriately controlled.
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· Manage records and relationship with external accountant
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· Support the preparation of year-end accounts and act as the primary point of contact with our external accountant.
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· Develop and maintain appropriate financial policies, controls and approval processes.
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· Review expenditure and identify opportunities to improve cost control and value for money.
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· Continuously improve financial reporting, systems and automation.
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· Work with the leadership team to improve understanding of financial performance across the business.
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As the role develops, we would expect the Finance & HR Manager to build greater commercial insight into areas such as customer and service profitability, recurring revenue, project profitability, utilisation, gross margin and future revenue forecasting.
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HR & People
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Key responsibilities will include:
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· Take ownership of the HR function and day-to-day people administration.
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· Maintain accurate and confidential employee records and HR systems.
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· Manage HR processes throughout the employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to offboarding.
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· Prepare employment contracts, offer letters, contractual amendments and other employee documentation.
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· Manage the probation process and ensure probationary reviews are completed consistently and on time.
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· Maintain, review and develop the employee handbook, HR policies and procedures.
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· Manage holiday, sickness, absence and other employee leave processes.
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· Support managers with employee relations matters and ensure appropriate processes are followed.
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· Provide guidance to employees and managers regarding company policies and employment procedures.
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· Coordinate recruitment administration, including offers, pre-employment checks and onboarding.
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· Develop and maintain an effective and consistent onboarding process for new employees.
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· Manage employee benefits and pension administration.
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· Support annual salary reviews, benchmarking and remuneration analysis.
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· Coordinate training and development records and support the management of employee development activities.
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· Ensure appropriate right-to-work and employment documentation is obtained and maintained.
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· Monitor HR compliance and relevant developments in UK employment legislation, recommending changes where required.
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· Develop and maintain HR metrics and provide regular people reporting to the Managing Director and leadership team.
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· Support disciplinary, grievance, capability and performance-management processes.
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· Coordinate employee engagement initiatives, surveys and feedback.
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· Identify opportunities to improve the employee experience.
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· Develop HR processes, systems and controls to support the continued growth of the business.
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· Work with external HR and employment-law advisers where specialist support is required.
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Development & Continuous Improvement
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A fundamental part of this role is the continued development of both the Finance and HR functions.
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The Finance & HR Manager will be expected to assess existing processes, identify gaps and recommend improvements that provide greater structure, efficiency, control and insight.
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This will include:
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· Reviewing existing Finance and HR processes and identifying opportunities for improvement.
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· Documenting key processes, responsibilities and controls.
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· Developing appropriate policies and procedures.
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· Identifying opportunities to automate repetitive administrative activities.
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· Making effective use of technology and systems.
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· Improving the quality, accuracy and accessibility of management information.
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· Introducing appropriate controls without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
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· Developing scalable processes that can support the future growth of Protos Networks.
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· Proactively identifying risks and bringing recommendations to the Managing Director and leadership team.
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· Challenging existing ways of working where a better approach can be identified.
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We are looking for someone who will take genuine ownership of these functions rather than simply administer them.
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Experience & Qualifications
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Essential
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The successful candidate will have:
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· Strong practical finance experience, ideally gained within an SME environment.
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· Experience taking significant responsibility for the day-to-day operation of a finance function.
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· Experience preparing monthly management accounts.
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· Strong understanding of profit and loss, balance sheet and cash-flow reporting.
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· Experience with budgeting, forecasting and budget-versus-actual analysis.
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· Experience managing cash flow and working capital.
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· Experience with accounts payable, accounts receivable and credit control.
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· Practical payroll knowledge and experience.
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· Strong financial analysis and reporting capabilities.
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· Practical experience supporting or managing HR and people processes.
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· Good understanding of UK employment practices and the employee lifecycle.
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· Experience handling confidential and sensitive employee information.
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· Experience developing or improving business processes.
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· Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities.
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· The confidence to work independently and take ownership of their areas of responsibility.
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Desirable
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The following would be advantageous:
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· ACCA, CIMA or ACA qualification, or meaningful progress towards qualification.
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· AAT qualification combined with significant practical finance experience.
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· CIPD Level 5 qualification or equivalent HR experience.
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· Experience working within a technology, IT services, or managed services practice
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· Experience within a recurring-revenue or service-based business.
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· Commercial finance experience, including profitability and margin analysis.
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· Experience implementing or developing finance and/or HR systems.
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· Experience supporting a senior leadership team.
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· Experience developing management dashboards and KPI reporting.
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· Experience working within an ISO-certified or similarly controlled environment.
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Benefits Package
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Salary: £45,000-£60,000 p/a FTE DoE (Part-time will be considered)
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25 Days Holiday (FTE) Plus 8 UK Bank Holidays
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Additional day holiday for birthday
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Personal development and training budget
Finance & HR Manager in Chester employer: Protos Networks
Protos Networks is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic work culture focused on innovation and growth in the technology sector. With a commitment to employee development, we offer a supportive environment where you can take ownership of critical functions while enjoying a competitive salary, generous holiday allowance, and opportunities for personal development. Join us in our vibrant location, where your contributions will directly impact our success and the future of networking and cyber security solutions.
