At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage finance operations and support a small team to drive performance and excellence.
- Company: Join Restaurant Associates, a leader in hospitality and food services.
- Benefits: Enjoy free meals, gym access, wellness facilities, and exclusive discounts.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values your unique talents and promotes growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in finance while developing your career in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Part-qualified accountant with strong management accounting experience.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 £ per year.
This is an exciting opportunity for an Assistant Finance Manager to join a high-profile operations centre in Brackley. You will play a key role in delivering accurate, proactive financial information and control across site operations, supporting both Finance and Operational teams. The role is central to ensuring robust reporting, strong financial governance, and continuous improvement in processes as part of a wider “One Compass” UK Finance Function. You will also support and develop a small on-site finance team, driving performance, consistency, and service excellence.
What you’ll be doing:
- Managing one supervisor and overseeing day-to-day finance operations, including people, systems, and compliance
- Leading weekly bookwork close and ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting
- Maintaining local finance systems (including cashless/back-office systems) and ensuring data integrity
- Supporting monthly close in SAP, including accruals, prepayments, and financial adjustments
- Producing daily, weekly, and monthly management reports, including P&L, payroll, and flash reporting
- Managing reconciliation processes including tills, vending machines, prepayment cards, and cash shortages
- Overseeing vendor management, profit protection, and ensuring correct use of approved suppliers
- Managing Nexus weekly close process, including issue resolution and coordination with operational teams
- Maintaining reporting timetables, deadlines, and coordination with Heads of Departments
- Supporting stock reporting, stock management, and commercial analysis
- Partnering with operational teams to provide clear financial insight for decision-making
- Contributing to team development through coaching, feedback, and task delegation
What you need to succeed:
- Part-qualified accountant (CIMA / ACCA / ACA) with 2-3 exams remaining
- Minimum 2+ years’ experience in an Assistant Finance Manager or similar role
- Strong management accounting experience, including journals, accruals, prepayments, and reporting
- Experience producing financial reports and analysis to support commercial decision-making
- Full exposure to P&L and balance sheet reporting
- Strong analytical skills with high attention to detail
- Experience partnering with non-finance stakeholders in an operational environment
- Confident communicator, able to explain financial information clearly to operational teams
- Comfortable working to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Desirable:
- Advanced Excel skills (including macros/VBA)
- Experience with SAP and financial reporting systems
- Experience training or mentoring junior team members
- Strong presentation and communication skills
- Adaptable, proactive, and open to new ways of working
We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:
- Free meals
- Free on-site gym
- Onsite free car parking
- Wellness facilities
- Contributory pension scheme
- Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
- Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
- Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
- Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
- Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
- Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
- Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
- You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
About Us:
Restaurant Associates provides brilliant hospitality through our food, drink and services. We work with our partners and collaborate with our clients to achieve great things together. Every day, our teams of passionate hospitality professionals strive for excellence in delivering employee dining and hospitality to some of the UK's leading workplaces as well as inspiring exceptional experiences in iconic cultural and heritage destinations.
Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!
Assistant Finance Manager in Northampton employer: Restaurant Associates
At Compass Group UK&I, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture in Brackley that champions diversity and personal growth. Our comprehensive benefits package, including free meals, wellness facilities, and career development programmes, ensures that our employees feel valued and supported as they thrive in their roles. Join us to be part of a dynamic team where your contributions make a real impact in delivering outstanding hospitality services.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Finance Manager in Northampton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance world, especially those who might know about opportunities at our operations centre. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to a foot in the door.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your financial knowledge and being ready to discuss your experience with P&L and balance sheets. We want to see how you can bring your skills to our team!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your analytical skills during interviews. Be ready to share examples of how you've used data to drive decisions in past roles. We love candidates who can think critically and provide clear financial insights.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows us you’re genuinely interested in joining our fantastic team.
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Finance Manager in Northampton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Assistant Finance Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience, especially in management accounting and financial reporting, so we can see how you fit into our team.
Showcase Your Skills:Don’t forget to showcase your analytical skills and attention to detail. We love candidates who can clearly explain financial information, so include examples of how you've done this in past roles.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your cover letter, be clear and concise. We appreciate straightforward communication, so get to the point while still showing your enthusiasm for the role and our company.
Apply Through Our Website:Make sure to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with StudySmarter.
How to prepare for a job interview at Restaurant Associates
✨Know Your Numbers
As an Assistant Finance Manager, you'll need to be on top of your financial game. Brush up on key financial concepts like P&L statements, accruals, and prepayments. Be ready to discuss how you've used these in past roles to drive decision-making.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
You'll be managing a small finance team, so highlight your experience in leading and developing others. Prepare examples of how you've coached team members or improved team performance in previous positions.
✨Communicate Clearly
You’ll need to explain complex financial information to non-finance stakeholders. Practice simplifying financial jargon into clear, understandable terms. Think of examples where you successfully communicated financial insights to operational teams.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Prepare for questions about tight deadlines or financial discrepancies, and think through how you would handle these situations effectively.
