Finance Director

Job title: Finance Director

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Reading (Hybrid – 3 days office)

Salary: £100,000 – £115,000 + strong bonus + wider benefits

Overview

Our client is a Private Equity-backed, multi-site UK organisation operating within a regulated sector, with a significant operational footprint and ambitious growth plans.

The business is on a clear value creation journey, focused on strengthening financial performance, enhancing operational discipline, and preparing for a future exit. As part of this, there is a strong emphasis on building a high-performing, scalable finance function capable of supporting both operational delivery and investor requirements.

Role Summary

This is a Finance Director position operating as the number two to a high-calibre CFO, with broad responsibility across financial control, commercial finance, and investor engagement.

The role offers significant exposure to the full Private Equity lifecycle, including exit preparation and transaction activity, and provides the opportunity to play a key leadership role in shaping the finance function.

You will combine strong technical controllership with business partnering, working closely with operational leaders to drive performance across a multi-site environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the financial control environment, including month-end close, consolidation, and statutory reporting
• Own technical accounting, ensuring compliance with UK GAAP and strong balance sheet integrity
• Oversee day-to-day finance operations, including AP, AR, and cash management
• Drive robust cashflow forecasting and working capital management
• Support investor reporting, Board engagement, and external stakeholder management
• Play a key role in exit readiness, transaction support, and due diligence activity

Business Partnering & Commercial Finance

• Act as a key financial partner to operational leadership across multiple sites
• Provide insight into key performance drivers including revenue, occupancy/utilisation, staffing, and cost control
• Support decision-making through analysis, modelling, and scenario planning
• Challenge and influence operational stakeholders to drive performance improvement
• Work closely with FP&A to ensure consistent, clear financial messaging across the business
• Translate financial data into actionable insight for non-finance stakeholders

Leadership & Transformation

• Lead and develop a finance team, building a high-performance culture and improving capability
• Drive improvements in financial systems, processes, and data quality
• Support finance transformation initiatives, including automation and standardisation
• Act as a key deputy to the CFO, with the ability to step in where required

To Be Suitable

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or equivalent)
• Proven experience in a senior finance leadership role within a multi-site or complex organisation
• Strong technical accounting and consolidation expertise
• Experience operating in a Private Equity-backed environment
• Exposure to transaction processes or exit activity is highly desirable
• Strong business partnering capability, with the ability to influence non-finance stakeholders
• Strong leadership experience, with the ability to build and develop teams
• Comfortable operating at Board level and engaging with investors
• Hands-on, proactive approach with the ability to operate in a fast-paced environment
• Strong commercial awareness alongside controllership expertise

This is a high-impact Finance Director role offering the opportunity to operate as a true number two to the CFO within a Private Equity-backed business.

The position provides broad exposure across financial control, commercial business partnering, and investor engagement, alongside the chance to gain valuable exit experience and shape a high-performing finance team.

It is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious finance leader looking to step into a role with significant responsibility, visibility, and long-term progression potential.

Application Disclaimer

Due to the high volume of applications, we may not be able to provide individual feedback to all unsuccessful candidates.