UK Finance Director recruitment

On behalf of our client, a multinational and leader in their field; we are currently recruiting for a UK Finance Director to lead the National Shared Finance Centre. Based in the UK you will have full responsibility for four growing business units, reporting directly to the managing director of each business unit with a dotted line report to the world wide Head Quarters. This opportunity offers excellent career progression opportunities and would suit someone with an international Mindset.

Overall objectives and assignments:

• Manages the National Shared Service Centre including the following services:
• Accounting Reporting, Finance IT, Banking, Tax Legal
• Purchasing
• Human Resources/Payroll
• Manage and optimise the finance and administrative teams and processes in the respective country.
• Integrate the Country Finance Organization into the International Finance Team.
• Contribute actively to International Finance Projects.
• Successful completion of tasks given.
Organization Management and Staff Administration:
• Organise and manage the accounting, controlling and administrative teams with the help of the Head of accounting/Controlling. Define and assign goals to all members of the team. Control goals achievement through regular management meetings and individual meetings and implement the necessary actions, when results are not in line with objectives given.
• Manage the finance team and HR payments (e.g. suggest to the General Manager a budget for individual salary increases), ensure the smooth integration of new employees in the finance team.
• Manage administrative procedures for recruitment, payroll, training, holidays and termination processes.
• Generally speaking manage all procedures pertaining to Work Law as far as not already done by HR (Work councils, Staff Representatives, Trade Union Representatives, etc.)
Budget Reporting Controlling:
• Initiate and supervise the budgeting process from giving the budget forms to the Business Unit Managers and to finally deliver the budget to the Group in time.
• Supervise and monitor performance against budget projections.
• Deliver reforecast of the year end figures, if required by Group Management.
• Implement reporting and controlling tools on revenue, margin, operational expenses. Support and bring contribution to the Business Unit Managers in their business management role and when they set up their annual budgets. Working closely with the Purchase Team.
• Manage the relationship with Auditing and Accounting firms during annual reviews.
• Manage laboratory controlling, take the necessary actions to keep charges and expenses in line with the levels of activity and budgeted figures.
• Put in place and supervise the application of the group manual of procedures, especially build up and keep up to date the data room for the respective country.
• Assist in the evaluation and implementation of National profitability.

Finance, Tax Risk Management:

• Supervise credit collection and litigation. Manage finance, treasury, credit lines and more generally relationship with bankers, in agreement with the Finance Director of the Holding and group authorizations (depending on split of tasks between the finance directors of the different divisions within one country).
• Reduce the working capital needed in the respective division (payables, receivables) and control WIP.
• Optimise tax position in agreement with the Group Tax Council and hand in the necessary documentation in time to the national tax authorities (depending on split of tasks between the finance directors of the different divisions within one country).
• Monitor and improve the national insurance policies, identify areas of over- and underinsurance (depending on split of tasks between the finance directors of the different divisions within one country).
Support to Sales:
• Bring a contribution to the Sales Managers in defining and implementing sales rules (financial conditions, discount, terms of payment, general terms of sales) or when writing particular contracts that require specific financing.
• Controlling of the activities of the sales force and propositions to make the maximum use of their time
• Analyse the profitability of different services sold, business lines, clients or client groups and provide proposals to improve the sales mix.
Purchasing/ Procurement:
• Lead and develop the purchaser/ organization in a professional way.
• Obtain significant cost savings on consumables, equipments, investment and services with increasing level of quality on product or service, and lower delivery time.
• Optimize the purchase organization (follow up and improve best practices project), processes and tools, especially follow up on the introduction of the purchasing module of Microsoft AX.
• Ensure group wide reporting on purchase and the exact calculation of savings obtained (purchase database).
• Ensure quick implementation (less than three months) of Group purchase conditions when a new lab or company is acquired and improve payment terms.
• Organize for collecting and disseminating information on purchase of laboratory equipment, consumables etc. through Intranet and consider the implementation of E-Procurement and reverse auctions where appropriate.
• Ensure the application of our general terms of purchase.
Integration into and contribution to the International Finance Team:
• Ensure Group Finance procedures are implemented and followed, particularly for monthly reporting and for quarterly results as well as for the Group table of authorisations.
• Contribute and manage International Finance projects on topics of overall interest to the Group involving several countries.
• Be prepared to discuss on a day-to-day basis common problems with other Finance Directors and bring solutions.
• Make propositions to the Senior Finance Director, on how to improve the reporting, controlling and finance function of the relevant division as well as of the overall Group.
The successful individual will preferably have the following background:
• Excellent degree in relevant subject area
• Professional qualification (ie CIMA or ACA/ACCA)
• Strong Track record of success
• Show the ability to be both operational and strategic
• Ability to manage a full cycle finance team as well as hands on operational tasks
• Spoken French would be a strong advantage

If this opportunity appeals to you, or sounds like someone you know, please send an up-to-date CV to mail@thinkgr.com quoting (EFSW41043) in the subject line.
For other global opportunities please email us with your CV and contact details on mail@thinkgr.com.
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