Senior Finance Manager

Overview

We're looking for a sharp, proactive Senior Finance Manager to take full ownership of the finance function in a fast-scaling, non-corporate business.

You'll handle everything from bookkeeping and forecasting to analysis and strategic advice — blending hands-on precision with commercial insight.

This isn't a "report to the CFO" role. There is no CFO. You are the finance department and reporting directly to the General Manager — the person who ensures the numbers are right, the story makes sense, and the leadership team actually knows what's happening financially.

If you love autonomy, clarity, and building smart systems that make sense — keep reading.

Core Responsibilities

1. End-to-End Finance Management

• Own and manage the entire finance function — bookkeeping, reporting, cash flow, forecasting, compliance, and analysis.
• Maintain accurate accounts in Xero and ensure all transactions are reconciled weekly.
• Manage accounts payable and receivable, invoicing, and supplier relationships.
• Prepare monthly management accounts, including P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow, with commentary that helps non-finance stakeholders make decisions.

2. Forecasting & Insight

• Build and own forecasts and dashboards using Fathom (and/or other BI tools).
• Translate data into meaningful commentary — what's driving growth, risk, and opportunity.
• Identify and measure the meaningful unit economics of the business (eg. EBITDA, LTV, CAC, payback period, churn etc.)
• Identify cost trends and margin levers, explaining variances with clarity and context.
• Provide actionable financial insights that influence strategic decisions.

3. Business Partnering

• Work directly with the General Manager and leadership team to shape financial strategy.
• Proactively flag issues — not after the fact, but while there's still time to fix them.
• Be a commercial sounding board: pricing, cash flow, investments, and resourcing.
• Support key projects (new revenue streams, automation, or system rollouts).

4. Process, Systems & BI

• Continuously improve financial systems and workflows — efficiency without bureaucracy.
• Implement automation and data integrations (Xero CRM reporting tools).
• Develop BI dashboards or data visualisations to support smarter, faster decision-making.
• Prepare the business for scalable growth — clean data, clear reporting, and no surprises.

Key Skills & Experience

• 2-3 years Post Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) with Big 4 experience
• Experience managing SME or start-up finances (end-to-end).
• Advanced user of Xero and comfortable using Fathom or similar forecasting tools.
• Confident with data — Excel/Google Sheets wizardry essential, BI tools a major plus.
• Able to interpret numbers and advise, not just report.
• Strong communicator — clear, direct, and commercially minded.
• Proactive and autonomous — you don't wait for instructions; you make things better.

Bonus Skills

• Experience managing multi-entity or multi-currency reporting.
• Exposure to subscription or service-based business models.
• Understanding of growth-stage cash dynamics and profitability levers.
• Curiosity for business intelligence, automation, and scaling smart.

Personality Fit

You're commercially sharp, detail-driven, and allergic to financial fluff. You take pride in owning the numbers, not just explaining them. You thrive in environments where clarity, curiosity, and accountability actually matter.

You're the kind of person who:

• Spots a cash flow crunch three months before it happens.
• Knows how to simplify reporting without dumbing it down.
• Can sit with leadership and shape strategy, not just support it.

Challenge for You

If you can make numbers meaningful, automate the boring stuff, and keep a growing business financially sharp — you won't just run the finance function… you'll define it.