Accounting and Finance Director Full Time

• High profile leadership role
• Strategic Finance Leadership role

About Our Client

Our client is a multi-billion turnover, international, asset and labour‑intensive services organisation, operating at scale across multiple UK legal entities within a broader European & International structure. It delivers complex, high‑volume operational services to a diverse customer base, with performance characterised by tight margins, rigorous governance and strong regulatory oversight. The business operates within a matrixed regional operating and finance model, combining local execution with European and global policy, control and transformation programmes.

Job Description

Reporting to a senior European finance leader, you will be accountable for the end‑to‑end accounting and transactional finance agenda across the UK. The role leads a large, multi‑layered finance organisation and acts as a key member of the UK senior leadership team, contributing beyond finance into broader business and transformation discussions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Full accountability for statutory accounting, financial control, tax, audit and compliance across multiple UK & Ireland legal entities
• Leadership of c. 50 finance professionals, including senior managers across:
• Financial Accounting & Control
• Accounts Payable / Accounts Receivable / Record‑to‑Report
• Credit & Revenue
• Tax
• Ownership of working capital performance and cash generation, including driving improvements in AR, AP and associated processes
• Oversight of, and collaboration with, offshore / outsourced finance partners, driving service quality, efficiency and cost optimisation
• Ensuring consistent application of group accounting policies, internal controls and governance standards within a European framework
• Leading finance integration, systems, process improvement and change initiatives, including standardisation and digitalisation
• Acting as a senior finance partner to regional and business finance teams, ensuring accuracy, transparency and timeliness of financial information
• Managing relationships with external stakeholders including auditors, banks, tax authorities and advisors

The Successful Applicant

This role will suit a hands‑on, visible leader who is comfortable operating at scale, developing senior direct reports, and building depth and succession across a sizeable finance function. The environment is operationally demanding and continuously evolving, requiring resilience, pragmatism and a strong improvement mindset.Essential:

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent)
• Significant senior‑level experience leading large accounting and finance teams within complex organisations
• Deep technical grounding across financial accounting, control, statutory reporting, tax and audit
• Experience of operating within matrixed, international groups, aligned to regional or global finance structures
• Strong people leadership capability with a track record of building high‑performing teams
• Proven experience driving process improvement, efficiency and change in finance environments
• Comfortable managing outsourced or offshore service providers

Desirable:

• Background within logistics, industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure or other asset and labour‑intensive sectors
• Exposure to ERP and finance transformation programmes (e.g. SAP, JD Edwards, OneStream or similar)
• Experience working in thin‑margin, high‑volume operational businesses

What’s On Offer

• Competitive six figure salary with car/car allowance bonus and benefits package
• Senior leadership role within a large, internationally backed organisation
• Significant scope and influence across the UK & operation (Circa £800m)
• Opportunity to act as a change agent, improving capability, efficiency and control
• Exposure to European‑level finance leadership and governance
• Strong platform for longer‑term progression within regional or global finance roles

Contact:

Quote job ref: JN-042026-7007558