Chief Financial Officer

Our Client:

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and commercially astute Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join a successful, private equity-backed manufacturing business based near Bristol. With ambitious growth plans and significant investment, the business is looking for a high-calibre finance leader to partner with the CEO and play a key role in driving performance, profitability and operational excellence.

This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership role, ideal for an experienced CFO or Finance Director who thrives in an SME manufacturing environment and enjoys balancing strategic input with day-to-day operational involvement.

The Role:

Reporting directly to the CEO, you will take full responsibility for the finance function, leading a small but capable team while providing commercial insight to support business growth. You will be instrumental in improving financial processes, enhancing reporting, and helping to deliver the company's strategic objectives.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and developing the finance team, creating a high-performance culture.
• Acting as a trusted business partner to the CEO and senior leadership team.
• Driving business improvement initiatives to enhance profitability, cash flow and operational efficiency.
• Delivering timely and insightful management information, forecasts and financial analysis.
• Leading budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes. 
• Ensuring robust financial controls and full compliance with IFRS. 
• Identifying and implementing opportunities to automate and streamline finance processes through technology and systems improvements. 
• Supporting the wider business through commercial analysis, strategic planning and investment decisions. 
• Managing relationships with auditors, banks, investors and external advisers.
• Playing a key role in supporting the ongoing growth journey of a private equity-backed organisation.

About You:

We are looking for a commercially focused finance professional who combines strong technical expertise with excellent leadership and communication skills.

You will ideally have: 

• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification. 
• Previous experience as a CFO or Finance Director within an SME manufacturing or engineering business. 
• Strong knowledge of IFRS and financial governance. 
• A proven track record of improving profitability and delivering business change. 
• Experience implementing or enhancing ERP systems and automating finance processes. 
• Excellent IT and systems skills, with the ability to leverage technology to improve efficiency. 
• Strong people management skills with experience leading and developing finance teams. 
• A proactive, hands-on approach with the confidence to challenge, influence and support senior stakeholders.

The Opportunity

This is an outstanding opportunity to join a growing manufacturing business at an exciting stage of its development. You will work closely with an ambitious CEO, have genuine influence over the strategic direction of the business, and play a pivotal role in shaping its future success.

If you are an experienced CFO or Finance Director looking for a challenging, commercially focused role where you can make a tangible impact, we would be delighted to hear from you.