Finance Manager

Education/Qualification

• Accrington & Rossendale College – AAT Technician Level 4 NVQ
• I Count Manchester – ACCA affiliate member
• Daisy Business Centre Blackburn – ISO 9000/Internal Auditor
• Rhydding’s School – 8 GCSEs Achieved

Systems used

• Microsoft Word and Excel
• Oracle / Access Dimensions
• Sage / Quickbooks
• Xero / Azmos / Agilysis
• IG and V1 / Sap
• Sage x3 and other ERP systems

Career Summary

Current Employer – Building Materials Supplier T/o £143M

Position – Finance Manager / FC

Dates – April 2024 – Present

• Working as a Senior Management Accountant within a finance team of eight, responsibilities include overseeing and preparing the month end Inventory Reconciliations, including reviewing and validating the accuracy of the stock valuations and quantities over 100 depots
• Prepare and review the Sales Database to understand and gain insight into the sales trends/performance by depot
• Prepare and review the Margin Reconciliation comparing and reconciling the depot margin results from the different sources to ensure consistency and accuracy of the data including product mix
• Production of financial statements including Profit and Loss accounts for 100 depots including reviewing and analysing the performance of 25 of those depots, to include full variance analysis and commentary for review by Financial Controller
• Other ad-hoc duties include calculating and posting various monthly accrual entries, reviewing prepayments, customer rebate calculations and bad debt write off
• Compile full Balance Sheet and Intercompany reconciliations for the entity
• Collaborate and partner with department heads across the business to identify costs saving initiatives, share ideas and improve efficiency

Previous Employer – Hose Supplier T/o £18M

Position – Financial Controller

Dates – January 2022 – April 2024

• As financial controller for Europe and a member of the senior leadership team my role is based in the UK head office and involves managing a team of five transactional finance assistants in AR and AP plus one management accountant, whilst also working closely with two management accountants and three general managers within the overseas regions. The overseas regions are in France, Germany, Russia and the Middle East and does involve travel when required
• Managed the external audit, liaising directly with the statutory reporting, audit and tax teams
• Other duties include management of the Group cash flow, financial reporting, compliance, budget preparation and internal control monitoring for all regions
• As part of a US owned company, also manage the preparation and submission of the consolidated EU reporting pack to the parent company based in Chestertown, USA

Previous Employer – Hotel T/o £4M

Position – Financial Controller

Dates – 2019 – 2022

• Responsibility to oversee the company finance function managing a small finance team in delivering the financial/accounting services of the legal entity
• Ensured all accounting procedures and system are fully aligned. Ensure financial planning and formulation of financial targets and budgets are met, including re-forecasting

• Supervised and managed finance departments staff including assistant accountant, finance assistants and purchasing manager
• Oversaw all company accounts, creating monthly and annual reports to identify results, trends and financial forecasts
• Sign off balance sheet accounts
• Overall cash management
• Stock control
• Oversaw credit management and collections
• Deliver and interpret financial information to the board of directors at monthly board meetings
• Manage legal reporting to ensure all statutory obligations are met in respect of VAT, PAYE, RTI submissions, CJRS claims, Pensions and Companies House Filing
• Oversaw all IT infrastructure and identify control gaps to recommend and apply improvements where necessary
• Overall control of all financial transactions, including Audits
• Oversaw and assisted with HR related issues, including managing the build and implementation of a new HR/Time and Attendance System. Advise senior managers on consultation/redundancy process including carrying out investigations/disciplinary procedures when required
• Negotiated and agreed contracts with suppliers and other stakeholders 
• Other ad-hoc projects when required

Previous Employer – Disability Services and support T/o £48M

Position – Group Financial Controller

Dates – 2017 – 2019

• Responsible to implement an accounting system and set up a central finance/payroll function for a new start up, acquisition-based company in the care sector. At the time of joining the company, NCG had acquired two businesses based in Morecambe and Durham with a combined turnover of £5m. Within 18 months the company acquired 28 companies throughout the UK for which assisted in the management and on-boarding of each company finance function to a centralised head office. The company grew extremely quickly through organic growth and acquisition
• Recruit and manage a large finance/payroll team to support and deliver financial accounting and payroll services to each subsidiary within the statutory deadline, preparing information within a timely manner. Ensure best practice and effective corporate governance codes are followed to comply with government regulation and legislation
• Writ and introduced accounting policies and procedures, company flowcharts and group structures
• Managed the on-boarding/transition of all banking requirements to group corporate banking facility
• Assisted with the implementation of a robust, custom built multi-company accounting system to facilitate the company growth
• Oversaw the preparation of multi-company management accounts for review at board meetings
• Oversaw and managed all payroll and pension reporting
• Preparation of annual budgets
• Preparation of monthly re-forecasting
• Prepared and managed group cash flow forecasting
• Group cash management
• Oversee/control balance sheet
• Oversaw IT and transaction reporting within the group to identify and mitigate risk
• Implement a RACA team to mitigate any leakage within the business and protect company assets.  (Revenue Assurance and Cost Assurance)

Previous Employer – IT Service Management T/o £250M

Position – Senior Management Accountant

Dates – 2011 – 2017

• Responsible for driving the financial/operational performance of the Mobile COE producing management information to influence managerial and director level decision making within the company
• Managed a small team delivering all financial information and KPI`s for the mobile COE within a medium sized unified communications provider
• Maintained a framework of internal controls to ensure accounting records are complete and accurate
• Liaised closely with the commercial department to ensure all deals are viable prior to proposal
• Oversaw the preparation of monthly management accounts and supporting documentation
• Prepared accurate monthly reports for CFO and other senior executives that include business KPI`s in line with reporting deadlines
• Improved business accounting controls and processes to ensure the business runs effectively and efficiently
• Explained finance to non-finance people and coaching people in understanding financial matters
• Managed and coached a busy team of three, made up of people of different levels of abilities and skills (AAT / CIMA Students)
• Identified areas of risk and provide solutions to mitigate potential losses
• Suggested updates and improvements for accounting systems, payroll and invoicing

Previous Employer – Distribution Services (Software Company) T/o £1B

Position – Assistant Accountant

Dates – 2010 – 2011

Previous Employer – Chartered Certified Accountants

Position – Trainee Accountant (Practice)

Dates – 2007 – 2010

Previous Employer – Cleaning Products Supplier

Position – Accounts / Office Manager

Dates – 2000 – 2007

Previous Employer – Building Contractors

Position – Bookkeeper

Dates – 1997 – 2000 

Previous Employer – International Removal Company

Position – Accounts Assistant

Dates – 1995 – 1997