A highly regarded hospitality and events organisation operating from one of the most impressive and distinctive venues in the Farnham area. Set within beautiful historic surrounding, the location offers a working environment that is genuinely unlike a traditional office setting. Not only will you be working within the enviable environment but you will be working in a very collaborative and cohesive working environment.
You will take full ownership of its finance function. This is a broad and highly visible position combining financial control, management reporting, commercial business partnering and hands-on operational accounting.
Working closely with the Board of Directors, the successful candidate will provide clear financial insight, maintain robust controls and support informed commercial decision-making across the organisation.
Job Title: Head of Finance
Job Type: Permanent
Location: Farnham
Salary: £65,000 - £75,000
Reference no: HT6126
Head of Finance – Benefits
- Senior and highly visible position within an established hospitality business
- Direct exposure to the Board of Directors
- Full ownership of the finance function
- Opportunity to influence financial controls, systems and commercial decision-making
- Broad role combining strategic input with hands-on accounting
- Support from a part-time Finance Assistant
- Hybrid working: 4 days in the office, 1 day working from home.
- Hours: 09.30 am – 17:30
- 25 days annual leave
- Private health cover
- Discretionary bonus
Head of Finance – About The Role
The successful Head of Finance will take responsibility for the complete day-to-day financial management of the organisation, ensuring accurate reporting, effective controls and full compliance with statutory requirements.
You will act as a key business partner to Board of Directors, providing commercial insight, challenging financial performance and supporting the delivery of the organisation’s strategic objectives.
This is a hands-on role that will require the successful candidate to manage the monthly reporting cycle while retaining oversight of payroll, invoicing, cash flow, supplier payments, revenue recognition and financial controls.
Responsibilities will include:
- Producing accurate monthly management accounts, including the profit and loss account, balance sheet and supporting schedules
- Preparing the monthly accounts pack and presenting financial performance to the Board in a deck slide formation
- Leading the annual budgeting process and completing monthly forecast updates
- Producing cash flow forecasts and identifying potential financial risks and opportunities
- Analysing financial results, investigating variances and recommending appropriate actions
- Providing commercial support and financial insight to Heads of Department
- Developing and maintaining effective financial controls, processes and accounting policies
- Managing year-end statutory accounts, audit requirements and tax matters in conjunction with external advisers
- Ensuring compliance with PAYE, National Insurance, workplace pensions, VAT and other statutory obligations
- Processing monthly payroll for permanent and casual employees
- Managing pension submissions and payments through NEST
- Overseeing client invoicing, receipts, deferred revenue and credit control
- Completing daily and monthly bank reconciliations
- Managing supplier reconciliations, payment runs and credit card expenditure
- Maintaining accruals, prepayments and the fixed asset register
- Managing monthly stock takes and calculating food and beverage cost of sales
- Preparing profit and loss reporting in USALI format
- Ensuring all balance sheet accounts are reconciled and fully supported
- Completing quarterly VAT returns
- Coordinating finance-related projects and process improvements
- Managing and developing the part-time Finance Assistant
- Representing finance at weekly operational meetings
- Supporting the administration of casual workers, including starter documentation, payroll information and right-to-work records
The successful Head of Finance will have:
- A minimum of five years’ experience within a self-accounting finance environment
- Previous financial management experience gained within hospitality, events, hotels or a similarly operational business
- Experience producing management accounts, budgets, forecasts and cash flow reporting
- Strong working knowledge of balance sheet controls, payroll, VAT and statutory compliance
- The ability to operate at both a strategic and detailed transactional level
- Experience working with senior leadership teams and presenting financial information to directors
- Strong commercial awareness and the confidence to challenge and influence operational decisions
- Experience managing or supervising a member of a finance team
- Advanced Excel skills and strong knowledge of Microsoft Office
- Experience using Xero, Sage or a comparable accounting system
- Knowledge of property management, venue management or point-of-sale systems would be advantageous
- Familiarity with USALI reporting would be beneficial
- CIMA, ACCA or ACA qualification would be desirable, although candidates qualified by experience will also be considered
Howett Thorpe are acting as a recruitment agency in relation to this role and comply with all relevant UK legislation and do not discriminate on any protected characteristics. Due to the high volume of applications we currently receive, we are unable to respond to all candidates. If you do not hear from a Consultant within 5 working days, please assume that you have not been successful.
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