Group Finance Director

Job title Group: Finance Director Department: Group Finance Reports to: Group Managing Director Location Primarily remote/home-based and ideally centrally located, Board and SLT  meetings, and partner/customer locations Salary Circa £80,000 per annum Role purpose The Group Finance Director is responsible for leading and developing the finance function across  Solfit Holdings, Solfit Solutions, Solfit Services and Solfit Systems. The role ensures that the Group's  strategy and multiple income streams are supported by robust financial planning, disciplined cash  management, accurate reporting, effective commercial control and a scalable finance operating  model. Reporting to the Group Managing Director and working closely with the CEO, Board and Senior  Leadership Team, the role converts strategy into a funded and measurable operating plan, provides  independent financial challenge and ensures that decision-makers have a clear forward view of  performance, risk, funding requirements and value creation. Functional split and key accountabilities The role is primarily Red and Black, with a supporting Blue remit. Finance owns financial control,  integrity and strategic financial leadership. It enables and challenges revenue delivery but does not  own sales, customer relationships or the commercial pipeline. BLACK - Strategic finance and Board leadership Develop and maintain the Group financial strategy, integrated business plan and financial  structure required to support sustainable growth. Translate strategy into annual budgets, medium-term plans, investment cases, funding  requirements and measurable financial outcomes. Provide concise monthly Board reporting on actual performance, forward outlook, cash,  risks, opportunities, actions and decisions required. Act as a trusted adviser to the Group Managing Director, CEO and Board, providing  independent financial challenge and practical commercial judgement. Lead scenario planning and the financial evaluation of acquisitions, partnerships and major  investments, aligned with funding capacity, risk appetite and required return. Shape the long-term funding strategy and support relationships with shareholders,  investors, lenders and other strategic funding partners. Keep the Group investor ready by maintaining reliable financial information, forecasts, dataroom evidence and due-diligence materials. RED - Financial governance, control and delivery Own the annual budget, rolling forecast, consolidated accounts and monthly  performance rhythm across the Group, each operating entity and its principal income  streams. Maintain clear visibility of revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, project profitability,  productivity and cash conversion, with early warning and corrective action where  performance moves outside plan. Maintain a credible rolling 13-week cash-flow forecast alongside an integrated mediumand longer-term view of liquidity, headroom, funding requirements and financial  scenarios. Lead working-capital performance across receivables, customer credit, payables, supplier  terms, stock, work in progress, rebates, retentions and intercompany balances. Own banking, treasury, payment controls, covenant monitoring and the execution of  agreed funding processes. Ensure accurate and timely management accounts, statutory accounts, consolidation,  tax, VAT, payroll, company filings and audit requirements. Maintain a Group-wide control framework covering delegated authority, procurement,  payments, revenue recognition, balance-sheet reconciliation, accounting policies,  intercompany arrangements and fraud prevention. Design and develop the finance operating model as the Group evolves, identifying when  additional capability, roles, systems and controls are required. Lead and develop internal finance resources and coordinate external accountants,  auditors, tax advisers, bookkeepers and other professional advisers, with clear  accountability and service standards. BLUE - Commercial finance and revenue enablement Partner with the Group Commercial Director, Group Production Director, Chief Sales  Officer and business leads to improve pricing, bid quality, contract margin and delivery  economics. Set financial approval gates for quotations, customer terms, rebates, warranties, supplier  commitments and capital expenditure, identifying exposure and required protections. Provide robust business cases and sensitivity analysis for new products, services,  partnerships, major contracts and strategic investments. Use customer, product, project and entity-level profitability reporting to challenge  assumptions, support prioritisation and protect customer delivery. Support commercial negotiations with clear financial analysis while sales ownership,  customer relationships and pipeline accountability remain with the relevant commercial  leader. Governance and delegated authority The role operates within the Group governance framework and the Group Managing Director's  delegated authority for the day-to-day operation of the business. The Group Finance Director is a  member of the Senior Leadership Team, attends Board meetings as required, owns the professional  integrity of the finance function and must maintain clear accountability and escalation across all  entities. The Group Managing Director retains day-to-day delegated authority; the Group Finance  Director owns the finance function, financial control, management information, planning  and cash stewardship. The CEO and Board retain oversight of strategy, funding, shareholder matters and  Board-reserved decisions. The Group Finance Director must have unrestricted access to the CEO, Chair and Board  where financial integrity, solvency, audit, fraud, material control failure or a Boardreserved matter is concerned. The role has authority to pause or escalate transactions that are outside delegated  authority, inadequately supported or likely to expose the Group to unacceptable risk. The postholder must maintain complete, traceable and auditable financial records, approvals and  control evidence, and support Board assurance, external audit and continuous improvement. Any  appointment as a statutory director is a separate Board and shareholder decision and remains  subject to formal corporate approval and completion of the required corporate formalities. Qualifications and experience Essential A recognised professional accounting qualification, normally ACA, ACCA or CIMA, or  demonstrably equivalent senior financial leadership experience. Substantial experience as a Finance Director, senior Financial Controller or equivalent  leader in a multi-entity, growth-focused business with multiple income streams or  revenue-generating divisions. Proven ownership of Board reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow management,  working capital, statutory reporting, tax and audit. Strong commercial finance experience, including pricing, contract and project  profitability, investment appraisal and operational decision support. Experience working with shareholders, investors, lenders and professional advisers,  including funding, investor-readiness, due-diligence or transaction processes. Demonstrable success in strengthening controls, improving systems and building capable  finance teams, including the effective leadership of internal and external finance  resources, without creating unnecessary bureaucracy. The ability to turn complex information into clear decisions and provide high-integrity,  independent challenge to senior leaders and the Board. Desirable Experience within construction, housebuilding, renewables, manufacturing, distribution  or another specification-led and project-based environment. Experience in a high-growth SME or private-equity/investor-backed business, including  business-model scaling and capital planning. Experience of acquisitions, disposals, fundraising, due diligence or post-investment  integration. Familiarity with warranty, insurance, quality-management, ESG reporting or regulated  compliance environments. Experience implementing or improving ERP, reporting, forecasting and data-automation  systems. Core behaviours High integrity, independent judgement and the confidence to raise difficult issues early  and clearly. Commercial curiosity and a solutions-focused approach to financial and operational  challenges. A hands-on leadership style, with the ability to move between Board-level strategy and  detailed problem-solving. Clear, concise communication that turns complex information into decisions, actions and  ownership. Collaborative and low ego, while maintaining firm professional standards and appropriate  challenge. The ability to prioritise, operate at pace and build structure in an evolving organisation. Measures of success Timely, accurate management accounts and Board packs, normally issued within 10  working days of month end. A reliable weekly 13-week cash forecast, supported by a credible medium- and longer term liquidity and funding outlook, adequate headroom and no avoidable liquidity or covenant breach. Improved forecast accuracy across revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, working capital and  closing cash. Delivery of budgeted margin, overhead recovery and cash conversion, with variances  acted upon promptly. Full compliance with statutory, tax, banking and audit deadlines, supported by robust  controls, reliable data and no material control failure. A scalable, service-led finance function, with the right internal and external capability  introduced at the right time, improving the quality, speed and commercial discipline of  Group decision-making.