Finance Manager

Reports to: Managing Director Location: Unit 6, Verda Park, Wallingford, OX10 9SJ Working Hours: Full-time, Monday to Friday. BACKGROUND HTS Creative is a specialist event production and event structures company delivering production services for live events across the UK. We partner with event organisers, agencies, venues, local authorities and production companies to plan and deliver events of every scale, from conferences and theatre productions to festivals, sporting events and large public celebrations. Our services combine event structures, staging, sound, lighting, video, power, rigging and technical management into a single, coordinated delivery. Success in live events depends on more than equipment. It requires experienced people, thorough planning, clear communication and the ability to solve problems under pressure. These principles underpin every project we undertake and have helped establish HTS Creative as a trusted delivery partner for technically demanding events. Based in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, we continue to invest in our people, equipment and operating systems to support the long-term growth of the business. We are building a company recognised not only for technical excellence, but for professionalism, reliability and lasting client relationships. Everyone at HTS Creative contributes to that reputation. Whether working in the warehouse, office or on site, every role plays an important part in delivering exceptional events safely, efficiently and to the highest standard. ROLE OVERVIEW We are seeking a highly organised and commercially minded Finance Manager to take sole responsibility for our end-to-end finance function. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, this is a hands-on role where you will manage everything from daily bookkeeping and transactional finance through to management accounting, cash-flow management and strategic forecasting. You will serve as the financial backbone of the company, ensuring accurate and timely financial information and providing the Managing Director with the clear visibility and commercial insight needed to make informed decisions and support continued business growth. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Financial & Management Reporting

• Month-End Close: Own the entire month-end close process, ensuring accurate and timely completion.
• Management Accounts: Prepare accurate monthly management accounts, including P&L, balance sheet reconciliations and variance analysis.
• MD Reporting: Present clear financial summaries and key performance indicators (KPIs) to the Managing Director, providing concise narrative commentary on performance, commercial risks and opportunities.
• Forecasting: Maintain rolling forecasts for revenue, gross margin, overheads and profitability, highlighting material movements against budget and previous forecasts.
• Commercial Analysis: Support visibility of project and business performance, helping identify margin erosion, cost overruns and areas of financial opportunity.
• Process Improvement & Automation: Work with the wider team to improve financial processes, increase efficiency and streamline existing systems and reporting. Transactional Accounting & Operations
• Ledger Management: Take ownership of accounts payable and accounts receivable, including credit control and debt collection.
• Supplier Payments: Manage supplier payment runs and ensure liabilities are clearly understood and appropriately planned.
• Banking: Conduct regular bank reconciliations and manage online banking platforms.
• Payroll: Coordinate with the external payroll provider, ensuring accurate and timely payroll information.
• Financial Records: Maintain accurate and well-organised financial records, ensuring transactions are correctly recorded and reconciled. Cash Flow & Financial Planning
• Cash Flow Management: Maintain and actively monitor a rolling short-, medium- and long-term cash-flow forecast.
• Working Capital: Maintain clear visibility of debtors, creditors, upcoming liabilities and other cash commitments, identifying potential pressure points in advance.
• Budgeting: Collaborate with the Managing Director to build, monitor and adjust annual company budgets.
• Scenario Planning: Support the Managing Director with financial modelling and scenario planning for investment, capital expenditure and other significant business decisions. Compliance & External Relations
• Tax Compliance: Prepare/review quarterly VAT returns and ensure compliance with HMRC requirements and deadlines.
• Year-End Accounts: Act as the primary point of contact for external accountants during year-end statutory account preparation.
• Financial Commitments: Maintain clear records of asset finance, loans, fixed assets and other significant financial commitments.
• Financial Controls: Ensure appropriate financial controls and processes are maintained throughout the business. SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Qualifications & Experience Fully or Part Qualified (ACA, ACCA or CIMA), or QBE (Qualified by Experience), with strong practical experience working within an SME environment. Experience taking broad ownership of a finance function is highly desirable. Technical Skills
• Strong management accounting and bookkeeping capability.
• Advanced Excel skills, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/SUMIFS and financial modelling.
• Proficiency in cloud accounting software such as Xero, Sage or QuickBooks.
• Strong cash-flow forecasting and budgeting capability.
• Good understanding of VAT, payroll processes and SME financial controls.
• Comfortable using AI, automation and other technology to improve process efficiency, analysis and management reporting. Mindset
• An autonomous self-starter who takes ownership and follows tasks through to completion.
• Comfortable balancing transactional and data-entry responsibilities with management reporting and financial analysis.
• Highly organised, accurate and dependable.
• Commercially minded, with an interest in understanding the reasons behind financial performance rather than simply reporting the numbers.
• Able to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• Proactive in identifying financial risks, opportunities and areas for improvement.
• Comfortable working in a growing SME environment where priorities can change quickly. At HTS Creative, we believe great events are delivered by great people. We're looking for someone who wants to take ownership, contribute and grow with us.