Financial Director

Axon Moore is partnering with a market‑leading, multi‑site distribution and product business undergoing a significant transformation programme. The organisation is investing heavily in systems, structure and commercial capability, and requires a Finance Director who can provide clear financial leadership, governance and performance insight during a period of change. Job Title: Finance Director Salary: £120,000 + bonus + LTIP Location: Brentford /Hybrid The Role The Finance Director will act as the senior financial lead for the division, providing authoritative insight on performance, cash, working capital, return on capital and transformation programme delivery. The role requires a blend of commercial finance capability, governance discipline and change leadership. You will own the financial governance of the transformation programme, including business case development, benefits tracking, restructuring cost control and financial appraisal of phase‑gate decisions. Alongside this, you will lead budgeting, forecasting, strategic planning and commercial decision support, ensuring the leadership team is equipped with robust data, challenge and clarity. A key part of the role is developing a future‑ready finance function aligned to a new systems environment, including a forthcoming ERP implementation. You will build capability, strengthen succession and ensure the team can support both business‑as‑usual and programme delivery. Key areas of responsibility include:

• Financial performance leadership – Ownership of P&L, margin, cost, working capital and return on capital performance, providing clear insight, challenge and corrective action.
• Finance function leadership – Building and leading a capable, commercially focused finance team; developing succession and capability; aligning the function to future systems and structure.
• Shared services and transactional finance oversight – Managing the interface with shared services to ensure effective ledgers, purchase‑to‑pay, month‑end and issue resolution.
• Credit control and debtor management – Leading debtor performance, credit‑risk oversight and escalation of material issues.
• Corporate transactions and commercial negotiation – Providing financial leadership on acquisitions, disposals, property matters and major supplier/customer commitments.
• Data, systems and process improvement – Using financial systems, reporting tools and automation to improve insight, simplify processes and support better commercial decisions.
• Compliance and governance – Maintaining strong oversight of audit, internal control, delegated authority, balance sheet review and plc‑level reporting disciplines.
• Commercial governance – Supporting governance of material contracts, property commitments, insurance matters and commercial risk.
• Transformation programme finance leadership – Owning financial governance for the change programme, including phase‑gate appraisal, benefits tracking, restructuring cost control and monthly reporting to the Steering Committee. Person Specification
• Qualified finance leader with Finance Director‑level experience in a multi‑site distribution, product or trading environment.
• Demonstrable ownership of financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and strategic planning in a plc or comparable governance environment.
• Direct experience supporting a major transformation or restructuring programme, including business case creation, benefits tracking and one‑off cost control.
• Strong commercial finance capability, using data‑led insight to support pricing, margin, customer, supplier and operational decisions.
• Proven balance sheet ownership, including working capital, stock, debtor management and capital allocation.
• Track record of building and leading a commercially focused finance team, including capability development and succession planning.
• Experience maintaining a strong control environment, including audit, delegated authority and plc reporting disciplines.
• Experience within a plc or shared‑services environment is advantageous. Skills & Attributes
• Independent, objective and evidence‑based in providing performance insight.
• Commercially challenging, able to test assumptions and support better decisions.
• Precise and timely, balancing accuracy with pace.
• Strong governance mindset, maintaining control over reporting, delegated authorities and transformation programme benefits.
• Partnering‑led, building an efficient finance function with full visibility of performance.
• Clear communicator, able to explain financial and programme issues directly and escalate risks early.
• Change‑capable, able to lead finance through structural, systems and process change while maintaining business‑as‑usual standards. For immediate consideration or more information on the role, please contact Aaron Conneran at Axon Moore.