Finance Manager

Finance Manager Location: Mansfield Salary: £55000/600000 Type: Fixed term contract until 31 st January 2027 Job Type: Full-time Sector: Manufacturing / Engineering You should be available to start work week commencing 12 th October 2026. Our client is an established and growing business operating within the manufacturing and engineering sector. They are looking to appoint an experienced Finance Manager to take ownership of day-to-day finance activity and provide accurate, timely and commercially valuable information to support business decision-making. This is a hands-on role with excellent visibility across the organisation. You will work closely with operational, production, engineering, sales and supply chain teams, helping to improve financial performance, strengthen controls and provide greater insight into costs, margins, cash and working capital. The Role As Finance Manager, you will take ownership of core financial control, reporting, budgeting and forecasting processes. You will be expected to combine strong technical finance skills with a commercial and practical approach, ensuring finance is a trusted partner to the wider business. Key Responsibilities

• Lead the monthly financial close process, ensuring transactions are complete, reconciliations are accurate and reporting deadlines are consistently achieved.
• Prepare monthly management accounts, variance analysis and clear financial commentary for senior management.
• Maintain robust financial controls across sales, purchasing, inventory, expenses, payroll inputs, fixed assets and balance sheet accounts.
• Lead the annual budgeting and periodic forecasting processes, working with budget holders to develop accurate and realistic plans.
• Monitor working capital, cash flow, aged debt and supplier commitments, identifying and escalating potential risks.
• Work closely with production, engineering, sales and supply chain teams to understand cost drivers and improve margin visibility.
• Support operational teams with financial analysis and insight to improve business performance and accountability.
• Oversee inventory accounting and controls, including stock reporting, provisions, cycle counts and investigation of variances.
• Coordinate audit, tax, statutory and wider reporting requirements, ensuring information is accurate and delivered on time.
• Identify opportunities to improve finance processes, reporting tools and systems.
• Develop and maintain high standards of financial control and data quality.
• Provide guidance, support and prioritisation to finance colleagues, encouraging a collaborative and high-performing team environment.
• Produce ad hoc financial analysis and reporting as required. About You We are looking for a hands-on finance professional who combines technical accuracy with commercial awareness. You will be comfortable working closely with operational teams, analysing financial and business performance and explaining financial information to non-finance colleagues. You will take ownership of issues, challenge constructively and be someone who looks beyond the numbers to understand what is driving business performance. Experience
• Previous experience in a Finance Manager, Management Accountant, Site Accountant or similar role ACCA, CIMA or ACA but QBE is acceptable if you have the right experience
• Experience within a manufacturing, engineering, production or other operational environment would be advantageous
• Strong understanding of month-end close and management accounts
• Experience with balance sheet reconciliations and financial controls
• Experience of budgeting and forecasting
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret financial and operational data.
• Excellent Excel skills and confidence working with ERP and financial reporting systems
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to build relationships across different areas of a business
• Professional accountancy qualification, part qualification or significant relevant experience Personal Attributes The successful candidate will be:
• Commercially minded – interested in understanding what drives business performance rather than simply reporting the numbers.
• Structured and dependable – organised, accurate and able to meet deadlines consistently.
• Collaborative – able to build strong relationships and communicate financial information in a clear and accessible way.
• Improvement-focused – always looking for ways to make processes more efficient and effective.
• Confident and credible – comfortable challenging assumptions and influencing stakeholders outside of finance.
• Adaptable and resilient – able to manage changing priorities and work effectively under pressure. This is an opportunity to take a visible finance leadership role within an operational business, working closely with colleagues across the organisation and directly supporting decisions that affect performance. The successful candidate will have the scope to strengthen reporting, improve control and shape how finance adds value to the wider business.