Job Description

Head of Finance

£85,000–£95,000pa

Excellent Benefits: Discretionary Quarterly Bonus (10–15%) + Company Car or Car Allowance + Other Benefits
Fenstanton, Cambridgeshire

Take ownership. Drive performance. Shape the future.

Our client is a leading supplier within a specialist product sector, operating a successful buy-and-sell distribution business across the UK and Europe. Family-owned and proudly independent, they have built a reputation for exceptional service, extensive product availability and operational excellence, supported by their own delivery fleet and international distribution network.

As they continue to grow and explore exciting acquisition opportunities, they are looking for a commercially minded Head of Finance to take full ownership of the finance function and become a key member of the leadership team.

This newly created role offers something increasingly rare in senior finance positions: genuine autonomy. You'll be trusted to lead the finance function, drive improvements, make decisions and support business growth with the backing of an experienced Finance & IT Director who values collaboration rather than micromanagement.

We're particularly interested in speaking with finance leaders who have developed their careers within buy-and-sell, wholesale, distribution, logistics or product-based trading businesses, where managing inventory, margins, working capital and operational performance is critical to success.

Why join?

Our client has built a business that combines the stability of a successful family-owned company with the ambition and energy of a growth-focused organisation.

Operating from a purpose-built headquarters in Cambridgeshire alongside locations in Glasgow, Armagh and Germany, they serve customers across the UK and Europe through a sophisticated distribution model that places customer service and operational excellence at its heart.

This is an opportunity to join a business with significant market share, strong foundations and exciting growth plans already underway.

For the right person, this role offers the chance to make a genuine impact—not just within finance, but across the wider business.

What you'll be doing

As Head of Finance, you'll take full operational ownership of the finance function across the Group, with responsibility for:

• Leading the monthly management accounts process, delivering accurate reporting, insightful analysis and meaningful commentary
• Driving budgeting, forecasting and financial planning activities across the business
• Managing year-end accounts and acting as the primary relationship holder for external auditors
• Supporting a fast-paced buy-and-sell distribution business with robust financial controls and commercial insight
• Overseeing cash flow, working capital and banking activities to support business performance and growth
• Providing financial analysis around stock, margins and operational performance to support decision-making
• Managing UK tax compliance, VAT, statutory reporting and international compliance requirements
• Maintaining and continuously improving financial controls, systems and processes across multiple locations
• Leading and developing a high-performing finance team comprising a Management Accountant, Accounts Assistant and two Credit Controllers
• Partnering with operational and senior leadership teams to identify opportunities for improved efficiency, profitability and growth
• Playing a key role in supporting the business through its next phase of expansion and potential acquisition activity

Requirements

About You

We're looking for a finance leader who enjoys ownership, thrives in a commercial environment and wants to play a meaningful role in a growing business.

You'll likely be:

• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified
• An experienced finance leader with full ownership of a finance function
• Comfortable making decisions and operating with a high degree of responsibility
• Experienced managing multi-site or multi-entity operations
• Strong technically, with excellent knowledge of UK GAAP, VAT and financial controls
• A confident communicator capable of influencing senior stakeholders
• A hands-on leader who enjoys developing people and improving performance
  

The ideal background

You'll most likely have built your career within:

• Buy-and-sell organisations
• Wholesale businesses
• Distribution and logistics operations
• Import/export environments
• Product-led trading businesses
• Merchanting or supply-chain-driven organisations

You'll understand the commercial realities of:

• Inventory and stock management
• Margin optimisation
• Working capital management
• Supplier relationships
• Operational efficiency
• Multi-site business performance

Most importantly, you'll be someone who enjoys taking ownership, solving problems and delivering results.

Who will thrive here?

This role will suit a finance professional who:

• Wants genuine ownership rather than close supervision
• Takes pride in running a high-performing finance function
• Enjoys identifying improvements and making things better
• Thinks commercially as well as technically
• Brings solutions, not just problems
• Is energised by growth, change and opportunity
  

If you're currently operating in a wholesale, distribution, logistics or buy-and-sell environment and are looking for a role where you can truly make your mark, we'd love to hear from you.

Benefits

Package & Benefits

• Salary: £85,000 – £95,000
• Quarterly discretionary bonus (10–15%)
• Company car (following probation) car allowance
• 26 days holiday
• Genuine autonomy and ownership
• Opportunity to influence strategic growth initiatives
• Long-term career opportunity within a successful, growing business
  

Ready to take ownership?

UBT is partnering with a successful and growing distribution business to appoint an exceptional Head of Finance who is ready to take ownership, drive performance and play a key role in the next phase of growth.

If you're an ambitious finance leader looking for a role where your expertise, judgement and leadership will genuinely make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

IND25