Commercial Finance Manager

Role Purpose

We have partnered with a Contract Catering institution, and we are working on several Finance Manager positions at all levels, from Commercial, to Senior, and Regional.

As a Finance Manager, you will act as the key finance business partner for a portfolio of catering and soft FM contracts, driving profitable growth through robust financial control, commercial analysis, and operational support.

Key Responsibilities (common to all levels)

• Financial control & compliance Own monthly P&L for assigned contracts, ensuring accurate accruals, prepayments, and cost allocations in line with UK GAAP. Manage cash flow and working capital (stock, debtors).
• Commercial decision support Partner with operational General Managers to optimise menu pricing, labour scheduling, and event margins. Challenge waste and supply chain costs using real-time data.
• Budgeting & forecasting Lead annual budget cycles and monthly re-forecasts. Provide variance analysis with actionable insights (e.g. "sales mix shift lowered gross margin by 1.2%").
• Client & contract governance Attend client review meetings to present financial performance. Manage contract price indexation (CPI/RPI) and variation orders.
• Mobilisation & bids Support contract mobilisations and re-tenders by building financial models for new business or contract extensions.
• Team leadership (Senior Manager only) Mentor a small team (2-4 analysts / site accountants). Drive a culture of commercial curiosity.

Additional Responsibilities by Level

Finance Manager

Commercial Finance Manager

Senior Finance Manager

Contract value

• £2m-£10m p.a.
• £10m-£25m p.a.
• £25m+ or multi-contract cluster

Stakeholders

• Site GMs, Regional Ops
• Regional Directors, Client procurement
• Divisional MD, Key strategic clients

Complexity

• Single site or small cluster
• Multi-site, complex volume swings
• High-risk turnarounds, large bids

Team

• No direct reports
• May mentor an analyst
• Manages 2-4 finance staff

Experience Required

• Finance Manager: 2-3 years PQE (or qualified by experience) in contract catering / retail / hospitality finance.
• Commercial Finance Manager: Fully qualified (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) with 4-6 years PQE, strong commercial modelling.
• Senior Finance Manager: 8+ years PQE, proven ability to influence at board level, previous people management.

Key Competencies

• Deep understanding of high-volume, low-margin operations.
• Advanced Excel (Power Query / Power BI desirable).
• Ability to translate complex finance into operational actions.