Finance Director

Apointe and Palmbrokers are in an exclusive partnership to source their new Finance Director.

This is one of the most exciting Finance Director vacancies I have had the privilege of working on, I absolutely love it! Having spent a few hours on-site with the leadership team, I can see why it is such a magical place to work.

We are looking for an entrepreneurial Accountant who is comfortable working with an entire organisation helping them professionalise across the board. If you have worked in an SME before, ideally entrepreneur led, and have been involved in system implementation and upgrades that is a massive plus.

About Palmbrokers

Palmbrokers is a growing greenery business serving the film, television, and events industries. The company designs and builds landscapes, creates natural scenery, and makes custom props for studios and locations. Owned by greensman Matthew Campbell and a board of directors, with strategic counsel from a non-executive chairman, Palmbrokers employs over 50 staff at their Farnham Common nursery in Berkshire. The nursery houses a wide variety of real and artificial plants and props, featuring greenhouses, polytunnels, workshops, and outdoor spaces. A team of greenspeople works offsite on various projects.

The Role

Based at the nursery, the new Finance Director will be pivotal in supporting the company’s growth. The role involves leading financial strategy, analyzing financial performance, and advising senior leadership. Responsibilities include implementing financial recommendations, communicating requirements to staff, and designing new digital systems for finance, project management, CRM, and e-commerce. The Finance Director will drive the adoption of these systems to enhance the company's performance while maintaining its core values.

Responsibilities

• Enable the company to meet its business objectives by leading financial strategy and developing commercial understanding throughout all tiers and departments. Work closely as part of the executive team with senior project managers to assess and support the financial performance of each business unit.
• Lead the development and review of the company’s longer-term business plan for growth, including financial projections and revenue/cost models.
• Work with Board members and key stakeholders on the design and delivery of a business process transformation project (see The Role above).
• Develop and control the company’s annual operating budget.
• Develop and implement financial strategies and systems to support the company’s operating model while ensuring that financial reporting processes are robust, accurate and compliant with UK GAAP.
• Oversee the timely preparation and presentation of monthly management accounts and other financial reports/KPI’s to senior management and the Board.
• Lead on financial and statutory regulations and obligations to ensure compliance and management of related risks, including the timely filing of regulatory reports.
• Audit and manage the company’s insurance obligations.
• Oversee the preparation of the company’s financial accounts and work with the external auditors in completion of and compliance with all audit requirements.
• Lead, develop and motivate the finance team to build capabilities, perform strongly and continue to engage with all areas of the business.
• Communicate with external stakeholders, including finance providers.

Requirements

• Finance and accountancy experience and leadership within similar- sized private businesses.
• Excellent leadership, communication and people skills, able to communicate complex and technical issues clearly and pragmatically.
• Experience of working with the Board and of building confidence and credibility at that level.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience of operating in a people and client-centric business that delivers creative solutions to the highest standards.
• Strong financial analysis, budgeting, business planning and modelling skills. Experience with hire/rental models would be preferred but is not essential.
• Experience of programme and project leadership and driving positive organisational change, including experience in managing enterprise resource planning (finance, project management and asset tracking) systems implementation/transformation.
• Experience of implementing and integrating customer relationship management and e-commerce software solutions would be preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills delivering business insights and recommendations that support strategic decision making.
• Relevant qualification in finance and accounting alongside evidence of continuous professional development showing up-to-date knowledge of accounting regulations and practice.
• Experience of operating alongside a senior leadership team with the ability to understand and engage in strategy development and execution, and a commercial understanding of business operating models

Opportunity for the individual

• Be an integral part of supporting the company’s growth ambitions.
• Work in an entrepreneurial, inclusive and stimulating environment to deliver unique creative solutions to a broad client base from a sustainable stock of natural products.
• Progress among a great culture and team in a fast-paced business with hard working colleagues.
• Earn a market-based package in line with a c.£10m revenue, highly profitable and fast growth business.
• Achieve significant personal and professional growth, as well as potential equity participation with value linked to overall growth and valuation of the company and own performance.