Head of Finance

About The Role

The Head of Finance will take ownership of financial control and reporting across the business, including the consolidation of UK and European operations. The role will bring greater consistency and visibility to financial performance, ensuring robust reporting and control across the business. A key focus will be on margin analysis and cost discipline across laboratory and field service delivery, alongside maintaining the integrity of revenue recognition for project-based and milestone billing. The role will also lead cash flow forecasting and working capital optimisation. The Head of Finance will oversee the transition from outsourced bookkeeping to a controlled in-house model, establishing the systems, processes and controls required to support the next stage of growth. This is a hands‑on role requiring strong technical capability, commercial judgement and the ability to operate effectively across both the detail and the wider business.

Key Responsibilities

• Own monthly management accounts across group entities.
• Establish robust consolidation processes (multi‑currency where relevant).
• Ensure appropriate revenue recognition policies (project‑based, stage‑of‑completion, milestone or delivery‑based as applicable).
• Strengthen internal controls, particularly across international operations.
• Oversee statutory accounts and audit processes.
• Manage tax compliance across UK and Europe (with external advisors).

• Develop forward‑looking budgets and rolling forecasts.
• Introduce project‑level profitability analysis (by service line, geography, customer type).
• Analyse laboratory utilisation, field team productivity and margin by contract type.
• Provide insight into pricing strategy and cost‑to‑serve dynamics.
• Support capital investment decisions (e.g. lab equipment, accreditations, technology systems).

• Improve billing discipline and debtor management.
• Manage milestone invoicing and contract cash profiles.
• Enhance cash forecasting and liquidity planning.

• Assess current finance systems and introduce scalable reporting capability.
• Gradually insource bookkeeping currently handled externally in Europe.
• Standardise chart of accounts and reporting across subsidiaries.

• Act as finance partner to operational leaders (lab, field operations, commercial).
• Work closely with Executive Chair and King Group on performance reporting.
• Prepare board‑quality financial packs with KPI dashboards.

Candidate Requirements

Experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent).
• Experience within services‑led, project‑based or testing / certification / technical consultancy environments.
• Multi‑entity or international reporting exposure preferred.
• Experience in revenue recognition under project or milestone billing models.
• Comfortable operating in a scaling SME or investor‑backed environment.
• Experience transitioning from outsourced to in‑house finance models desirable.

Capabilities

• Strong FP&A and commercial analysis capability.
• Detail‑oriented with high standards of control and governance.
• Systems‑aware and process improvement focused.
• Able to operate both strategically and operationally.

Personal Attributes

• Hands‑on, technically proficient and pragmatic.
• Credible with technically strong operational leaders.
• Comfortable in a growth and change environment.
• Ambitious and capable of evolving into Finance Director over time.