Title: Head of Finance
Reports to: Finance Director
Based at: Brookhouse Mill
Job purpose: A newly created role to further strengthen the role of Finance in the business by taking ownership of the finance systems, processes, controls and reporting. Reporting to the Head of Finance and leading a small team, this role will be responsible for a range of duties including:
Job Purpose
Lead the finance function for a £150m turnover manufacturing business, combining strong financial control with commercially focused finance leadership. Responsible for robust financial governance, accurate reporting, effective cash and working capital management, and the provision of insightful commercial analysis to support operational and strategic decision-making. This role plays a key part in the senior leadership team, partnering with operations, supply chain, sales, procurement, and the Finance Director to drive profitability, operational efficiency, and business growth.
Values in Action
At Cormar, our values guide how we work. In this role, you will:
- Trust - Present financial information honestly and transparently, giving the Finance Director, senior leadership team, and the board an accurate picture of business performance - including the parts that are uncomfortable.
- Respect - Build credible, constructive relationships with operational and commercial leaders across the business. Challenge and influence through the quality of your analysis and the clarity of your communication, not through hierarchy.
- Ambition - Drive continuous improvement in financial systems, processes, and commercial insight. Build a finance team with a culture of ownership and development, and actively seek opportunities to improve Cormar's profitability and efficiency through data-driven analysis.
- Together - Partner genuinely with operations, supply chain, sales, and procurement - not as an auditor or gatekeeper, but as a collaborative business partner who helps those functions make better decisions.
- Reliable - Deliver accurate, timely financial reporting and analysis that the business can depend on. Meet every deadline and maintain the financial controls that give Cormar confidence in its numbers.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Control and Governance
- Lead and develop the finance team, ensuring high standards of performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting.
- Manage month-end and year-end close processes, and oversee statutory accounts preparation and external audit.
- Maintain strong financial controls, policies, and procedures, ensuring compliance with UK GAAP/IFRS, tax regulations, VAT, and all statutory reporting obligations.
- Manage treasury activities including cash flow forecasting, banking relationships, and liquidity management.
- Drive improvements in working capital performance, including inventory, debtors, and creditors management.
- Oversee payroll, insurance, and corporate compliance activities.
- Lead budgeting and forecasting processes across the business and support ERP optimisation and finance process automation initiatives.
Commercial Finance and Business Partnering
- Act as a strategic finance partner to operational and commercial leaders, providing financial analysis and insight to support decision-making, profitability improvement, and business growth.
- Deliver detailed margin, pricing, and product profitability analysis, and support sales and commercial teams with customer profitability reviews, tender analysis, and contract evaluation.
- Partner with manufacturing and supply chain teams to improve operational efficiency, labour utilisation, inventory management, and cost control.
- Develop meaningful KPIs and performance dashboards for operational and commercial teams.
- Evaluate capital expenditure proposals, investment appraisals, and business cases, and support strategic planning, scenario modelling, and long-range forecasting.
- Assist leadership with acquisitions, integrations, and strategic projects where required.
Manufacturing Finance
- Oversee standard costing, BOM accuracy, and manufacturing variance analysis.
- Ensure accurate inventory accounting and valuation, and monitor plant performance, labour efficiency, scrap, yield, and overhead absorption.
- Analyse production costs and identify opportunities for operational savings, and support stock control processes and periodic inventory counts.
Team Cormar
- Demonstrate and promote Cormar's values in all work and interactions.
- Build a high-performing finance team with a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and commercial awareness.
- Develop succession planning and capability within the finance function, and promote cross-functional collaboration between finance and operational departments.
- Influence and challenge senior stakeholders constructively, and drive a culture of commercial awareness across the organisation.
- Consider safety in all aspects of work, adhere to site safety rules, and report all instances of concern.
Skills & Qualifications
- Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) - essential.
- Significant senior finance experience within a manufacturing environment, with strong experience in both financial control and commercial finance/business partnering.
- Experience managing sizeable finance teams in a complex operational business, with strong understanding of manufacturing accounting, costing, inventory, and operational finance.
- Experience leading budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning processes, with strong systems and ERP experience.
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to influence decision-making at senior level.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving capability, with strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on operationally, with excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Highly organised with strong attention to detail and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
The package includes competitive salary, bonus scheme, car allowance, pension, and private healthcare.
Please send applications to Carla Grant, HR Manager, Cormar Carpets, Brookhouse Mill, Greenmount, Bury BL8 4HR, or email carla.grant@cormarcarpets.co.uk.
