Interim Head of Finance Transformation & Strategic Projects

Hybrid | European travel | London or West Yorkshire

A rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in reshaping the financial and operational future of an established international business.

Gifford and Partners have been retained to support an established, sizeable international organisation at a particularly interesting stage of its development. Following a period of significant strategic change, the business is entering an important new chapter, with a renewed focus on operational efficiency, financial performance, profitability and long-term value creation.

We are seeking an accomplished Interim Head of Finance Transformation & Strategic Projects to work closely with the senior leadership team, helping to shape and deliver a programme of financial and operational improvement. This is not a traditional finance leadership appointment.

It is an opportunity for a commercially astute, hands-on finance professional to make a genuine difference to business performance, challenge established thinking and help build a stronger, more profitable and sustainable organisation.

The opportunity

Working alongside senior executives and key stakeholders, you will play an influential role in assessing current financial performance, identifying opportunities for improvement and translating these into practical, measurable actions.

Your remit will be broad, varied and commercially focused, combining financial transformation, restructuring, strategic projects and business performance improvement.

Key responsibilities will include:

• EBITDA and profitability improvement: Analyse business performance, identify margin enhancement opportunities, challenge cost structures and help deliver measurable improvements in profitability.
• Business restructuring and transformation: Support the reshaping of the operating model, identifying efficiencies, improving financial processes and ensuring the business is appropriately structured for its next phase.
• Cash flow and working capital: Strengthen cash flow forecasting, improve visibility over liquidity and identify opportunities to optimise working capital.
• Financial performance and management information: Enhance reporting, KPIs, forecasting and commercial insight to enable more informed decision-making.
• Financial control and governance: Review existing financial controls, reporting disciplines and processes, identifying areas where improvements will deliver greater accuracy, efficiency and accountability.
• Strategic financial projects: Lead and support a variety of business-critical initiatives, working across finance, operations and the wider leadership team.
• Corporate transactions: Provide financial analysis, modelling and project support for potential future transactions, restructuring initiatives and other strategic opportunities.
• Stakeholder engagement: Work collaboratively with senior leaders and operational teams across the UK and Europe, building relationships and ensuring transformation initiatives translate into tangible results.

Who are we looking for?

We are particularly interested in speaking with experienced Finance Directors, CFOs, Heads of Finance Transformation and senior finance professionals who have successfully delivered change within complex or evolving businesses.

You will ideally bring:

• A recognised accountancy qualification, such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA.
• A proven track record of improving EBITDA, profitability, cash generation and business performance.
• Experience of financial restructuring, turnaround, transformation or significant organisational change.
• Strong financial control, forecasting, cash flow management and performance reporting capabilities.
• The commercial confidence to challenge existing processes, identify opportunities and influence decision-making at board level.
• Experience of leading financial projects, with exposure to M&A, disposals, integration or corporate transactions advantageous.
• The ability to move comfortably between strategic discussions and detailed, hands-on financial analysis.
• Strong interpersonal skills, resilience and the ability to build credibility quickly with both finance and operational stakeholders.
• Experience within multi-site, international, manufacturing, industrial or operationally complex businesses would be particularly relevant.

Above all, we are looking for someone who can identify what needs to change, explain why it matters and take ownership of making it happen.

This assignment offers considerably more than a conventional interim finance role. You will join at a point where your contribution can have a direct and visible impact on the future direction of the business. There is genuine scope to influence financial strategy, reshape processes, improve performance and support significant commercial decisions.

For the right individual, the initial six-month assignment could also develop into a longer-term or permanent senior finance leadership opportunity, potentially progressing towards a Chief Financial Officer position .

The package

• Competitive interim day rate of c £650 to £850 , dependent on experience.
• Initial six-month assignment, with potential for extension.
• Potential additional transaction-related bonus, subject to agreement.
• London-based opportunity with hybrid working arrangements to be discussed.
• Some European travel required.
• Opportunity for longer-term career progression, potentially into a CFO appointment.

Interested in making a genuine difference?

If you are an experienced finance transformation professional who thrives on challenge, enjoys getting under the skin of a business and has a track record of delivering measurable financial improvement, we would welcome a confidential conversation.

Please apply or contact Gifford and Partners | Executive GAP directly to discuss the opportunity in confidence.

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