Opportunities at Severfield

• Work closely with divisional and local board colleagues and the Severfield plc executive team to determine the strategy of the division and help drive commercial and operational performance both at a project, company and divisional level
• Provide leadership to the divisional finance team, including three business unit finance directors / heads of finance and their teams
• Offer strategic and commercial input across all market sectors of the division with the objective of growing the division (both organically and through acquisitions), improving margins and profitability
• All financial and management reporting and planning, including budgeting, P&L, cash flow and balance sheet forecasting, as well as investment appraisals for significant business transactions
• Co-ordinate the strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting process, ensuring there is rigorous analysis behind the numbers and a deep understanding of the business
• Ensure the division provides all the necessary financial information required by Group in a timely manner, and work closely with Group management (particularly Group finance)
• Provide a commercial outlook on strategy, with an appropriate degree of risk assessment and management, as they participate in divisional boardroom debate on the evolution of the new division. Having the ability to advise and guide those around them in the appraisal of the financial returns achievable and those being achieved across a complex and evolving operation
• Improve the quality of the financial information, drive systems development, and develop procedures to improve the quality of information available
• Offer support and advice to the Divisional Managing Director across all areas, including supplier relationships, negotiation and contract review, taxation, pricing strategy, management of overheads, operational improvements, working capital and cash flow management. It is imperative that the appointed candidate can effectively manage capital employed and demonstrate the internal rate of return a project will deliver via discounted cash flow techniques
• Understanding, and being able to articulate, the main drivers of business performance, and specifically, the benefits of current and prior operational improvements and investment decisions
• Develop and manage the necessary internal resources, culture, processes, structures and management controls to support the above

A graduate, qualified chartered accountant, preferably ‘big four’ trained, with personal presence and a strong leadership style combined with a confident, collegiate and hardworking approach. The appointed candidate must be technically capable, commercially aware, ‘hands-on’, highly organised, detail orientated, and possess the ability to inspire and influence people at all levels. Above all, it is essential that the candidate is a cultural fit, commercial and driven, and has an innate skill in improving company performance and profitability. To achieve the above, the successful candidate must have a combination of the following experience:

• Will be a professionally qualified accountant who has ideally worked within the manufacturing / construction industry
• Proven track record in finance as a member of the divisional board or equivalent senior management team
• Possessing first rate commercial skills with evidence of margin and profit enhancement in a multisite business where ROCE is sacrosanct
• Exposure to executive, divisional or parent company boards. Having previously worked in a plc environment would be useful
• Proven leader of a high-performing finance team across all its elements, including business performance appraisal, leading to achievement of relevant KPIs
• Financial reporting to deadlines in a high-pressure environment
• Track record of project delivery, including cross-functional engagement where necessary to ensure delivery in line with the project plan
• Can confidently manage internal and external relationships with an appropriate level of credibility

• An individual who possesses complete integrity, coupled with both drive and energy
• Must have the gravitas to operate effectively within a talented divisional team who are committed to taking the business to the next stage in its evolution
• Will be viewed as a mentor to their team and a financial partner by their peers
• Having excellent interpersonal skills
• Demonstrating and demanding complete personal integrity
• Tenacious and able to operate effectively at all levels
• Possessing vision and a passion for excellence