Finance Manager
Job Title: Finance Manager
Department: Business Operations – Finance
Band: Manager / Business Operations
Location: Milton Keynes
Reports to: Managing Director
Responsible for: Finance and Payroll Team
About the Role
As Finance Manager at Foundation Personnel, you’ll take ownership of the day-to-day financial operations that keep the business running smoothly. You’ll oversee the Finance and Payroll team, ensure accurate reporting, maintain strong controls and provide clear financial insight to help the Managing Director make confident decisions.
A Day in the Life
No two days will be the same. One day you’ll be reviewing month-end, the next you’ll be supporting budget holders, improving processes, or partnering with operational teams to strengthen financial performance. You’ll play a hands-on role while shaping the foundations of a growing finance function.
Key Responsibilities
- Support financial strategy, forecasting and budgeting activity across the business.
- Prepare management accounts, financial statements, reconciliations and variance reporting.
- Lead day-to-day finance operations, including invoicing, credit control oversight, bank reconciliations and supplier payments.
- Maintain financial controls, governance and compliance standards.
- Monitor cash flow and working capital, providing insight to support business decisions.
- Partner with the Managing Director and senior colleagues to provide accurate, forward-looking financial insight.
- Lead and develop the Finance and Payroll team, ensuring consistent processes and high standards.
- Identify opportunities to improve reporting, efficiency and financial processes.
What You’ll Be Great At
- Making sense of numbers and translating financial information into simple, actionable insights for non-finance colleagues.
- Managing finance operations with accuracy, pace and attention to detail.
- Building strong relationships with operational teams and supporting commercial decisions.
- Leading and developing others, even in a small or growing team environment.
- Improving financial processes and spotting ways to work smarter.
- Staying calm under pressure and prioritising effectively in a fast-paced business.
Why Foundation Personnel?
Foundation Personnel is a specialist recruitment partner delivering skilled talent across Heavy Civils, Piling & Geotechnical, Tunnelling and Lifting sectors globally. Based in Milton Keynes, we operate with pace, clarity and commercial focus — and we’re growing quickly.
Our culture is built on our TRUE values: Team Aware, Reliable, Up For It and Entrepreneurial. We support each other, work collaboratively and celebrate success as a team.
You’ll join a modern office environment with strong leadership support, freedom to develop the finance function, and a chance to make a meaningful impact as we scale.
Skills & Experience
Essential:
- Professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA, ACA) or equivalent experience.
- Experience working in a Finance Manager, Senior Management Accountant or similar senior finance role.
- Strong technical skills across management accounts, budgeting support, forecasting and financial reporting.
- Proven ability to maintain financial controls, compliance and accurate financial processes.
- Ability to interpret financial data and translate it into clear, actionable insight for non-finance colleagues.
- Strong commercial awareness with the ability to support operational and commercial decision-making.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including working effectively with senior leaders.
- High attention to detail, strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
Desirable:
- Experience in construction, recruitment, contracting or similar industries.
- Experience working in a commercial, operational environment.
- Exposure to finance systems improvements or transformation work.
- Experience supporting or mentoring junior finance colleagues.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary
- Comprehensive training and development programme
- Clear career pathways aligned to the TRUE framework
- Supportive, collaborative team environment
- 30 Work from Home days
- Private healthcare (following successful probation)
- Modern office environment with team-based incentives
