Finance Director

Job title:

Finance Director

Company

Sharp Consultancy

Job description

​Throughout my career as a specialist recruiter in professional practice, I’ve had the privilege of working with many talented, ambitious accountants, and some have progressed faster than others. While every journey is unique, there are clear patterns in what helps people move from trainee roles into more senior finance jobs within professional practice. Drawing from this experience, I’ve put together a set of strategies any accountant can adopt to accelerate their career up the professional practice ladder. These tactics have proven to be highly effective for those aiming to achieve their professional goals efficiently and successfully. ​​Embrace Increasing Responsibility​As you begin your career in accountancy, the scope of your duties often starts with basic tasks such as data entry, reconciling accounts, and preparing reports. While these tasks are important for building a foundation, taking on more responsibility is key to developing the skills and experience needed for progression in practice.Start by volunteering for more complex tasks that stretch your skillset, such as handling larger client accounts, managing financial forecasting, or (if possible) participating in audits. These challenges will expose you to new aspects of accountancy and allow you to learn beyond the day-to-day duties. Another way to progress quickly is by taking on leadership roles within a team or department. Taking on the responsibility of overseeing junior staff, delegating tasks, and ensuring deadlines are met can significantly enhance your development and provide you with the invaluable ‘management experience’ which is essential for trainee accountants looking to advance to the next step in their professional practice careers. ​Continuous Learning and Self-Development​As you challenge yourself with new responsibilities, actively pursuing knowledge and development goes hand in hand with completing further qualifications. Traditionally, most accountants I work with are newly or nearly AAT qualified which is a fantastic accomplishment in itself but for those with aspirations of climbing the ladder the next step should be further studies. Qualifications such as the ACA, ACCA or CTA (depending on your chosen specialism) will allow you to strengthen your technical expertise. It’s worth mentioning here that a good training contract and mentor are invaluable for the next step in your journey and should be a big factor when deciding to look for a new role after completing your AAT. ​Finding a Mentor Another important aspect of progressing quickly in accountancy is developing relationships with more experienced colleagues, supervisors, and managers. By seeking mentorship from more experienced professionals, you can gain insights into how they managed their career progression. Also, they can guide you in taking on appropriate challenges and responsibilities and help you navigate the complexities of the profession. Many of the most successful finance professionals credit their career growth to strong mentorship relationships established early in their journey. ​Networking​Networking is one of the most underutilised tools for career progression in finance. While it might feel intimidating at first, networking allows you to connect with and learn from likeminded individuals, stay informed about trends in professional practice, and discover new opportunities. One of the primary reasons networking is important is that it helps build valuable relationships that can last your career. By connecting with colleagues, senior professionals, and other stakeholders, you gain access to a wealth of knowledge, insights, and opportunities that can propel your career forward. Ultimately, networking is not just about what you can gain but also about what you can offer to others. By fostering meaningful relationships, you contribute to a collaborative and supportive community that benefits everyone involved. Here at Sharp Consultancy, we host events across the year and have a long-standing relationship with various institutions and training groups including S&DCASS (Sheffield and District Chartered Accountants Student Society), LCASS (Leeds Chartered Accountants Students Society) and First Intuition to host events that bring studiers together from various firms throughout Yorkshire. It really is a brilliant first step in your networking journey. ​Whether you’re just starting out or already on your way up, accelerating your career in professional practice comes down to a mix of mindset, opportunity, and action. By embracing responsibility, committing to continuous learning, building genuine relationships, and tapping into the right support networks, you’ll put yourself in the best possible position to thrive. If you’d like to explore how to take that next step-or just want to chat through your options-I’d love to hear from you. Let’s connect and start shaping your future together. Charlie Marper, Business Manager, charliemarper@sharpconsultancy.com – 0114 261 1700 ​Looking for your next career move in finance or accountancy? At Sharp Consultancy, our expertise lies in matching your potential with the perfect temporary, interim, or permanent position. With a well-established presence in Leeds and Sheffield, our seasoned team of consultants extends their services across Yorkshire and beyond. Don’t wait for opportunity to knock, reach out to us TODAYand let’s chart your career path together. ​×Job details Posted 04 July 2025 LocationBarnsley Discipline ReferenceAP44411122PAConsultantRegional DirectorFeaturedFinance DirectorJob description​Sharp Consultancy have been retained as the exclusive partner for a fast-growing private equity backed client within the Barnsley region who are recruiting an FD to join the business to lead across finance and support the MD and SLT as they embark on the next stage of business growth and development after recent investment via PE.Our client is a c.£12m T/O business who has successfully grown from a bespoke manufacturer into a specialist market leader with an international presence.Due to recent successes and subsequent investment, as well as a strong cash position, the board have been able to establish a more dynamic growth strategy and will be looking to grow the business significantly over the next 2-3 years.The business has a range of key clients and is a production and bespoke development specialist providing products and support to significant multi-national clients and their customers in high end settings.You will be the lead in finance, responsible for a small team and the development and growth of that teamYou will create and develop strong accounts processes with a particular focus on projects and financial analysisYou will take responsibility for the monthly management accounts process, the financial year end and the year end auditYou will lead across external partnering and be the key decision maker for banking, insurances, investment and R&D in line with HMRC support and the tax implications.You will work closely with the owner and lead across a senior level throughout the business, in particular developing strong finance ownership including reviews and analysis to aid commercial decision makingYou must have the ability to provide robust finance leadership with significant responsibility for performance and leadership of a growing SMEYou will lead across wider growth strategies, including M&A and investment opportunitiesYou must be able to demonstrate strong leadership and management capabilities, in particular within a board settingAll applicants must be qualified, and this role could suit somebody making a first move into an FD role, or likewise someone who has already worked at that level. What is essential, is that you can show a strong level of commercial leadership with clear understanding of MI and business improvements via strong finance processes.Knowledge of and proficiency in Microsoft Business systems or transferable experience is essential and any previous experience of manufacturing, production or design with operational exposure in business would be highly advantageous but is not necessarily essential.You must possess strong management and coaching skills, be an excellent communicator and lead with the required gravitas to drive the business at all levels.​Sharp Consultancy is a finance and accountancy recruitment specialist assisting accounting and finance divisions of businesses in the Yorkshire and Derbyshire area. With over 30 years’ experience we pride ourselves on sourcing excellent finance professionals across all divisions of an accounts function.Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK full time without restriction. To apply please send your CV to the e-mail address stated, quoting our reference and specifying which website you saw this position advertised on. Due to the high volume of applications, we receive it is not always possible to respond to unsuccessful applicants. Therefore, if we have not responded to your application within seven days, please note that on this occasion your application has not been successful.

Expected salary

£70000 – 80000 per year

Location

United Kingdom

Job date

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:05:03 GMT

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