Finance Director

Shape Financial Governance and Commercial Performance Through International Scale

Business Context and Growth Narrative

This is a senior finance leadership opportunity within a privately funded UK-based advanced engineering and technology business operating in a high-growth global defence market. The organisation is recognised for its innovation, agility, and credibility, combining deep technical capability with a product-led, internationally focused growth strategy.

Following a period of sustained investment in capability and operating in a regulated, contract-driven environment, the organisation is scaling its infrastructure, governance and leadership model in line with its ambitions.

The appointment of a Finance Director reflects a clear inflection point. As the business transitions from build-phase to delivery at scale, there is a requirement for stronger financial discipline, improved forecasting and liquidity management, and finance leadership that can support pace without compromising control.

The Role

Reporting to the Group CFO, the Finance Director will be responsible for shaping the financial architecture, governance and commercial decision-making needed to support international growth. Based on the South Coast with European travel, the role combines strategic leadership with hands-on delivery in a fast-evolving operating environment.

You will lead the development of financial infrastructure appropriate to a maturing organisation, strengthening control, reporting and planning whilst acting as a trusted commercial partner to the executive team as the business scales.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead financial strategy aligned to international growth, product commercialisation and long-term value creation
• Strengthen forecasting, budgeting and performance management to support informed executive decision-making
• Embed robust cash flow, working capital and covenant management frameworks as external financing becomes more prominent
• Own financial governance, controls, compliance and reporting across a growing group structure
• Build scalable finance processes and systems to support operational delivery and future complexity
• Act as a senior commercial partner to leadership, providing insight, challenge and disciplined decision support
• Develop and lead a high-performing finance team, building capability, accountability and continuous improvement
• Support investment planning and capital allocation as the organisation moves into its next phase of growth

The Person

You will be an experienced Finance Director or senior finance leader with a track record of supporting growth in a complex, regulated and international environment. Comfortable operating amid change, you bring calm structure, commercial judgement and credibility to organisations scaling their operations.

You balance strategic perspective with a practical, hands-on approach and are confident building systems, processes and teams without creating unnecessary friction. You are trusted by senior stakeholders, able to influence at executive and board level, and motivated by the opportunity to shape finance in a business at a defining stage of its development.

Sector Context

Experience within defence, engineering, advanced manufacturing or similarly regulated, contract-led environments with exposure to international trade and cross-border operations.

The Opportunity

This role offers meaningful influence at senior leadership level and the opportunity to shape finance capability, governance and commercial discipline as the organisation scales internationally. The package includes a £140,000 to £150,000 base salary, performance-related bonus and a comprehensive, generous benefits offering.

Due to the nature of the organisation and its operating environment, candidates must hasdve the right to live and work in the UK and be capable of meeting applicable security requirements.

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