Finance Manager
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria
Permanent position

About Us:
James Fisher is a global engineering services company. From our origins as a ship owner and operator, we’ve evolved to provide the expertise and innovative technology our customers need in the harshest of environments across Energy, Defence and Maritime Transport.
We are relied on to help our customers deliver on their promises and realise their ambitions safely, efficiently and responsibly.
We have a strong heritage built on the foundations of our people and innovation. Alongside our valuable partnerships with customers, communities and suppliers, we are embedding a more sustainable approach across our business.

Our strategy is centred around the One James Fisher ambition. We are building a stronger, more cohesive engineering service company operating in the Blue Economy.
Our Maritime Transport division is a leading provider of global maritime shipping and ship-to-ship (STS) transfer services.

The Role:
We are seeking a Finance Manager for the Tankships & Cattedown Division at James Fisher & Sons Plc, you will foster team culture and growth, positioning finance as a crucial business partner while upholding robust governance and control standards.

This is a broad and varied role and an exciting opportunity for someone who is able to lead and improve core financial processes and controls, produce robust management packs, lead on regulatory & external reporting and act as a key
liaison for the auditors. You will also support budgeting & forecasting, cash flow & hedging management, ensure implementation of policies & procedures, and financial risk management.

Principle Accountabilities:

Team development:

• Develop a strong performing team
• Promote culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement
• Be the key liaison with the Shared Services who are responsible for AP and AR, ensuring the high standard of their work and accuracy of outputs

Internal reporting and performance management:

• Establish a well-documented and efficient month end process
• Develop and produce insightful monthly management pack with full analysis
• Ensure integrity and accuracy of reported numbers will a full audit trail
• Manage day-to-day accounting operations
• Closely liaise with the business to ensure clear visibility and forecast accuracy of working capital, cash flows and capital investments. Monitor and explain any
• divergence from forecasts
• Develop strong business partnering with departments across the business, to support the delivery of targets and business growth

External reporting:

• Co-ordinate & prepare fully audited, accurate and timely annual statutory accounts
• Manage external and internal audit requirements ensuring timely delivery & accuracy
• Timely & accurate submission of VAT returns and recovery of foreign VAT

Budgets & Forecasts:

• Work closely with the Head of Finance and Divisional FP&A on all aspects of financial planning
• Business partner with budget holders to improve and verify budgets and forecasts
• Work with treasury on providing robust short term cash flow forecasts

Controls:

• Promote streamlined processes and a strong internal control environment
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and financial best practice
• Ensure that controls are in place and operate effectively, conduct self-assessment and provide assurance on the effectiveness of controls to the Head of Finance and Group
• Evaluate and optimise financial processes and systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness

Key process accountabilities:

• Month end
• Internal and external audit
• Procure to pay
• Order to cash
• Performance of assigned controls

Qualifications and Experience:

• Direct experience of Change Management and Systems implementation
• Experience from working within a Plc reporting environment
• ACA/ACCA/CIMA fully qualified
• Experience in a commercial environment would be an advantage
• UK PLC reporting exposure including IFRS (desirable)
• Able to constructively challenge the status quo to drive improvement
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with a can-do attitude; willing to develop the role on new assignments as they arise
• Good experience in managing people and teams with varying ability ranges
• A flexible hands-on approach with the ability & resilience to work within a multi-disciplinary team showing attention to detail and an excellent work ethic.
• Ability to communicate effectively with non-financial managers
• Advanced/intermediate user of Excel (mandatory)
• Exposure to Business Central, AMOS, Veson, Opera, Power BI, O365 suite,
• CoreStream and COGNOS group reporting software (desirable)
• You will need to be a qualified accountant with solid post-qualified experience at a senior level

*This role is to be base in our office in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria which will mean being in the office around 3 days a week. Therefore, you will need to be within a reason commutable distance to this location.

Due to the volume of applications that we receive for our vacancies, on occasion applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

James Fisher & Sons are committed to taking positive action on diversity and we strongly encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds and as a Disability Confident employer we are committed to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

James Fisher and Sons plc, are proud to be partnered with the Career Transition Partnership, the official provider of Armed Forces resettlement for over 20 years.