Financial Controller – Hire industry

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Financial Controller – Hire industry

Asset rental group with several subsidiaries and more acquisitions in the pipeline!

Flexible as to where potential candidates are based, the role will involve semi-national travel from time to time. Midlands or South preferred.

Salary – £60-80k + bonus + benefits

This is an excellent opportunity to join a UK asset rental group and help grow it! There is huge potential across the multiple markets they serve via their existing group companies. The UK group is part of an international family-owned independent group with businesses in related sectors. They are long-term owners who trust their business managers to run their businesses as if they were their own. They are happy to invest in a number of areas:

• New locations throughout the country within their existing businesses
• New equipment
• Improved sales & marketing strategy
• Strengthening their teams
• Improving processes & systems
• Further complimentary acquisitions

This role will support the Group FD on various group projects, including M&A activity, whilst also taking responsibility for all matters relating to finance for two of the group companies, supporting their local finance and administration teams and their MD’s.

Potential candidates should have:

• Minimum 4 years’ PQE with a successful track record, operating in a broad finance management role in a matrixed, multi-site operation
• Strong commercial acumen
• Ideally experience in a similar role within an asset hire business: this could be construction equipment or other types of machinery; hence understanding the intricacies of financial decision making within such a business model: CAPEX, buy/lease, utilisation, depreciation, and disposal
• Highly collaborative with strong communication and interpersonal skills 
• Demonstratable capacity to think strategically, and shift to ‘hands-on’ day-to-day delivery.
• Can successfully operate in such an environment without the support structures of a larger corporate 
• A proactive, inquisitive, common-sense approach
• Willingness to roll sleeves up and always looking for opportunities to improve the business from a financial reporting and process basis
• Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all within the business
• A self-starter who can operate at pace, making decisions in a confident manner – no procrastination here, please!
• Energetic and creative, resilient and tenacious. Willing to embrace the challenge

Responsibilities

• Drive the continuous improvement of end-to-end accounting practices.
• Head Statutory Audit process for two businesses and preparation of multi-currency Consolidated Statutory Group Accounts for the Group in liaison with the Finance Director. This may involve integrating newly acquired businesses
• Month end - preparation of financial statements (P&L and Balance Sheet focus) together with relevant variance and ad hoc analysis
• Guiding & supervising working capital management and production of cash flow forecasts.
• Proactively participate in planning sessions, forecasts and annual Budget exercises.
• Lend support to administration for the two businesses on a day-to-day basis
• To act as a general supporting resource to the two local MD’s in ensuring that the accounting and financial control measures adopted by the company are of an acceptably high standard.
• Other ad-hoc projects relating to efficiency and productivity improvements.
• Ensure balance sheet is fully reconciled and all elements understood, there should be no surprises
• Implement financial governance and controls to instil strong control environment.
• Oversee the processing of the accounts receivable and payable, with responsibility for timely cash collections and effective payment management.
• Oversee the processing of monthly VAT and all HMRC interaction
• Ownership of reporting to various external stakeholders e.g., lenders, banks
• Actively manage cash flow on a daily basis and forecast cash balances. Free cash
• Integrate future acquired businesses into the month-end process and assist the Finance Director with acquisition accounting
• Support the business with continuous improvement initiatives on controls and procedures.
• Business analysis support on an ad – hoc basis

The future is exciting for this business. Come and be a part of it. 

To apply send your CV to  nick@wilsonbrook.com   

Based West Midlands

Salary – depending on experience + profit-related bonus (earn up to 100% of salary through exceptional performance) + benefits (car or allowance, pension, healthcare etc.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established specialist B2B distribution business and help grow a key branch in the West Midlands – where there is huge growth potential across the multiple markets they serve. The business is part of a family-owned multi-sector multi $bn global independent group with a fantastic track record of growth and acquisition. They are long-term investors who trust their business managers to run their businesses as if they were their own. Because of the nature of some of their products they were able to grow significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic. This will continue to a degree post-pandemic.

Trading from a large site in a good location they have a great reputation for customer service, a modern fleet of vehicles and a committed and experienced team.

With the right leader, this business could expand considerably, adding new product categories and services. There will be freedom to trade in an autonomous environment with no bureaucracy and the support of experienced senior leadership (if required!).

Potential candidates should have:

• A successful track record of profitably running and growing a large branch/depot for B2B distribution business as Branch Manager/Branch Director/Profit Centre Manager/General Manager. Specific product and industry knowledge is not required. They supply into multiple sectors such as construction, retail, commercial, engineering – and many others. You could have worked in retail, wholesale, trade merchanting or another B2B distribution environment
• Can successfully operate in such an environment without the support structures of a larger corporate and can cope with the pressure of needing to achieve results
• A proactive, inquisitive, common-sense approach
• Strong, positive communication skills. Able to have difficult conversations when required
• Willingness to roll sleeves up and always looking for opportunities to improve the business
• To be customer-facing and enjoy doing this. Knowledge of the local customer base is an advantage, but not a prerequisite
• Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all within the business
• A self-starter who can operate at pace, making decisions in a confident manner – no procrastination here, please!
• Energetic and creative, resilient, and tenacious. Willing to embrace the challenge
• Can deliver the right level of information up and down the structure as required
• Leadership of the highest calibre: inspire, lead, motivate, and engage with people throughout the business
• Commercially and financially aware
• You will own the P&L and be responsible for creating and delivering the strategy to achieve this.
• Strong procurement and negotiation skills and experience – you can buy from existing suppliers or new ones, introduce new products as you see fit – there are no restrictions!
• You must live within a reasonable commuting distance of the West Midlands – or be prepared to relocate within a reasonable time frame. There will be some travel locally within the role. The nature of the business and this role means that this isn’t really a Work from Home role or environment.

Objectives:

• Increase turnover in a profitable manner – there is the potential to grow the branch turnover to in excess of £15m+ in the coming years!
• Improve customer service. Give customers a reason to use the business
• Improve engagement throughout the team and create a positive, winning culture
• Develop potential successors, with a view to future career progression
• Identify opportunities for investment
• Identify opportunities for growth in associated product/service areas – how can the business add value in a competitive sector
• Fully utilise the facilities/capabilities of the branch
• Naturally ensure the branch is always trading legally with health and safety paramount
• Identify opportunities for growth – both within existing customers and markets and new ones!

The future is very bright for this business. Come and be a part of it. Be your own boss and create a winning environment where you – and the team – will be rewarded handsomely for it!

 To apply send your CV to nick@wilsonbrook.com 

South East – with travel throughout the region 

Salary – depending on experience + bonus & benefits 

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established specialist building products distribution business and help develop and deliver their sales strategy in this part of the country.  The business is part of a family-owned multi-sector multi-million independent group with a fantastic track record of growth and acquisition.  They are long term investors who trust their business managers to run their businesses as if they were their own.  

This particular business has a turnover approaching £300m trading from 22 large, strategically located, depots. 

They have an exciting growth strategy and their parent company are investing to facilitate that. They have made an internal promotion and are looking to strengthen the sales structure that supports the new Sales Director. 

Your main responsibility will be expected to lead from the front, creating and nurturing a highly motivated Business Development team. You will be responsible for ensuring they deliver on their sales targets by ensuring their business intelligence platforms are utilised to drive profitable sales.  

Your direct reports will be the Business Development Team and you will be responsible for delivering the business sales strategies on an individual basis across your regional depot network.  You will work alongside the Regional Directors to deliver an outstanding customer proposition ensuring the customer is at the heart of everything they do 

Responsibilities will include: 

• Meet and exceed agreed Commercial targets  
• Utilise business intelligence platforms to drive profitable sales 
• Build strong relationships with key suppliers and customers 
• Manage a small ledger of customers within your region  
• Work in partnership with your designated depots, maximising sales, and margin 
• Identifying new opportunities with new and existing business to grow their customer base 
• Create a close working relationship with your team, regional director, and the depot network  
• Use initiative to identify sales opportunities and offer advice and solutions to your  
• colleagues and in turn maximise profitable sales and margin 

What we’re looking for: 

• A successful track record in a similar role in a similar environment.  Civils and infrastructure product knowledge is highly desirable.  Ideally from having worked within a merchant or distribution business, however we are open to people who have done similar roles for a manufacturer 
• Can successfully operate in such an environment without the support structures of a larger corporate and can cope with the pressure of needing to achieve results 
• A proactive, inquisitive, common-sense approach 
• Strong, positive communication skills. Able to have difficult conversations when required 
• Willingness to roll sleeves up and always looking for opportunities to improve the business 
• Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all 
• A self-starter and can operate at pace, making decisions in a confident manner – no procrastination here please! 
• Energetic and creative, resilient and tenacious. Willing to embrace the challenge 
• Can deliver the right level of information up and down the structure as required 
• Leadership of the highest calibre: inspire, lead, motivate, engage with people throughout the business 
• Commercially and financially aware 
• You will contribute to the delivery of the P&L and be responsible for creating and delivering the commercial strategy to achieve this.   
• Build strong relationships with the suppliers, looking for opportunities where you can work together for mutual benefit 
• Naturally you need to live within either the South West region (pretty much the entire South West quadrant of England) and be willing to travel regularly throughout the region covering 5 Depots that sit with in the regional patch (Westbury, Birmingham West, Exeter, Portsmouth, Swansea) or the South East region covering 5 Depots that sit with in the regional patch (Braintree, Bury St Edmunds, London East, London West, Milton Keynes) 

To apply send your CV to ethan@wilsonbrook.com

The leading independent builder's merchant covering the North East, Scottish Borders, Cumbria & Teesside 

Based at their Newcastle Head Office with travel throughout their trading area 

Salary – to attract the best + lucrative profit share & benefits package 

This is a prestigious leadership role within the builders’ merchant industry and one of the most high-profile leadership roles in the North East! 

The company JT Dove Ltd. is an independent, employee benefit trust (EBT) owned, leading regional builders’ and plumbers’ merchant with headquarters in Newcastle upon Tyne. The business marked 150 years of trading in 2019. Recently, over the last 16 years, it has undergone transformative and extensive changes. Consistent and significant growth in sales and profitability has been achieved through a successful and market-leading offer plus sustainable investment in branches. From 8 branches and 9 profit centres in 2006, the business now has 21 trading sites (the large majority of which are freehold) and trades through 48 profit centres across the North East, in Carlisle and the Scottish borders. In the last four years, a new branch has been added every year and the company has also invested in staff, marketing and digital trading know-how to launch and develop a significant and growing online offer. Despite all this investment, the company has low levels of borrowing. 

The company employs around 350 people and had sales in 2021 of £90m, £6.37m of which was generated by online trading.  

Current Managing Director Steve Robinson has notified the business of his decision to retire, hence a high calibre replacement is required.     

Potential candidates should have: 

• A successful track record of profitably running and growing a builder’s merchant or building materials distribution business, in a senior leadership role, ideally with a commercial bias. We are also open to individuals who’ve come from the supplier side of the industry or those who have operated successfully in similar multi-site B2B distribution businesses.  This could include Regional Directors, Sales Directors, Operations Directors as well as experienced Managing Directors 
• Can successfully operate in such an environment without the support structures of a larger corporate  
• A proactive, inquisitive, common-sense approach 
• Strong, positive communication skills 
• Willingness to roll sleeves up and always looking for opportunities to improve the business 
• To be customer-facing and enjoy doing this. The role will also involve attending industry events and meetings of associations and the buying group they’re a member of 
• Fit in with and positively develop the culture within the organisation, ensuring respect for all within the business 
• A self-starter and can operate at pace, making decisions in a confident manner – no procrastination here please! 
• Energetic and creative, resilient and tenacious. Willing to embrace the challenge 
• Can deliver the right level of information up and down the structure as required
• Leadership of the highest calibre: inspire, lead, motivate, and engage with people throughout the business 
• Commercially and financially aware 
• Ideally you will live within a reasonable commuting distance of the North East or be happy, willing and able to relocate.  There will be some travel regionally within the role.   

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established regional builders’ merchant and help grow it! There is huge growth potential across the regions they serve.  They take a long-term view and the boards trusts their senior leadership to run the business as if it they were their own.  They are happy to invest in a number of areas: 

• Potential new locations throughout the North East, North and Scottish borders/central belt 
• Pursue possible acquisitions 
• New product categories 
• Improved sales & marketing strategy, including e-commerce 

Trading from multiple sites in good locations they have a great reputation for customer service, a modern fleet of equipment and a committed and experienced team.  

With the right leader this business will continue to expand – they have a fantastic track record of growth over the last 10+ years, including throughout the pandemic.  There will be freedom to trade in an autonomous environment with no bureaucracy and the support of an experienced senior leadership team.  

The future is bright for this business. Come and be a part of it.  Be your own boss and create a winning environment where you – and the team – will be rewarded handsomely for it!  

To apply send your CV to Nick Hardy at nick@wilsonbrook.com