Head of Finance and Commercial Strategy (East London or PE)

SUMMARY:
-

POSITION INFO:
ENVIRONMENT: A premier Distributor of Healthcare Products seeks a commercially minded Head of Finance & Commercial Strategy to lead the company’s financial function and support strategic growth within a fast-growing manufacturing environment. This role goes beyond traditional financial management and requires a leader who can partner with operations, sales, and executive management to drive profitability, optimise manufacturing efficiency, and support expansion initiatives. The successful candidate will play a critical role in strengthening financial controls, improving operational visibility, and guiding investment decisions. The successful incumbent will hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or Economics (CA(SA), CIMA, or CFA advantageous) with 5 years’ experience in finance leadership roles & Advanced Excel and ERP\/accounting system experience.   DUTIES: Financial Leadership - ·        Lead the company’s financial strategy, ensuring strong financial governance and sustainable business growth. ·        Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning across the business. ·        Provide clear financial insight to the executive team to support strategic decision making. ·        Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, including management accounts and performance analysis.   Commercial & Strategic Finance - ·        Partner with Sales and Marketing teams to evaluate commercial strategies, pricing models, and promotional investments. ·        Provide financial modelling and scenario analysis for strategic initiatives and growth opportunities. ·        Translate financial data into actionable insights that support business performance.   Manufacturing & Operational Finance - ·        Oversee manufacturing cost structures including COGS, production efficiency, labour, and overhead allocation. ·        Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and reduce financial leakage across the production environment. ·        Implement financial controls and reporting systems that improve visibility into production costs and margins. ·        Work closely with operations to ensure optimal inventory management and working capital control.   Capital Investment & Expansion - ·        Evaluate and model ROI for capital expenditure including machinery, production capacity increases, and facility improvements. ·        Support strategic decisions relating to manufacturing expansion, operational investments, and infrastructure development. ·        Lead financial feasibility assessments for new projects and business initiatives.   Cashflow & Funding Strategy - ·        Manage cashflow planning and working capital requirements. ·        Support funding discussions with banks, investors, and other financial stakeholders where required. ·        Ensure financial resilience as the company scales its operations.   REQUIREMENTS: ·        Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or Economics (CA(SA), CIMA, or CFA advantageous). ·        5 Years experience in finance leadership roles, ideally within manufacturing, FMCG, or production environments. ·        Strong experience in financial modelling, operational finance, and commercial analysis. ·        Solid understanding of manufacturing costing, inventory management, and margin optimisation. ·        Advanced Excel and ERP\/accounting system experience.   ATTRIBUTES: ·        Strong leadership capability with the ability to work cross-functionally with operations, sales, and executive management. ·        Highly analytical with strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking ability.