Senior Finance Manager

Senior Finance Manager - Marlow (Mon-Thurs in office) | £ | High-growth portfolio business This is a genuine hands-on finance leadership role, not a head-down processing job. You'll own the finance function across a small but growing portfolio of founder-led businesses, working directly with senior stakeholders and building the function out from the ground up. The business is a privately backed investment group with a portfolio of ambitious, high-performing companies at various stages of growth. The model is straightforward: support them operationally, scale them, and ultimately prepare them for exit. You'll sit on the Leadership Team from day one and have a clear path into M&A and transaction work as the portfolio grows. What the role involves: Month-end close, management accounts, and Board packs across multiple entities. You'll own the full finance operation, including cashflow management, payroll coordination, credit control, and supplier payments, while also overseeing the external accountants on VAT, statutory accounts, and corporation tax. There's a Finance Executive to manage and a brief to gradually bring outsourced work in-house. Alongside the BAU, you'll support budgeting, forecasting, and commercial analysis, and work closely with portfolio stakeholders on financial visibility and performance. As the portfolio grows, you'll get increasing exposure to M&A activity, due diligence, and exit preparation. What we're looking for: • Qualified or part-qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA) • Solid grounding in management accounts, month-end close, and financial reporting • Comfortable being hands-on across multiple entities simultaneously • Strong communicator; able to hold your own with founders and directors • Experience with Xero is useful; multi-entity or group experience is a plus Why it's worth a look: You'll have real ownership, real stakeholder access, and a clear upward trajectory into strategic and M&A work. It's an entrepreneurial environment, not a corporate one. If you're a detail-focused finance professional who wants to build something rather than just maintain it, this is worth a conversation.