Finance Manager at Lucy Electric in Thame, England, GB

Job Purpose:

The Finance Manager will play a critical role in ensuring the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial reporting across the business. The role is responsible for leading the month-end close process, maintaining a robust control environment, and delivering high-quality financial insight to support effective decision-making. A key focus of the role is to provide clear analysis of financial performance, explain key variances, and identify risks and opportunities that impact business results. In addition, the Finance Manager will partner closely with operational and commercial teams, acting as a trusted advisor to support planning, forecasting, and strategic initiatives.

This role involves travel to our Lucy Electric office in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire.

Business Overview:

Lucy Electric is an international leader in intelligent secondary power distribution products and solutions, with features such as remote operation and monitoring. Linking energy generation to consumption, the business specialises in high-performance medium and low-voltage switchgear for utility, industrial and commercial applications.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Month-End Close & Financial Reporting

• Lead the month-end close process, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting
• Ensure timely reporting of financial results within agreed deadlines
• Prepare, review, and submit financial reports using OneStream (or similar systems)
• Post adjustment and non-standard journal entries where required
• Ensure completeness, accuracy, and integrity of the general ledger

1. Financial Analysis & Performance Insight

• Review monthly results and perform detailed variance analysis against budget and forecast
• Prepare clear financial commentary explaining performance, key drivers, risks, and opportunities
• Provide financial analysis to support strategic and operational decision-making

1. Balance Sheet & Control Environment

• Oversee balance sheet reconciliations in partnership with transactional teams
• Ensure strong financial controls and compliance with accounting policies and standards
• Support internal and external audit requirements, providing schedules and explanations

1. Business Partnering & Stakeholder Support

• Act as a finance business partner to operational and commercial stakeholders
• Challenge and support stakeholders on the financial impact of business decisions
• Work closely with transactional teams to resolve ledger and reconciliation issues
• Act as cover for the Financial Controller during periods of absence, ensuring continuity of financial leadership and reporting
• Undertake ad-hoc assignments as required to support business needs

1. Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Support budgeting and forecasting cycles
• Contribute to financial planning processes and ensure alignment with business strategy

Qualifications, skills and experience:

Essential:

• Qualified ACA/ACCA/CIMA with 3+ years experience
• Professional membership with a recognised accountancy body
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills at all levels
• Ability to influence and direct people
• Must be able to work independently for significant periods of time
• Ability to demonstrate effective team working across all disciplines within the company
• Able to prioritise workload effectively
• Ability to work to tight deadlines whilst maintaining quality and attention to detail
• Excellent Excel modelling skills
• Ability to write financial policy and procedure documents

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the electrical supply industry
• Education to degree level or equivalent
• Knowledge and use of D365
• Excellent presentation skills

Responsibilities

Key Accountabilities:

Financial Control and Record Keeping

• Responsible for timely month-end closing, preparation of month-end accounts for financial controller’s review
• Prepare monthly accruals, prepayments and accounting entries
• Responsibility for maintenance of financial records, including general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, cash books and fixed asset register
• Development of financial control systems and procedures
• Oversee the accounts payable and receivable processes, including credit control
• Cash management
• Support analysis and appraisal of investment and financing decisions

Compliance

• Responsibility for compliance with the Finance Policy and Procedure Manuals
• Ensure compliance with statutory accounting and tax regulations
• Responsibility for all areas of the year-end audit
• Preparation of statutory accounts
• Review monthly payroll calculations
• Oversee all VAT, PAYE and other HMRC processes

Financial Reporting

• Preparation and issue of monthly management reports pack
• Analyse financial reports and present findings with department heads
• Development of management reporting
• Fixed asset and headcount reporting
• Other ad hoc reporting as required

Financial Planning

• Preparation of rolling profit forecast 3 times per year
• Preparation of weekly cash forecasts
• Preparation of annual budget and co-ordination of management plan

Others

• To perform tasks commensurate with the position, and to have a flexible approach within the department.
• Manage, mentor and develop 3 direct reports (management accountant, credit controller and purchase ledger administrator), with overall responsibility for a team of 6.
• Covering financial controller when on annual leave.

Qualifications

Qualifications, skills and experience:

Essential:

• Qualified ACA/ACCA/CIMA with 3+ years experience
• Professional membership with a recognised accountancy body
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills at all levels
• Ability to influence and direct people
• Must be able to work independently for significant periods of time
• Ability to demonstrate effective team working across all disciplines within the company
• Able to prioritise workload effectively
• Ability to work to tight deadlines whilst maintaining quality and attention to detail
• Excellent Excel modelling skills
• Ability to write financial policy and procedure documents

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the electrical supply industry
• Education to degree level or equivalent
• Knowledge and use of D365
• Excellent presentation skills