Finance Manager

Job title: Finance Manager

Company: Sharp Consultancy


Job description: Sharp Consultancy’s Salary Survey 2025/26: Resilience in the Face of Change: The Evolving Jobs Market by Lee Sweeney​In last year’s commentary I said that a ‘degree of normality’ had returned to the economy and solid GDP growth had finally ‘rid us of the word recession’.Before I chastise myself horribly, I suspect I wasn’t the only one that couldn’t have forecast what a difference two changes in governments could make (UK first and US second). ​The former immediately created a change in business sentiment which changes to the tax regime further dampened. The word recession reappeared. The latter led to worldwide economic flux for reasons we are all now very familiar with – tariffs anyone?​What does this mean for employment? Employers don’t like uncertainty because it is errr, so uncertain. Some hiring is by necessity, but some is investment; the former continues and the latter reduces. ​The market is however not ‘dead’. We’ve seen ‘dead’ before (think credit crunch and early Covid). We believe that the market has remained surprisingly resilient. I believe that is because businesses have suffered enough shocks over recent years to have become more resilient. Whether I’m right or wrong, the jobs market (for accountants at least) is somewhere between OK and reasonably good. If you have skills, experience and sensible expectations you are very likely to find what you are looking for in relatively short order. “If you have skills, experience and sensible expectations you are very likely to find what you are looking for in relatively short order.”Looking through the employer’s lens, good accounting professionals can be found – but they’re not ‘ten-a-penny’. As I discussed in last year’s commentary, employers continue to try and force the issue on increased office-based working and generally (though our survey suggests this is beginning to soften), employees continue to resist. I think we’re still a year or two away from some kind of equilibrium. Salary increases have flattened but job seekers haven’t fully embraced that yet (though again one of our salary survey questions suggests it is softening) and so there is still a need for a degree of generosity to entice potential employees – there is enough choice for them to wait a little longer for the next opportunity if your package isn’t quite attractive enough. ​It appears that private equity firms still have funds to invest and lenders still have appetite to lend and so, perhaps slightly counter intuitively, the deals market still seems to be moving at a reasonable pace with optimism for a better year ahead. ​I like to conclude by turning to my crystal ball and predicting the future. Last year I utterly failed (though as mentioned above, I can perhaps be forgiven). The resilience of the economy (recession didn’t happen) and the employment market gives me hope – economic disaster aside caused by tariffs or some other huge shock, I suspect job seekers and employers will see a reasonably good jobs market. There is definitely some uncertainty in the year to come, but there is a very strong desire in the business community to find a way through or around whatever lies ahead (and experience from shocks gone by to steer a safe course), so the odds of a stable year outweigh the odds of a poor one.Download the full Salary Survey here!​×Job details Posted 28 May 2025 Salary £50,000 – £60,000 Bonus / 25 Days Holiday / Private Healthcare / Pension / WFH LocationWakefield Job type Discipline ReferenceDWI41011ConsultantBusiness ManagerFinance ManagerJob description​We’re partnering with a respected SME group operating across the engineering and manufacturing sectors to recruit a Group Accountant. Known for delivering high-quality, technical solutions across multiple sites, the business offers a hands-on finance environment with exposure to both operational and strategic elements.This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified accountant seeking to apply their technical expertise in a commercially grounded, multi-entity group setting. You’ll play a key role in consolidating group financials, supporting audits, and driving improvements across systems and controls.Key responsibilities will include;Full ownership of monthly management accounts, balance sheet reconciliations, and variance analysis for multiple group entitiesPrepare monthly consolidated financial statements across multiple operational entitiesLead group-level reporting in compliance with IFRS/UK GAAPManage the year-end audit process and liaise directly with external auditorsSupport budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow planning across business unitsProvide financial insight to support strategic and project-level decisionsIdentify and implement process improvements across reporting, controls, and systemsIdeally will be able to demonstrate the below experience;Fully Qualified ACA or ACCA (or equivalent)Audit experience with industrial or project-based clients is a plusStrong technical accounting knowledge and understanding of group consolidationsAnalytical and detail-focused, with a practical, solutions-led mindsetComfortable operating in a fast-paced, multi-site or project-based environmentStrong communication skills, with the ability to work across finance and operational teamsAdvanced Excel skills; experience with ERP or consolidation tools is desirableSharp Consultancy is a finance and accountancy recruitment specialist assisting accounting and finance divisions of businesses in the Yorkshire and Derbyshire area. With over 30 years’ experience we pride ourselves on sourcing excellent finance professionals across all divisions of an accounts function.Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK full time without restriction. To apply please send your CV to the e-mail address stated, quoting our reference and specifying which website you saw this position advertised on. Due to the high volume of applications, we receive it is not always possible to respond to unsuccessful applicants. Therefore, if we have not responded to your application within seven days, please note that on this occasion your application has not been successful.​Sign up for job alertsIf you are a human, ignore this field Create alertYou agree to ourShare this jobSimilar JobsSheffieldPermanent£45,000 – £50,000 (FTE) + 1 Day WFH + Flexible Hours + 25 Days AL + 8 BH + Westfield Health Cash PlanLeedsPermanent£50,000 – £55,000 Free parking, hybrid working, pensionHuddersfieldPermanent£50,000 – £55,000 Free parking, hybrid working, pensionDriffieldPermanent£55,000 – £60,000 Bonus, Free Parking, HealthcareLeedsPermanent£60,000 – £70,000 25 Days Holiday + Banks / Private Healthcare / Pension / Bonus / Hybrid Working

Expected salary: £50000 – 55000 per year

Location: United Kingdom

Job date: Fri, 30 May 2025 07:55:03 GMT

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