Finance Manager Recruitment

Our client, a highly respected supplier of high end commercial kitchen and catering equipment needed help with recruiting a Finance Manager as the co Partner in the business for over thirty years was planning to retire in the summer of 2014.

The Co Partner was responsible for a number of areas in the business including the finance function. This heightened the importance that the individual joining the business was a proven Finance Manager with a solid track record of success. Aside from being a very capable Finance Manager, we needed to recruit someone who could comfortably step in to the retiring Partners ‘finance shoes’. This was also a real opportunity for the successful individual to develop and grow the role with the company. Reporting into the Operations Director the Finance Manager sat at the heart of the business responsible for providing sound, accurate and timely financial information (e.g. monthly management reports and analysis for the board, VAT returns, cash flow, invoicing, WIP etc.) and financial advice when required ensuring the business understood the financial implications of any potential business decisions.

Challenges faced

There was a timing challenge combined with the need to find the right ‘fit’; someone who could comfortably step in to the retiring partner’s ‘finance shoes’ and confidently own and manage the finance function. It was also essential that the successful individual came from a related industry background and could commute to the office within 30 minutes.

What we did

Simmons Gainsford Resources’ approach was different to what the Managing Director had previously experienced but it guaranteed we would treat this very important assignment as completely fresh and new. By agreeing to Retain Simmons Gainsford Resources it meant we could dedicate the time up front to really take a full and accurate brief. By meeting key people in the business we could really get ‘under the skin’ of the company to ensure we were able to deliver a robust and thorough interview and recruitment process. Key elements included:

Taking a full, accurate brief and writing the job spec (for sign off)
Interviewing on a face to face basis each identified candidate (who had initially been tele screened for suitability against the job specification)
Presenting a short list of candidates recommended for interview supported with commentary on our recommendations
Outcome

We successfully recruited a Finance Manager who is making a great impact on the business.

About the Client

Our client is highly respected in their field; they are a very successful privately owned company who continue to grow rapidly. Suppliers of high end commercial kitchen and catering equipment, they have grown to become much more than just a catering supplier by successfully positioning the business to offer their client’s a distinct advantage; a complete solution from design and construction to installation and continued maintenance support. They have a very exciting profile of clients to prove this from recognised construction and facilities management providers to household retail names such as M&S.