About the Role
Artefact is a global consulting and technology company that helps organisations accelerate data and AI-driven transformation. In the UK, we work with leading clients across industries, supported by a strong senior leadership team and a growing market presence. We're looking for a high-potential Finance Manager to take real ownership of the day-to-day running of our UK Finance function.
Responsibilities
•Own management reporting, budgeting, forecasting and supporting analysis, explaining movements and identifying forward-looking risks and opportunities.
•Analyse and challenge revenue, gross margin, staffing, pipeline, contract status, unbilled work and profitability, turning financial information into clear insights and recommendations.
•Be the day-to-day point of contact and first review layer for the Accounts team, coordinating priorities, reviewing outputs and resolving first-line queries.
•Coordinate and review month-end, year-end, audit, routine tax and other recurring Finance processes, including journals, reconciliations, intercompany and payroll-related accounting, working with the Accounts team and external advisers to ensure outputs are complete, accurate and delivered on time.
•Oversee cash flow, working capital, customer invoicing, aged debtors, supplier payments, payment runs and routine banking matters including KYC and mandates.
•Own and improve key Finance systems and reporting tools, including Salesforce, Everwin, Sage and Finance dashboards, ensuring data is accurate, consistent and useful for decision-making.
•Identify and drive opportunities to improve Finance processes, controls and ways of working through better process design, automation and technology, including effective use of AI tools where appropriate.
•Take routine Finance matters through to resolution using judgement and initiative. Material or strategic issues should be escalated with a clear assessment and recommendation.
•Take on additional Finance responsibilities and projects as the needs of the business and Finance function evolve; identify areas for improvement and progressively take ownership of a wider range of Finance activities.
Requirements
•Part-qualified or qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA, or equivalent practical experience, with around 3 to 4 years' relevant experience in accounting, audit, FP&A, commercial Finance or a similar area.
•Strong accounting fundamentals and advanced Excel / Google Sheets skills.
•Proactive and comfortable being given an objective rather than a checklist: you identify what needs doing, decide how best to approach it and take work through to completion.
•Analytical and commercially curious, interested in explaining what the numbers mean, not simply producing them.
•Comfortable getting into the detail and solving problems you may not have encountered before.
•Able to work at pace, manage competing priorities and reprioritise quickly as business needs change, while continuing to progress work where there is no externally imposed deadline.
•A clear communicator who is comfortable working with both junior colleagues and senior stakeholders.
•Comfortable learning new systems and interested in using automation, AI and technology-enabled Finance to improve how work is done.
•We are looking for potential, mindset and learning ability, rather than someone who has already performed every aspect of the role.
Nice to have
•Experience coordinating or reviewing the work of a small team is useful, but formal people-management experience is not required.
Conditions
•This is a 4-month FTC, with the clear intention of moving to a permanent role where there is a strong mutual fit. We will review permanent conversion during the contract, and we are open to converting early where the fit and performance are clear.
•The successful candidate will be given meaningful responsibility from the outset rather than being treated as short-term support during the fixed-term period.
•Broad exposure across accounting, FP&A, commercial Finance, forecasting, cash management, systems, process improvement and business partnering.
•Close working with the Head of Finance and senior management.
•Significant responsibility and visibility from an early stage.
•Increasing ownership as you demonstrate your capability.
•The opportunity to build a broad Finance skillset in a relatively short period of time.
