Head of Finance

A dynamic and fast-growing property investment group based in the UK is looking for a world-class, commercially minded Head of Finance to take full operational ownership of their financial engine. Operating fully remotely from South Africa on a full-time basis with some flexibility (8 hours per day, Monday to Friday, working UK hours), this high-impact leader will report directly to the Chief Investment & Finance Officer (CIFO) and take charge of managing a dedicated 3-person finance team. Spanning 6 operational business units and a team of 40 people, this high-performance international business balances high accountability with a progressive, team-focused culture. This is not a traditional, passive corporate reporting role. We need a proactive, "hands-dirty" implementer who loves getting stuck into operations. You will be directly responsible for leading the finance function from the front, ensuring day-to-day transaction processing, credit control, and payment runs are executed flawlessly across the group. In addition to daily operational delivery, you will own the end-to-end production of board-level financial reporting across multiple corporate entities, translating complex numbers into sharp, proactive, and commercially driven strategy for the Directors. Key Responsibilities: Team Leadership & Delivery: Directly manage, mentor, and drive accountability across a 3-person finance team. Ensure the team hits day-to-day deadlines for payment runs, cash allocations, and internal queries with a zero-error mentality. Multi-Entity Reporting: Take full ownership of monthly management accounts (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow) across all group entities, ensuring board packs are delivered accurately within 10 days of month-end. Commercial Insight & Advanced Analysis: Move beyond basic reporting to deliver deep ratio analysis and marketing financial reporting (ROAS, CAC, LTV, and funnel performance) to help leadership maximize return on ad spend. Cash Flow & Financial Control: Maintain strict, active oversight of working capital. Own daily, weekly, and monthly cash flow forecasting and guide the team to hit tight credit control/aged debt thresholds. Compliance: Oversee and ensure full compliance across all UK statutory obligations, including HMRC filings, VAT returns, and Companies House requirements with a zero-tolerance approach to late submissions. Process Automation: Partner with leadership to continuously improve financial workflows, aggressively leveraging automation, systems (Xero, Asana, Slack), and AI tools to scale the department efficiently. Requirements Proven Finance Leadership: Minimum of 5+ years of experience operating in a senior finance role (Financial Controller, Finance Manager, or Head of Finance) with a proven track record of running and developing a team. Multi-Entity & Volume Experience: You MUST have demonstrated experience managing finance functions for multiple companies/divisions simultaneously, ideally within a business turning over £10M+. Qualifications: Fully qualified CIMA, ACCA, ACA, or equivalent, with strong technical accounting knowledge (accrual accounting, intercompany alignments, and group consolidations). Commercial & Proactive Mindset: You don't wait to be asked. You are a self-starter who brings solutions, challenges commercial assumptions, and constantly looks for ways to optimize profitability and cost control. Tech-Curious: Highly proficient with modern accounting systems (Xero preferred), project tools (Asana), and a genuine curiosity for implementing automation and AI to speed up reporting. Exceptional Communication: Fluent, highly professional English communication skills to confidently business-partner with UK directors and stakeholders. Benefits A high-impact leadership role working directly with entrepreneurial UK directors. The stability of a full-time, permanent 8-hour-a-day role. Exposure to a dynamic, fast-growing international property investment environment. A progressive corporate culture that champions personal growth, ownership, and long-lasting professional relationships.