Finance Manager

Murray Recruitment are recruiting a Finance Manager for our client based in Livingston.

Overview

This is a permanent opportunity for an experienced Finance Manager to take ownership of the day-to-day finance function within a small, collaborative business.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on finance professional with strong experience across management reporting, bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, reconciliations, credit control and financial controls. A key focus of the role will be producing accurate monthly management reports and providing meaningful financial information to support business performance and decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full day-to-day ownership of the finance function, ensuring accurate and up-to-date financial records.
• Prepare and produce monthly management accounts and financial reports.
• Provide monthly analysis of financial performance, highlighting key trends, variances and areas requiring attention.
• Prepare profit and loss reports, balance sheet reconciliations and supporting schedules.
• Manage bookkeeping, bank reconciliations, invoicing and credit control.
• Monitor cash flow and provide regular cash flow reporting and forecasting.
• Prepare and submit VAT returns accurately and within required deadlines.
• Process monthly payroll using Sage Payroll, including year-end requirements such as P60s and P11Ds.
• Monitor income, expenditure and outstanding debt to support effective financial control.
• Work closely with the external accountant, providing financial information and supporting documentation as required.
• Support budgeting and forecasting activities.
• Maintain robust financial controls and ensure processes are followed consistently.
• Review and improve finance processes, reporting procedures and internal controls.
• Provide clear and accurate financial information to senior management to support business planning and decision-making.
• Support year-end processes and provide information required for statutory accounts.

Skills & Experience

• Strong practical experience within a Finance Manager, Management Accountant, Senior Bookkeeper or similar finance role.
• Proven experience preparing monthly management accounts and financial reports.
• Strong understanding of profit and loss reporting, balance sheets and financial reconciliations.
• Experience preparing VAT returns and managing associated deadlines.
• Practical payroll processing experience, ideally using Sage Payroll.
• Strong knowledge of bank reconciliations, invoicing, credit control and cash flow management.
• Experience supporting budgeting and forecasting would be advantageous.
• Confident analysing financial information and communicating key findings to senior management.
• Strong Microsoft Excel and accounting software skills.
• Excellent numerical and organisational skills.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proactive and capable of managing the finance function independently.
• Formal finance qualifications would be advantageous but are not essential, with strong practical experience being the key requirement.

Offering

• Salary: Depending on experience.
• Location: Livingston.
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00am–5.00pm.
• Working pattern: Predominantly office-based, with some flexibility available.
• Holidays: 20 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, increasing by one day per year up to 25 days.
• Pension: 3% matched contribution.
• Healthcare: Vitality Healthcare.
• On-site parking.