Finance & Accounts Manager
18 days ago
Rainham
A fast-growing international business operating in the Online/Retail space is seeking a commercially minded and trustworthy Finance Manager to take full ownership of their financial operations in a newly created first in finance position. This is a senior, hands-on role sitting at the heart of the business. You'll be the financial backbone — managing everything from day-to-day accounts to shareholder tax planning, dividend optimisation, and benefit structuring. You'll work directly with the Director and external accountants, and your work will have a direct impact on the strategic direction of the business. Financial Management & Budget Control • Take full ownership of the company's financial operations, planning and reporting, • Develop and monitor budgets to ensure responsible spending and optimal resource allocation, • Regularly review financial performance against budgets, providing variance analysis and actionable recommendations, • Maintain and monitor cash flow to ensure the business meets all operational and tax obligations, • Prepare financial forecasts and management reports for the director and shareholders, • Identify cost reduction opportunities and advise on profit margins and reinvestment strategy Payments & Record Keeping • Approve and process supplier invoices, purchase orders, and outgoing payments accurately and on time, • Manage accounts payable and receivable, keeping reconciliations current, • Track e-commerce transactions, platform fees, and deductions across Shopify, Amazon, and other platforms, • Maintain clean, accurate ledgers with all entries properly coded and reconciled, • Produce monthly management accounts and assist with end-of-year financial statements Taxation & Compliance • Ensure all VAT, PAYE, and corporation tax submissions are accurate and filed on time in coordination with external accountants, • Maintain full compliance with HMRC regulations and e-commerce tax requirements, • Keep accurate, audit-ready records of all financial transactions, • Liaise with accountants and auditors to support year-end and compliance reviews, • Monitor changes to tax legislation and proactively advise on implications for the business Shareholder & Director Tax Planning • Advise on and implement tax-efficient dividend strategies for shareholders, taking into account personal income, tax band utilisation and timing, • Support directors with personal tax planning including salary and dividend structuring, benefit-in-kind optimisation, and self-assessment obligations, • Identify and implement opportunities to maximise available allowances, reliefs and exemptions — including corporation tax deductions, capital allowances, and employment benefit schemes, • Work with external accountants to ensure shareholder and director tax positions are optimised each financial year Growth & Strategic Support • Work closely with operations, procurement, and compliance teams to align financial priorities with business objectives, • Provide financial insights and scenario modelling to support purchasing decisions, inventory planning, and growth initiatives, • Support the business in building scalable financial systems and reporting infrastructure as the company scales into major UK retail What We're Looking For • An ACCA/ACA/CIMA qualified or possible PQ/QBE accountant with 5+ years’ experience in a finance role with hands-on responsibility for management accounts, tax compliance, and financial planning, • Excellent commercial finance and business management skills, • Strong knowledge of UK accounting standards, HMRC regulations, and Director/shareholder tax matters, • Experience with dividend planning, benefit-in-kind reporting, and PAYE for directors, • Proficient in Xero and confident working across e-commerce platforms including Shopify and Amazon, • Strong numerical accuracy, analytical thinking, and attention to detail, • High integrity and discretion when handling confidential financial and personal tax information, • E-commerce or retail background strongly preferred, • A proactive, ideas-driven mindset — they want someone who doesn't just manage the numbers but actively identifies opportunities to improve tax efficiency, reduce costs, and structure the business more effectively. If you've implemented schemes, reliefs, or strategies that others missed, we want to hear about it.
