Head of Processing / Transactional Finance
Location: Manchester
Salary: £80,000 to £90,000 plus bonus
Hybrid: Three days in the office

About the Company

Finspire are proud to be partnering with a leading global real estate advisory business to recruit a Head of Processing within its Central Finance function.

This is a high profile leadership opportunity for an experienced transactional finance or shared services leader who can manage a large operation, improve service delivery and lead a significant programme of systems, process and automation change.

The role has responsibility for central finance processing across UK Property Management, overseeing approximately 30 to 40 colleagues across banking, UK operations, billings and accounts receivable. The wider function manages the end to end order to cash and payments cycle, handling £billions of transactions.

A major priority will be the digital transformation of processes that remain heavily manual. With a system upgrade moving into pilot and implementation, the successful candidate will have a genuine opportunity to shape the future operating model, introduce automation and improve controls, performance and customer service.

This is not simply a processing role. It requires someone who can combine hands on operational leadership with strategic thinking, strong stakeholder management and the ability to turn a transformation roadmap into measurable results.

Job Requirements

• Lead the Central Finance processing function across banking, reconciliations and control, payments, billings and accounts receivable
• Manage, support and develop a team of approximately 30 to 40 colleagues across the UK
• Set and deliver the strategy and roadmap for Central Finance operations, with a clear focus on service excellence, control and continuous improvement
• Lead the transition towards more automated and scalable ways of working, reducing reliance on manual processes
• Play a key leadership role in the MRI system upgrade, pilot and wider implementation
• Identify, prioritise and deliver automation opportunities across transactional finance processes
• Manage operational performance, team capacity, resource allocation and service delivery across the function
• Set and monitor meaningful measures and KPIs, using performance information to identify and deliver improvements
• Own the operating cost base under remit and support improved divisional performance and profitability
• Assess and report on risk, compliance, controls, operational performance and management information
• Ensure transactions and controls meet statutory requirements, market best practice, RICS client money rules and FCA requirements where applicable
• Work closely with Client Accounting, Surveying, Property Management Systems and the wider Finance leadership team
• Create and embed a consistent customer service approach for internal clients, external clients and tenants
• Review procedures, policies and controls continually, ensuring changes are implemented, understood and followed while building clear training and development pathways for the team
• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on performance, cash collections, risks and key transformation activity

Key Person Requirements

• Significant leadership experience within transactional finance, finance operations or a shared services environment
• Proven experience managing and developing teams of at least 20 people, ideally across multiple processing disciplines
• Strong knowledge of order to cash, banking, payments, reconciliations, billing or accounts receivable processes
• Clear evidence of leading automation, systems transformation or major process improvement activity
• Experience managing change from initial design and stakeholder engagement through to implementation and adoption
• Strong accounting and financial control knowledge, whether qualified, part qualified or qualified by experience
• Experience operating within a high volume, highly controlled or client money environment would be highly advantageous
• A confident and credible leader who can motivate teams, build trust and create a strong culture of accountability
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to work across finance, operations, systems and senior leadership
• Strategic and future focused, while remaining practical, visible and willing to get into the detail
• Able to challenge established ways of working and turn ideas into sustainable operational improvements
• Resilient, positive and comfortable leading through significant change

This is a rare opportunity to lead a sizeable Central Finance operation with the scale, investment and senior sponsorship to deliver meaningful transformation. You will have the autonomy to modernise processes, strengthen service delivery and build a function that is fit for the future.