Head of Finance / Financial Controller

Do you dream of a better built environment?

With seven studios across the UK, Cyprus and India and nearly 60 years history, ADP is in the UK’s top 40 architecture practices. We design around the principles of sustainability, belonging and engagement, rethinking the built environment to create a better future.

At ADP, you’ll have the opportunity to work with our cross-practice specialists in sectors including residential, commercial, healthcare and education design. You’ll also be able to work on projects that truly benefit their communities, from large laboratory buildings to mixed-use developments, sensitive refurbishments to envelope-pushing new builds, £100m high-profile schemes to local grassroots projects.

ADP is an employee-owned practice meaning that all staff have a say in how the business is run, and everyone benefits from its success. We know that a healthy work-life balance is key and in addition to other benefits all staff have flexible working hours, with the option to take a three-day weekend every fortnight.

We’re an equal opportunities employer and a gold-standard investor in people, reflecting our belief that it takes a people-centred practice to create people-centred architecture.

Diversity is at the heart of our success, and we welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

Head of Finance: Person specification:

In an architectural practice, the challenge for the finance team is to satisfy the requirements of accountancy process and communicate data to a team that responds best to visual and diagrammatic information. We’re looking for someone with an interest in bridging those aspects and balancing attention for detail and organisation, with a flair for sharing information engagingly.

We anticipate that our Head of Finance has previous experience working in a professional services business where project tasks are managed and billed to clients. This might have been gained in the construction or design and engineering sectors, but may have been in other diverse areas with similar business structures.

• Experience as a Management Accountant, Project Accountant, Finance Manager, or similar.
• Excellent communication skills with a positive and collegiate approach to teamwork, and a strong understanding of how to effectively share financial data with the wider business team.
• A proactive approach with an inquisitive eye for identifying opportunities for improvement and development in the role and department.
• An excellent standard of oral and written English.
• A professional attitude with good planning and time management skills.
• A positive approach to developing and supporting the staff that you manage.
• Ideally the candidate to be ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified, however candidates with exceptional experience will be considered

Advanced skills in software associated with finance and being open to learning and developing new skills where required. Knowledge of Rapport3 project management software and payroll software would be advantageous. Previous experience of working with Xero or equivalent software is essential.  A high level of experience using MSOffice and particularly Excel, is expected.

Head of Finance: Role and Responsibilities

• Maintain a robust and well-structured finance department with documented processes.
• Support and contribute to the ADP Business Plan and Vision in its goals and ambitions for the practice.
• Create effective and clear management accounts to support the decision-making of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Build strong relationships across the practice and regularly visit the studios.
• Ensure that ADP complies with legislation and regulations associated with finance and banking, and that accounts are submitted in good time.
• Ensure that the external financial auditors are supported, and can complete their work in line with deadlines.
• Ensure that ADP’s taxes are addressed and paid as required.
• Management of the finance team, including any outsourced resources, and work in concert with the wider Operations Team.
• Develop and maintain effective financial management systems for sales and purchase processes, including cash flow and medium and long-term budgets, utilisation of staff and overheads rates.
• Develop and maintain the process of project fee management including resource management, timesheet management, project profit and loss reporting, sub-consultant fee management, change control, and debtors.
• Develop and maintain effective payroll, PAYE, expenses, and bonus processes.
• Ensure best value in supplies and contracts across the business.
• Support the Executive Leadership Team in bank and financial dealings.
• Provide clear and effective monthly reports setting out the position in the Management Accounts.
• Support the creation and maintenance of operational budgets.
• Provide the first point of contact for ADP’s bankers and HMRC.
• Support the Executive Leadership with acquisitions and mergers, research and development claims, investments and property matters.
• Maintain ‘Continuing Professional Development’ for your role and in line with any qualifications, and relevant changes in software and IT.
• Maintain involvement in sector groups and forums to share knowledge and benchmark activities against other practices.
• Complying with, and promoting, ADP’s employment, health and safety, environmental, equal opportunities and wider, business policies.

Place of work: Manchester, Oxford or London.

Reports to: CEO

Start Date: Within 6 months.

How to apply

Please send your CV and cover letter outlining your experience to careers@adparchitecture.com. Please include ‘head of finance’ in the subject line.