Job title: Finance Manager

Hours:  37.5 per week

Location:  Havant Leisure Centre

Salary:   up to £55,000

Looking for a workplace that ignites your passion, values respect, encourages innovation, and embraces being dynamic? Look no further! This role offers you the opportunity to join a team that believes in empowering its colleagues to unlock their full potential with Horizon.

The Trust:

Horizon Leisure Centres is a leisure trust operating since 1997, with centres in Waterlooville, Havant and Guildford. We are passionate about health and wellbeing and are committed to making an outstanding positive impact on our customers and within our local community. Our mission is to support and inspire our local communities to live healthier and happier lives by providing affordable access to sport and leisure facilities to all.

The Role:
As Finance Manager, you lead operational Finance and are accountable for timely, accurate and controlled accounting, cash and statutory delivery. You own cash-flow forecasting, oversee restricted funds, grants, donations and Gift Aid, control payroll-payment release and act as deputy for the Head of Finance during absence. You'll report to the Head of Finance and will have three direct reports.

Interested? Want to know how you can join our team? Take a look at this great opportunity! 

We are looking for a Finance Manager to join us in transforming our business from 'good' to 'great'! This is a thrilling time for our company, and we need a key team member like you to help us achieve unprecedented success. 

What does the role involve? 

In this role, you will be responsible for:

Leadership, Deputy and Operational Finance

• Run Finance day to day and manage your direct reports.

• Act as deputy for the Head of Finance during periods of absence, within documented delegated authority.

• Own month-end close, accounting quality, input to quarterly Board papers including Finance Committee reports, and ensure resilient financial controls and Finance procedures.

• Maintain strong team output and ensure critical processes continue as normal during periods of absence, such as annual leave within the team.

Cash Flow, Treasury, Investments and Reserves

• Prepare, maintain and report the cash-flow forecast.

• Implement authorised investment and reserve decisions.

• Maintain detailed investment and reserves records, post approved transactions and reconcile balances.

• Prepare liquidity, investment and reserves schedules for Head of Finance and Board review.

Restricted Funds, Grants, Donations and Gift Aid

• Oversee accounting and controls for restricted funds, grants, donations and Gift Aid across the Trust and trading company.

• Review reconciliations relating to restricted funds, grants, donations and Gift Aid.

• Ensure income is recognised, restricted, released and reported in line with applicable terms and accounting policies.

• Review data entered by the Finance team and resolve exceptions.

Accounting, VAT, Audit and Statutory Filings

• Review management accounts and the balance sheet pack.

• Review lease, fixed asset, intercompany and trading company accounting.

• Review the payroll accounting journal prepared by the designated payroll resource within People & Culture and review completed payroll control account reconciliations.

• Review VAT workings and approve or submit VAT returns under delegated arrangements.

• Lead year-end processes, statutory accounts preparation, audit activity, and Charity Commission and Companies House filing delivery.

Banking, BACS and Payroll Controls

• Own banking, treasury and BACS controls.

• Act as a named BACS authoriser under dual authorisation and segregation controls.

• Obtain evidence that the Head of People & Culture has approved payroll prior to payment and confirm the payroll accounting journal has been prepared by the designated payroll resource within People & Culture.

• Approve and release payroll BACS payments loaded by the team.

• Do not routinely prepare the payroll accounting journal; however, ensure the team has reconciled payroll accounting entries and payroll control accounts, and review these reconciliations as part of the month-end control process.

• Oversee Direct Debits, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payment preparation and bank reconciliations.

Supplier, Outsourced Services and Systems Controls

• Oversee supplier master controls as a fraud prevention measure, including segregation, independent verification and review of changes.

• Review supplier control reporting and exceptions escalated by the team.

• Ensure outsourced stock, waste and hospitality control data is complete and appropriately reflected in the accounts.

• Own Finance system administration, chart of accounts management and Finance mobilisation activities for new sites.

Your experience:

• Strong financial accounting, charity funds, grants, donations, Gift Aid, VAT, payroll accounting review and audit experience.

• Cash-flow forecasting, treasury and liquidity-management experience.

• Experience managing Finance teams and controlling payment processes.

• Experience acting as deputy to a senior Finance leader.

• Fraud-prevention and supplier-master control experience. Desirable Experience

• Charity SORP, multi-entity, leisure and trading-subsidiary experience.

• Payroll BACS and statutory filing experience.

• Mobilisation or system-change experience

Skills and competencies: 

• Excellent control judgement, with the ability to identify risk, challenge exceptions and take decisive action to protect the integrity of Horizon’s finances.

• Strong cash-flow and analytical capability, with a methodical approach to data and a clear ability to translate numbers into meaningful insight for senior colleagues and the Board.

• Confident people leadership, with the ability to manage, develop and hold to account a small Finance team in a fast-paced, multi-site organisation.

• High integrity and strong fraud awareness, comfortable maintaining and enforcing segregation of duties and escalating concerns without hesitation.

• Excellent Excel skills, Power BI and accounting software e.g. Sage, Accounts IQ.

Your qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant: ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA or substantial, proven senior financial experience.

What you can expect from us: 

• A comprehensive induction and training programme; you don’t need to have worked in the leisure industry before. We will teach you all you need to know! 

• Support from the wider team who have a great deal of combined knowledge and experience and who are eager to help you succeed! 

• Variety; no two days is the same! 

• An environment that encourages innovation and free thinking, surrounded by really dynamic, empowered individuals.  

Benefits: 

• Free access to our award-winning gym’s and exercise classes for you and a +1

• Employee discounts and wellbeing platform

• Healthcare Cash plan

• Free 24/7 access to GPs using our SmartHealth plan

• Employee Assistance Programme - support for when you need it most 

• 23 days annual leave + 8 days bank holiday

• Holiday purchase scheme (up to 5 days)

• Internal recognition schemes 

• Opportunities for training, development and progression 

• Free onsite parking - subject to availability 

• Hybrid and family friendly policies  

• Generous company sick pay scheme 

• Employee referral scheme 

• Company pension scheme 

• Death in service benefit 

• And much more.... 

This role will be based at Havant but will be expected to travel to other company site as the need requires. 

Interview Process: 

The recruiting manager will review your CV and if shortlisted, you will be invited to a formal interview/assessment process where we will evaluate your suitability for the role. 

There may be times when due to the volume of applicants to need to close a vacancy early to avoid disappointment, be sure to get your application in as soon as possible! 

If you are a recruitment agency, please note we operate a PSL and do not take cold calls.