Head of Finance and Procurement

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of Finance Operations and Procurement to join a leading public sector organisation. This newly created position is a crucial role responsible for managing the finance operations and procurement functions, providing expert support across a variety of sub‑functions.

 Key responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and motivate a team of 20+ staff across AP, AR, payroll, and procurement
• Set clear objectives, performance standards, and development plans
• Foster a collaborative and customer‑centric culture within the finance operations function
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and support to managers and team members
• Oversee end‑to‑end AP processes, including invoice processing, supplier management, payment runs, and query resolution
• Ensure timely and accurate AR billing, credit control, and cash allocation
• Lead the payroll function to ensure accurate, compliant, and timely payroll cycles, reporting, and year‑end activities
• Manage the procurement function, ensuring contract compliance, supplier onboarding, competitive tendering, and value‑for‑money purchasing
• Maintain strong internal controls across all finance operations, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, financial regulations, HMRC requirements, and audit standards
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties, reconciliations, and authorisation workflows
• Implement standard operating procedures, KPIs, and service‑level standards across all teams
• Partner with budget holders, HR, IT, and procurement to support organisational objectives
• Produce and present regular reports on cashflow, aged debt, aged creditors, payroll performance, and procurement activity
• Monitor KPIs and operational performance metrics, addressing variances and risks
• Contribute to strategic planning and financial forecasting as required

Ideal candidate

• Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)
• Proven experience leading multi‑disciplinary finance operations teams (AP, AR, payroll, procurement)
• Strong understanding of financial controls, compliance, and statutory requirements
• Experience managing teams of 15+ in a large or complex organisation
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder‑management skills
• Proficient in financial systems and process optimisation
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data for decision‑making

Location: Central London – hybrid

Duration: 1‑year FTC with potential to go permanent

Salary: £68,000–£75,000 per annum + excellent benefits

This vacancy will be actively shortlisted, so early applications are encouraged to avoid missing out.

Venn Group is an equal opportunities employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates.