Finance Director

Harper May is working with an independent restaurant operator that has built a strong reputation for food quality and consistent customer experience across London and the South East. The business operates a mixed portfolio of casual dining and fine dining concepts, supported by an experienced management team and backed by patient capital committed to sustainable expansion. Over the last three years, the company has grown both organically and through selective acquisition, strengthening its supply chain partnerships and investing in kitchen innovation. The finance function has grown incrementally with the business, and the leadership team has identified the need for a dedicated Finance Director to embed rigour into commercial planning and site-level accountability as the group scales further.

The Role
Reporting to the CEO and forming part of the executive leadership team, you will own the finance function end-to-end. This is a role that demands both strategic thinking and practical engagement: you will shape the financial strategy supporting new site launches, drive margin improvement across the estate, and ensure that the board has reliable, timely insight into performance and cash position.

• Build and lead a lean, multi-skilled finance team, establishing clear accountability and professional development
• Develop financial strategy and long-term forecasts aligned to growth ambitions and capital availability
• Oversee monthly management accounts, variance analysis, and KPI reporting at group and site level
• Partner with operations leadership on labour productivity, food cost control, and pricing architecture
• Manage capital allocation, funding negotiations, and working capital optimisation across the group
• Establish financial controls, policies, and scalable reporting infrastructure to support compliance and decision-making
• Support the CEO and board on M&A evaluation, site acquisition due diligence, and exit planning

What we are looking for

• ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified with minimum eight years in senior finance roles, ideally in hospitality or multi-site consumer businesses
• Hands-on experience with P&L accountability, site profitability analysis, and operational finance in a growth environment
• Proven ability to build and mentor finance teams from first principles
• Commercial acumen with confidence to challenge assumptions and shape strategy, not simply report results
• Strong Excel skills and experience implementing or optimising finance systems and reporting frameworks
• Track record of supporting expansion, acquisition integration, or operational improvement initiatives