Harper May is working with a founder-led property development and construction group operating across residential, commercial, and mixed-use schemes across the UK. The business has grown steadily over the past five years, with an expanding portfolio and a recent capital injection enabling accelerated delivery. As the company scales, financial discipline and clear reporting have become critical to steering investment decisions and managing margins across a more complex project pipeline. They are now seeking a Head of Finance to build and lead this function from the ground up.

The Role
Reporting to the Managing Director, you will establish the finance function and own all financial operations, compliance, and strategic reporting. This is a hands-on leadership role that combines day-to-day financial management with a commercial partnership across development, construction, and operational teams. You will shape processes and systems as the business grows.

Key Responsibilities

• Set up and lead core finance operations: general ledger, payroll, tax, and monthly close processes
• Produce clear, timely management accounts with variance analysis and commentary for senior leadership
• Build and own project accounting, cost tracking, and margin reporting across the development pipeline
• Establish cash forecasting and working capital management disciplines
• Oversee statutory accounts, tax compliance, and audit liaison
• Design and implement financial controls, policies, and governance frameworks
• Recruit, train, and manage the finance team as the business expands

What we are looking for

• ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified, or equivalent relevant experience
• Proven background in property, construction, or project-based businesses
• Strong technical accounting skills and practical experience building financial control environments
• Commercial mindset with ability to translate numbers into actionable insight for business leaders
• Hands-on, pragmatic approach to process design and systems implementation
• Confident stakeholder management and team leadership capability