London, UK
Finance manager
at Haptic Architects
Haptic Architects is seeking a finance manager for its London studio.
We are Haptic. Based in London and Oslo, we work all over the world, creating places that make people happy. As a practice we wish to instil this happiness into the way we work, promoting joy into each day, making our studio an exciting place to be part of.
Haptic is a leading, award-winning, international architecture and design practice. We have several high-profile, on-going international projects across a range of scales and building typologies. Our practice and projects are rooted in our Scandinavian values, creating a safe and welcoming space to bring your complete self and share your ideas.
We are seeking an experienced Finance Manager, with exceptional Xero skills, who is confident in dealing with the financial management of an international, multi company, multi currency organisation. A working knowledge of the architecture industry is preferred.
We are looking for candidates with demonstrable skills and experience to be able to carry out the following duties:
Day-to-day financial operations:
- carry out bookkeeping duties, which include some complex reconciliations and journaling due to our international multi-company, multi-currency accounting needs
- monitor and accurately maintain day-to-day financial operations including payroll, invoicing, and other transactions
- monitor all bank accounts and make payments as needed to suppliers, set up direct debits etc.
- chase client invoices
- review and approve staff expenses in moment (our project management software) and create export files and necessary info for Xero
Financial reporting and accounts:
- produce monthly management accounts and financial reports for directors and prepare annual reports
- liaise with accountants to support annual accounts and external audits
- make submissions to and liaise with HMRC as required
- collate financial and HR information for the board meetings for both Haptic London and Oslo
Cash flow and budget management:
- monitor cash flow, prepare forecasts, advise on financial planning, and flag issues in a timely manner
- develop and track budgets, propose annual budget (to be signed off by the board), and monitor budget v actuals performance
- provide a monthly overview of forecast income against budget
Project and revenue management:
- analyse project profitability and monitor fee tracking across multiple projects
- liaise with project managers to carry out monthly project invoicing using Moment, and prepare export files for Xero
Strategic analysis and decision support:
- provide financial insights to inform strategic decision-making for leadership in long-term and short-term decisions
- track the company’s financial status and performance to identify areas for potential improvement and ways to increase profitability (e.g. by analysing overhead spend and looking for reductions in spending)
- seek out methods for minimising financial risk to the company
- research and analyse financial reports and market trends
Systems and process management:
- maintain accounting and cashflow systems (Xero and cashflow software)
- improve financial systems and processes to enhance efficiency and compliance
- stay up to date with technological advances and accounting software to be used for financial purposes
- establish and maintain financial protocols, policies and procedures for the company
- harness AI technology to improve efficiency
Team and external relations:
- oversee financial employees, including internal financial assistants (once employed) and external accountants
- contract external best-value services for tax preparation, auditing, banking, investments, and other financial needs as necessary
- represent Haptic on external industry finance networks and bring learning back into the company.
Compliance and legal:
- understand and adhere to financial regulations and legislation to ensure compliance
Skills and experience for the role:
- several years of experience in a Finance and HR role, ideally in an architecture practice
- excellent working knowledge of Xero
- excellent working knowledge of Excel
- strong mathematical skills
- understanding of data privacy standards
- good communication skills, both written and verbal
- understanding of business principles and practices
- strong attention to detail and organisational skills
- sensitivity in handling confidential issues
- multi-tasking abilities
- integrity and honesty
Benefits of becoming a Haptician include:
- enhanced holiday allowance of 25 days pro-rata plus public holidays and Christmas shut-down
- enhanced parental leave and pay
- inclusive and regular social events and CPDs
Haptic aspires to be representative of the richness and diversity of the places we work and we value having a team that represents diverse lived experiences and understandings. We are an equal opportunities employer and will provide reasonable adjustments to support applicants throughout the recruitment process. We want to encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in the architectural profession to apply.
The recruitment process is on-going and only short-listed candidates will be contacted and invited for an interview.
Please send all applications with a cover letter and CV.