Finance Director – Commercial, Trade & Structured Finance

London | Full-time | Office-based

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Overview

We are hiring a senior finance leader to take full ownership of finance across a multi-vertical business operating in:

• International trade and commodities

• Robotics and automation

• Food and beverage distribution

This role sits at the centre of the company and is responsible for:

• Financial control

• Commercial deal structuring

• Cross-border financial execution

• Operational financial flow

This is not a reporting role.

This is a decision-making and execution role.

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What This Role Actually Is

You will be the person the CEO goes to when asking:

• “Does this deal make sense?”

• “How should we structure this?”

• “How do we move money safely across borders?”

• “How do we set this company up properly?”

At the same time, you must ensure:

• The accounts are correct

• The cash is controlled

• The business is financially stable

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Core Responsibilities

1. Full Finance Ownership

• Own all accounting, reporting, and financial control

• Manage cash flow, forecasting, and liquidity

• Oversee payroll and financial operations

• Manage and develop a junior finance team

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2. Deal & Commercial Finance

• Review and structure commercial deals

• Understand margins, pricing, and profitability

• Support negotiations from a financial perspective

• Ensure deals are executable, not just theoretical

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3. Cross-Border & Trade Finance

• Manage international payments and financial flows

• Support trade transactions (including commodities and large-scale deals)

• Understand risk, timing, and movement of funds across jurisdictions

• Work alongside legal where required, but own the financial logic

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4. Company Structuring & Setup

• Advise on setting up entities in different jurisdictions (UK, China, Europe, etc.)

• Ensure correct financial structures are in place

• Understand tax implications at a practical level

• Work with advisors, but not rely on them

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5. Operational Finance & Logistics Flow

• Oversee financial side of logistics and supply chain

• Track inventory, cost movements, and working capital

• Ensure operational flow aligns with financial reality

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6. Systems & Automation

• Work with internal teams building automation and AI systems

• Ensure financial processes are structured and scalable

• Define how finance should operate, not just follow existing systems

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Requirements

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA or equivalent)

• Strong experience in at least one of:

• International trade

• Logistics or supply chain

• Commodities

• Food and beverage

• Technology or industrial businesses

• Proven ability to:

• Own finance end-to-end

• Work on commercial deals

• Operate in fast-moving environments

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What We Are Looking For

• Someone who understands finance properly, not just reports it

• Someone who can move between detail and big picture quickly

• Someone who can take ownership without being managed

• Someone who is comfortable working across multiple industries

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What This Is Not

• Not a pure accountant

• Not a back-office finance manager

• Not someone who needs everything explained

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Team Structure

• You will lead finance

• You will have junior support

• Systems and automation will be built alongside you

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Location

London, office-based

(External meetings as required)

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Compensation

Competitive salary, based on experience

London Export Corporation

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Finance Director – Commercial, Trade & Structured Finance