Head of Transactional Finance

About Selecta

Selecta is Europe's leading provider of unattended self-service coffee and convenience food solutions. Operating across 16 European countries, we serve over 12 million people every day through innovative vending and specialist coffee services.

In the UK, we provide a nationwide service to approximately 3,500 businesses, delivering high-quality beverages and snacks to workplaces, schools, universities, hospitals, and a wide range of other customer locations.

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced and motivated Head of Transactional Finance to lead our Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR), Billing and Collections functions.

Reporting into the Finance leadership team, you will be responsible for driving operational excellence across our transactional finance function. You will lead process improvements, implement automation, enhance financial controls, and develop a high-performing team while ensuring exceptional service delivery to both internal and external stakeholders.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced finance leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and has a proven track record of leading transformational change, including ERP implementation projects.

Requirements

Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, manage, mentor and develop a high-performing transactional finance team, including AP, AR, Billing and Collections managers and team leaders.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and excellent customer service.
• Develop team capability through coaching, performance management and succession planning.

Process Improvement and Automation

• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives across transactional finance.
• Introduce workflow automation, OCR technology and process enhancements to reduce manual processing, eliminate backlogs and improve operational efficiency.
• Improve billing efficiency, first-time invoice accuracy and invoice completeness.
• Drive improvements in debt collection performance and reduce overdue balances.

Financial Controls and Governance

• Ensure robust financial controls are maintained, including balance sheet reconciliations, segregation of duties and compliance with company policies.
• Maintain audit readiness and support both internal and external audit requirements.
• Ensure transactional finance processes comply with accounting standards and internal governance requirements.

Cash Flow Management

• Support working capital objectives by ensuring efficient payment runs, effective credit control and accurate cash allocation.
• Drive improvements in cash collection and reduce Days Sales Outstanding (DSO).

Performance Management

• Develop, monitor and report on key operational KPIs, including:
• Invoice processing cycle time
• Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)
• Billing accuracy
• Collection performance
• Supplier payment performance
• Provide regular performance reporting and insights to senior stakeholders.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong working relationships with Finance, IT, HR, Procurement and operational teams.
• Resolve process issues proactively while improving the overall supplier and customer experience.
• Act as the key point of contact for transactional finance across the business.

ERP Implementation

• Lead the transactional finance workstream throughout the current ERP implementation.
• Work closely with IT and the project team to ensure finance processes are designed, tested, documented and implemented effectively.
• Ensure compliance, business continuity and a smooth transition into Business as Usual (BAU).

About You

You will bring:

• Significant experience leading a high-volume transactional finance function.
• Proven experience managing and developing teams of 15 or more colleagues.
• A strong understanding of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Billing, Collections, financial controls and General Ledger accounting.
• Experience delivering process improvements, finance transformation and automation initiatives.
• Hands-on experience supporting or leading ERP implementation projects.
• Excellent leadership, analytical and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive organisational change.

Qualifications

• AAT, ACCA, CIMA or an equivalent accounting qualification, or substantial relevant experience.

Benefits

What’s in it for you?

• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
• Life assurance equivalent to 2x your yearly salary
• Five weeks of occupational paid sick leave for added security
• Free parking at our Head Office and other depot locations
• Unlimited coffee and tea at our offices to keep you refreshed
• Clear career progression paths with development opportunities
• Strong leadership support to help you thrive
• Employee recognition scheme to celebrate your contributions
• Mental health and wellbeing support, including access to mental health first aiders
• Health Cash Plan

At Selecta, we are committed to equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion, embracing our differences to achieve our common goal. We are united in our principle of making people feel great and we are grounded by our purpose to create more moments of joy for everyone through our ways of working.