Interim Finance Director (Transformation)

Job Title: Interim Finance Director (Transformation)
Department: Finance
Location: Sheffield
Working Pattern: Hybrid, includes 3 days each week in the office
Contract Type: Full time or Part time (4 days), Fixed Term (up to 12 months)
Salary: up to £120,000 (Full Time) 

Tes is a global Edtech leader, on a mission to empower schools and educators to deliver impactful, inspiring learning experiences worldwide. We understand the unique challenges faced by schools, and our ecosystem is specifically designed to address these needs head-on.

We are hiring an Interim Finance Director for up to 12 months to lead finance transformation, develop our finance team and represent finance in ERP, finance systems and Salesforce changes, including billing and pricing.

The finance function is changing how it works: its systems, its processes and the way it partners with the business. This is a hands-on leadership role.

You will work with the Commercial Finance team to set the direction and deliver early wins. This role is about coaching a high-performing team and giving them the confidence to take on greater involvement and accountability across the business.

In addition to coaching the team, we are transforming systems and processes across the organisation. You will act as finance lead on ERP and finance systems change, including Salesforce, billing and pricing.

• Assess current systems, processes and ways of working, and agree a prioritised roadmap with the leadership team, mixing quick wins with longer-term change.
• Drive delivery of improvements across close, forecasting, reporting, controls and automation.
• Manage change within the team, keeping day-to-day delivery steady while the transformation runs.

• Coach the designated successor hands-on to prepare them to become a senior finance leader, including how to navigate C-suite engagement: preparing for and attending meetings together, then debriefing. Move deliberately from leading, to shadowing, to observing.
• Build wider team capability in commercial partnering, challenge and confident use of new tools and processes.
• Develop the team to make budgeting and forecasting a budget-holder-driven exercise, supported and challenged by finance rather than led by finance.
• Provide a readiness assessment and a development and handover plan for the successor.

• Act as finance lead on ERP and wider finance systems changes, including those linked to Salesforce, covering quote-to-cash, pricing structures, invoicing and billing.
• Define finance requirements, including revenue recognition implications, controls, reporting and data quality.
• Work with IT, Sales Operations, Commercial and any implementation partner. Challenge scope, design, testing and data migration.
• Own finance sign-off for user acceptance testing, cutover and post-go-live stabilisation.

• Provide senior finance leadership and a trusted point of contact for the CEO, CFO and executive team.
• Report progress, risks and decisions needed on the transformation to the steering group on a regular cadence.
• Support the commercial and data teams to collaborate effectively and drive a consistent reporting practice across the business.

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Previous experience as a Finance Director, Financial Controller or equivalent senior finance leader.
• Proven delivery of finance transformation covering systems, process and operating model.
• Experience leading finance requirements in an ERP or finance systems implementation or change, and working closely with CRM and commercial teams.
• Demonstrable coaching or mentoring of finance professionals, including preparing them for senior stakeholder roles.
• Credible with C-suite and board-level stakeholders, and calm under challenge.
• Hands-on style: willing to do the work as well as direct it.

• Salesforce-to-ERP integration, CPQ or billing system experience.
• Subscription, usage-based or otherwise complex pricing and revenue recognition.
• Experience as an interim, with a track record of fast onboarding and clean handovers.
• Sector experience relevant to edtech and/or B2B SaaS.

• Builds trust quickly and influences without relying on authority.
• Develops others generously and wants the team to succeed without them.
• Pragmatic and focused on outcomes, with good judgement about what to fix now and what to defer.

• 25 days annual leave rising to 30
• 5% pension after probation
• State of the art offices
• Access to a range of benefits via My Benefits World
• Free eye care cover
• Life Assurance
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• EAP (Employee assistance programme)
• Monthly Tes Socials
• Access to an extensive Learning and Development menu