Manager, Finance Operations

Job Description Reports to: Managing Principal Type: Full-time The Manager, Finance Operations is the operational and technical leader of Charles Ardor. You will lead client delivery across the firm's full service portfolio, manage our technical team, and serve as the primary point of contact for our clients. This is a leadership position with genuine ownership. You are responsible for the quality, timeliness, and consistency of everything the firm delivers — and you have the authority to make the day-to-day decisions that keep it running. What this looks like in practice: You are the senior point of contact for all clients. You manage relationships, set expectations, and handle conversations about scope, timelines, and deliverables directly. You are responsible for the quality of all client-facing work. Associates and analysts report to you, and their output is reviewed and approved by you before it reaches a client. You manage how work flows through the firm — from setting up a new engagement to ensuring monthly deliverables are completed on time and to standard across the full client portfolio. You lead and develop a small technical team of associates and analysts. You set the standard, coach your team to meet it, hold people accountable, and build their capacity over time. You have the autonomy to make decisions about client delivery, team allocation, and engagement management without seeking approval on routine matters. You meet with the Managing Principal weekly to share the state of play across all engagements, flag what requires strategic input, and align on priorities. This is a role for someone who wants to own outcomes and shape how a growing practice operates — not simply execute within an existing structure. Requirements Qualifications and Experience: ACA, ACCA, or equivalent professional qualification 5 to 10 years of post-qualification experience in accounting, audit, advisory, or finance operations Demonstrated experience managing client relationships independently — not supporting or assisting, but owning the relationship Experience reviewing the work of others and maintaining a consistent quality standard Experience managing or supervising a team Skills and Attributes: Strong operational thinking — you naturally organise work into systems, workflows, and repeatable processes Comfortable with technology and experienced in using project management and accounting software to manage work efficiently Naturally curious — when you encounter something unfamiliar, your instinct is to investigate and resolve it independently Able to have direct, professional conversations with clients about scope, payment, and expectations while maintaining the relationship Proactive — you identify what needs to be done and act on it without waiting for direction Committed to developing people, not just correcting their output Organised, dependable, and consistent in follow-through Preferred (Not Required): Background in a professional services firm (Big Four, mid-tier, or similar) Familiarity with Zoho Books and Zoho Projects Experience with Nigerian payroll (PAYE, pension, NHF, NSITF, ITF) and tax compliance (VAT, WHT etc.) Experience working with SMEs and founder-led businesses Active use of AI tools in a professional context Benefits A senior leadership role with direct ownership of client delivery and team performance A close working relationship with the Managing Principal — direct access, clear communication, and meaningful input into firm-level decisions The opportunity to shape how a growing practice operates, with your contribution visible in both the team's development and the firm's trajectory A structured, technology-forward working environment with defined systems and processes A clear path as the most senior operational leader in the firm Hybrid working — two days in the office, remote the rest of the week Paid annual leave