JOB SUMMARY
At Atrium, we value dynamic, creative individuals with a passion for learning and a commitment to our “One Team” spirit, which sits at the heart of how we work. With roots deeply embedded in design and architecture, we believe that quality of light shapes quality of life and this principle drives both our culture and our craft. Our working environment is built on creativity, collaboration and technical excellence, enabling us to deliver lighting solutions that make a genuine difference to colleagues, customers and the projects we support. As a family-owned business with ambitious growth plans, we combine entrepreneurial agility with long-term thinking, a strong commitment to people, and a belief that better information leads to better decisions.
The Chief Financial Officer will be a key member of Atrium's Leadership Team, working in close partnership with the CEO and COO to shape the future direction of the business. This is a broad executive leadership role extending beyond traditional finance. It combines strategic leadership, commercial performance, financial discipline, governance and controls, operational support, data-led decision making and organisational development.
The successful candidate will be an experienced financial leader with the ambition and capability to become a significant contributor to the long-term leadership of the business. They will combine strong financial judgement with a hands-on approach, high integrity, commercial curiosity, emotional intelligence and a genuine interest in people, innovation, wellbeing and growth.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership
- Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO, COO and Leadership Team, providing sound financial, commercial and operational counsel.
- Contribute to long-term business strategy, succession planning and the development of Atrium as a scalable, insight-led organisation.
- Support growth initiatives, investment decisions, acquisitions, strategic partnerships and major commercial opportunities.
- Help develop leadership capability across the organisation, ensuring managers have the financial confidence, information and accountability required to make better decisions.
- Demonstrate the ambition and capability to become a significant long-term contributor to the overall leadership and future direction of the business.
Financial Leadership
- Develop and implement the company's financial strategy in line with business objectives and growth ambitions.
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and scenario modelling across the business.
- Produce timely, accurate and insightful monthly management accounts, Board reporting, KPI reporting and performance commentary.
- Actively manage and report on daily, weekly and monthly cash flow performance, ensuring clear visibility of liquidity, working capital requirements and funding headroom.
- Develop and monitor cash flow forecasts, budgets and performance targets, identifying opportunities to improve cash generation and optimise working capital.
- Own banking relationships, financing facilities, liquidity planning and relationships with external financial advisers.
- Oversee debtor collections, creditor payments, inventory investment, foreign currency exposure and supplier payment terms to maximise cash performance.
- Provide commercial analysis and financial insight to support pricing, margin improvement, profitability, resource allocation and investment decisions.
- Lead external audit, statutory reporting, tax compliance and other financial regulatory requirements.
Governance, Controls & Risk
- Establish and maintain a robust internal control environment that provides appropriate checks, balances, transparency and accountability across the organisation.
- Ensure strong financial governance, operational controls, compliance processes and risk management frameworks are in place and actively monitored.
- Identify, assess and mitigate financial, legal, commercial, operational, systems, cyber, supplier and people-related risks.
- Ensure compliance with all relevant statutory, tax, regulatory, employment and corporate obligations.
- Oversee insurance programmes, legal matters, contractual risk and relationships with external professional advisers.
- Provide appropriate challenge to business decisions where required, balancing entrepreneurial pace with disciplined decision-making and proper control.
Commercial Performance & Growth
- Support pricing, margin improvement, profitability analysis and resource allocation decisions across projects, brands, channels and functions.
- Develop KPI frameworks and performance measurement systems that enable more disciplined business management.
- Promote evidence-based decision making using clear data, meaningful insights and practical commercial analysis.
- Partner with departmental managers to improve financial awareness, accountability and commercial judgement.
- Support contract negotiations, supplier agreements, customer terms, rebate arrangements and commercial models where financial expertise is required.
Inventory, Procurement & Working Capital
- Provide executive oversight of procurement policies, supplier management and purchasing disciplines.
- Develop inventory management strategies that optimise stock availability, customer service levels and working capital efficiency while minimising excess, slow-moving and obsolete stock risk.
- Work closely with procurement, operations and sales teams to balance product availability, lead times, supplier commitments and cash flow requirements.
- Support commercial negotiations with key suppliers to optimise cost price, payment terms, currency exposure, supply continuity and overall return on stock investment.
- Ensure stock reporting and inventory KPIs provide clear visibility of value, movement, risk and future purchasing requirements.
Insight, Data & Digital Transformation
- Champion business intelligence, data-led management and improved management information across Atrium.
- Support ERP optimisation, reporting automation and appropriate AI or digital initiatives that improve efficiency, accuracy and visibility.
- Ensure IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, business systems and data quality support operational excellence and future growth.
- Lead or sponsor continuous improvement projects that simplify processes, reduce manual work and improve decision speed.
People, Culture & Values
- Oversee HR and talent development activities, ensuring Atrium attracts, develops and retains high-quality people.
- Support recruitment, onboarding, performance management, succession planning, engagement and leadership development.
- Champion and embody Atrium's values, promoting a culture of integrity, accountability, collaboration, curiosity, continuous improvement, care for people and long-term thinking.
- Promote a positive, values-led and high-performing culture that reflects Atrium's family-owned identity and growth ambitions.
- Act as a visible, approachable and trusted senior leader across the business.
Operational Support Functions
- Provide executive oversight and strategic leadership of Finance, HR, IT & Business Systems, Procurement, Facilities and Legal.
- Ensure these functions are appropriately resourced, professionally managed, efficient and aligned with Atrium's long-term growth objectives.
- Work alongside the COO in the day-to-day management of the business, supporting operational decision-making and driving business performance.
- Oversee company premises and facilities to ensure safe, compliant, efficient and cost-effective operations.
- Support continuous improvement projects that enhance operational efficiency, service quality, profitability and scalability.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of duties. The need for flexibility is required and the post holder is expected to carry out any other related duties that are within the employee's skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Qualified accountant: ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Significant senior finance leadership experience
- Strong cash flow, working capital and commercial finance expertise
- Experience managing governance, internal controls, risk and compliance
- Experience leading or influencing multifunctional teams
- Ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on and close to the detail
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management and leadership skills
- Distribution, wholesale, import, project-led or related sector experience
- Inventory management and stock optimisation experience
- ERP, business systems, automation or digital transformation experience
- Experience with banking facilities, foreign currency exposure or supplier-finance considerations
Personal Qualities
- High integrity and accountability
- Commercially curious beyond finance
- Hands-on and pragmatic
- Collaborative team player
- Emotionally intelligent communicator
- Growth-oriented and ambitious
- Comfortable with ambiguity
- Interested in innovation and human performance
What We Offer
- 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
- Dedicated wellbeing leave
- Paid volunteering leave
- Private medical insurance
- Competitive pension scheme
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Enhanced parental leave benefits
- Access to Perkbox discounts and rewards
Along with a range of additional benefits designed to support your wellbeing, development and work-life balance.
If interested, please email Preena Devshi with your CV at preena.devshi@atrium.ltd.uk
Atrium is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, colour, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, or veteran status.
