Jason Sinclair Email & Phone Number

London, Gb

Howarth Timber Group Ltd are one of the largest independent timber groups in the country with turnover now in excess of £200m p.a. The Group operates a dock facility near Hull as well as 31 merchant branches, throughout the country. As Group Finance Director, responsibilities range from leading business development and strategy as part of the Senior Management Team to establishing corporate controls as well as day to day accounting issues. Key responsibilities include:• Lead contact for external professional services; I have built excellent working relationships with external auditors, bankers, insurers and pension administrators; all ensure these add value to the business.• Consolidation of all business unit accounts for internal and external stakeholders.• Internal audit• Budgeting & Strategic planning• Cash management and working capital control• Pension Trustee on the Group Defined Benefit Scheme• Finance Officer for industry body, the Institute of Builders Merchants since Dec 2015.Key Achievements• Modernised the accounting function and changed the perception of the finance function within the business developing KPIs for the shareholders which are continuously reviewed and developed.• Undertook due diligence on several acquisition targets, four of which led to the target business being bought both either on an asset-only basis or full share purchase basis.• Created internal audit team within six months of joining the company and set up full internal audit process including re-writing a full set of procedures for branches to follow.• Saved over £100k p.a. on insurance following a successful broking exercise and negotiated a 25% reduction in audit fees, shortly after joining the business.• Recovered over £2.7m in an insurance claim following a flood at one of the sites.• Identified poor accounting practise in one of the subsidiaries leading to the decision to close the business to avoid continuing losses.

Reporting to the Group Finance Director for Manheim Europe, I joined Manheim as a member of the European Board. I am responsible for the Accounting functions for all business units in Europe. Based in 6 different European countries and comprising 14 separate balance sheets, the European business had turnover of approximately £60m in 2008. The businesses in Europe are in most cases Joint Venture Partnerships, with Manheim having the controlling interest in each one. This requires me to proactively manage a number of significant relationships with our Partners in these businesses. The role involves significant European travel, dealing with local Managing Directors, finance staff and JV Partners, providing financial and commercial advice to the European Board. Key AchievementsI restructured the Finance Team in Europe to ensure strong finance personnel in all European business units. This has resulted in stronger financial management across Europe.Under my leadership, I ensured more 'buy-in' of group policies by local management that had previously been lacking, thereby creating improved control.I have led the development of a 5 year European Strategy to give a clear direction for business development across 6 countries. I introduced new budget models allowing focus on the balance sheet as well as cash and we were able to budget against working capital targets for the first time.Development and implementation of a 'Finance Manual' to the European business to ensure standardisation of commercial and business practice.I introduced a risk management system and risk register to assess and proactively manage business risk. I implemented 3 day reporting (down from 6 days) as per Cox required change. This has halved the reporting time whilst maintaining the quality of accounting information.

part of the Cape PLC Group, a £450m turnover group. The business is focused on the provision of Industrial Services, primarily scaffold and insulation supplies, to the petrochemical and gas industries.; Reporting to the Group Financial Director, responsible for the accounting of all international business units covering approximately 20 countries, primarily in the Middle East, Far East and former Russian states. In 2007, the international business had turnover of approximately £150m and profits of £15m.The role involved significant amount of international travel, dealing with senior operational management and accounting staff from a number of different cultures and backgrounds. In addition, I managed a team of 6 at the Head office in Wakefield and 2 regional Financial Controllers.Key Achievements:In the first 6 months I undertook a review and risk assessment of financial controls with the ultimate outcome being secured approval from the Group Board to replace the current accounting systems for a more robust alternative.I was a key member of the negotiation team dealing with changing ownership laws in Qatar and the resultant improvements in the partnership structure with our local sponsorCape achieved full tax compliance in all countries in 2007. I organised the first worldwide Cape Finance Conference in 2006, gathering together accountants from over 20 different countries, representing several nationalities, enabling me to deliver several key messages regarding Accounting Standards, Behavioural and Ethical policy and audit practise as well as make every accountant feel part of Cape PLC. Between 2005 and 2008, I was a Pension trustee for one of Cape's Pension schemes and helped achieve Pension compliance over the last 3 years.

Reporting to the Group Finance Director, I was responsible for managing the UK Finance function. This included the Financial and Management Accounting department; purchase ledger, credit control, wages, fleet and IT department, covering over 35 staff. The UK Division covered 10 key depots throughout the country and in 2005 had a turnover of £160m.Key Achievements:In 2002-3, we had a full Inland Revenue payroll audit. With an annual payroll of over £70m, complicated by numerous separate union agreements, we were subject to tax and penalties of less than £50k. This was achieved by careful management of the audit, establishing and effective relationship with the auditors and ensuring the availability of all required information. Successful implementation of new review systems and changes to working practice that improved cash flow. In addition, I formed strategic relationships with key suppliers to allow us additional flexibility in our cash management which also ensured no disruption to the supply chain. The result was that Cape remained within its banking covenants.I provided 'added value' to the Cape business using my financial role to underpin and complement commercial development. An example of this was working for a number of days on site with operational staff identifying works that had been carried out but not invoiced, resulting in £100k being recovered that would not otherwise have been invoiced.Key Responsibilities included:Working capital managementFinancial reporting and balance sheet controlAudit management for UK businessCommercial contract analysis and area reviewsCapital expenditure controlStaff managementKey contact for auditors on UK business units

I joined Malton Bacon Factory as a Trainee accountant, completing my CIMA exams within 2 years, qualifying in 1994. After 2 years in the Financial Accounts departmentconsolidating my studies, I was seconded to the Export Sales team to install a computerised stock system to control all frozen stocks in 3 locations.In August 1995 I was promoted to Financial Accountant, where I had complete responsibility for the balance sheet and profit and loss, reporting monthly to St Ivel, the parent company. I was also responsible for the purchase ledger, sales ledger and wages departments, managing 15 staff. In 1998 I moved in to a commercial role, the primary function being to pull together the budget for all 9 factory sites. The company's turnover was in the region of £600m at the time. In Spring 1999 I was seconded to the SAP implementation team, responsible for the Financial (FI) Module. The project involved the complete overhaul of the accounting system.

Ba Hons; A' Levels: Accountancy, B; B, Accounting; Law; Economics, C Business Studies

2:1, Accounting

O'Levels / Gcse'S

Education record