Head of Finance - Commercial Finance Leadership | Aldenham Estate

Help Shape the Future of One of Hertfordshire’s Most Diverse Family-Owned Estates

Not every Head of Finance role is simply about reporting the numbers.

Some are about helping shape the future of a business.

This is one of them.

Aldenham Estate is a long-established, family-owned business with a diverse portfolio spanning residential and commercial property, London Elstree Aerodrome, Home Farm Glamping, farming, events and sustainable land management.

As the Estate continues to evolve, we are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Head of Finance to join the leadership team.

This is an opportunity to influence strategic decisions, strengthen commercial performance and modernise the finance function - while remaining close enough to the detail to make a genuine impact.

If you are equally comfortable producing insightful financial reporting, challenging assumptions, supporting investment decisions and driving business improvement, we would love to hear from you.

The Role at a Glance

Head of Finance
Aldenham Estate | Elstree, Hertfordshire
Predominantly On-Site with Flexibility
£85,000–£100,000 DOE
Full Time | Permanent

Reporting to: Directors / Owners

Business: Diversified Family-Owned Estate | Property | Aviation | Glamping | Events | Farming | Sustainable Land Management

Your Background / Skills: Finance Leadership, Commercial Finance, Strategic Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting, Cash Flow Management, Business Improvement, Finance Systems, Multi-Entity Accounting and Stakeholder Management

Culture: Informal, flexible and family-friendly, with an emphasis on outcomes, collaboration and connection to the wider Estate

About Aldenham Estate

Located in Elstree, Hertfordshire, on London’s northern doorstep, Aldenham Estate has been farming, developing and diversifying since the early 1600s.

Today, the Estate brings together residential and commercial property, London Elstree Aerodrome, Home Farm Glamping, farming, events, filming locations and sustainable land management.

Operating through a number of companies, partnerships and trusts, the Estate combines deep-rooted family ownership with an ambitious approach to long-term stewardship.

Its vision is to ensure sustainability on all fronts - increasing biodiversity, creating employment space and making the Estate more accessible through new amenities, activities and events.

The Estate is now investing in stronger financial systems, reporting and controls to support its next phase of sustainable growth.

The Opportunity

This is not a traditional Head of Finance role focused purely on governance and historic reporting.

You will become a trusted adviser to the Directors, helping shape commercial decisions while leading the finance function through its next phase of development.

Working alongside an experienced finance team, you will lead strategic financial direction, business planning, commercial performance and systems transformation across a varied, multi-entity organisation.

You will also remain hands-on when required, ensuring financial information is accurate, meaningful and capable of supporting confident decision-making.

A key priority will be strengthening management information and leading the replacement of Sage 50, including improved integration with Re-Leased and clearer, more consistent finance processes.

Where You’ll Add Value

Strategic and Commercial Leadership

• Shape and deliver the Estate’s financial strategy
• Advise and constructively challenge Directors on commercial decisions
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability, cash generation and return on investment
• Evaluate investments, new income streams and commercial risks

Performance and Insight

• Deliver meaningful management information, commercial KPIs and Board reporting
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, scenario planning and cash flow management
• Improve the quality and timeliness of financial insight across the Estate
• Help operational leaders understand performance and make better decisions

Finance Transformation

• Lead the replacement of Sage 50 and its integration with Re-Leased
• Strengthen financial reporting, controls, procedures and systems
• Manage implementation, data migration, testing and reconciliation
• Introduce scalable processes that improve efficiency and resilience

Governance and Financial Control

• Maintain robust controls and compliance across companies, partnerships and trusts
• Oversee management accounts, statutory reporting, treasury and working capital
• Manage relationships with banks, auditors, tax advisers and professional partners
• Ensure Directors receive accurate, timely and commercially relevant information

Team Leadership and Business Partnership

• Lead and develop the finance team
• Build trusted relationships across the Estate’s operational businesses
• Promote commercial awareness, accountability and continuous improvement
• Create a collaborative finance culture that supports and challenges the wider business

About You

You are an experienced finance leader who wants to contribute to the commercial direction of a business - not simply report historic results.

Commercially curious and pragmatic, you will be comfortable navigating a family-owned, multi-entity environment where everything may not fit neatly into a standard corporate structure.

You will be equally confident presenting to Directors, evaluating investments, improving systems and rolling up your sleeves when required.

You’ll Likely Bring

• ACA, ACCA, CIMA or an equivalent professional qualification
• Significant post-qualification experience in a senior finance leadership role
• Strong commercial finance expertise spanning budgeting, forecasting, cash flow and investment appraisal
• Hands-on experience producing management accounts, Board reporting and financial analysis
• Experience operating across a multi-entity structure
• Strong knowledge of financial controls, governance and statutory reporting
• Experience improving finance systems, reporting and internal controls
• Experience implementing or replacing finance platforms
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills
• A pragmatic, collaborative and hands-on approach
• Experience within property, estates, hospitality, leisure, aviation, farming or another asset-rich organisation would be valuable.
• Knowledge of Sage 50, Re-Leased, partial exemption VAT or cloud-based finance systems would also be beneficial.

Why Join Aldenham Estate?

Rather than supporting one straightforward trading business, you will work across property, aviation, hospitality, events, farming and sustainable land management - creating genuine variety and commercial interest.

You’ll enjoy:

• £85,000–£100,000, depending on experience
• A commercially influential leadership position
• Direct access to the owners and Directors
• The opportunity to lead a significant finance transformation
• Exposure to a diverse, multi-entity Estate
• Autonomy to improve systems, reporting and decision-making
• An informal, flexible and family-friendly culture
• A long-term opportunity within an established organisation

Your Experience May Include
Head of Finance, Finance Director, Financial Controller, Group Financial Controller, Head of Commercial Finance, Commercial Finance Manager, Senior Finance Manager, Finance Business Partner or Finance Lead.

Apply Now

If you are looking for a senior finance leadership role where you can influence strategic decisions, lead meaningful change and help shape the future of a diverse family-owned Estate, we would love to hear from you.

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