Universal Containers is a successful, family-owned business supplying containers for sale, hire and conversion. With turnover approaching £20m, the business is profitable, well-established and poised for its next stage of growth. This is a pivotal moment to join the company as its first Finance Director, playing a central role in shaping the future of the business while working closely with its owners.
The Opportunity
This is a genuinely influential board-level role for a hands-on, commercially minded Finance Director who wants to make a real difference. Universal Containers is at the point where stronger data, sharper insight and more scalable systems will unlock better decision-making and support sustainable growth.
You will be a trusted adviser to the owner, bringing clarity, challenge and structure to a growing owner-managed SME, while remaining close to the commercial and operational realities of a stock-intensive business.
The Role
As Finance Director, you will lead the finance function and act as a confident, constructive voice at board level. Your focus will be on strengthening the financial backbone of the business and enabling smarter, faster decisions as the company grows. Key responsibilities include:
- Acting as a core member of the Board, providing clear financial insight, robust analysis and constructive commercial challenge
- Reviewing, upgrading and implementing ERP and finance systems, alongside processes, controls and reporting
- Designing and delivering high-quality management information that genuinely supports commercial and operational decision-making
- Full ownership of budgeting, forecasting, cashflow and working capital, with particular emphasis on stock
- Developing and leading a capable, engaged finance team
- Supporting growth initiatives, operational improvements and longer-term strategic planning
About You
You will be a commercially astute, pragmatic finance leader who enjoys being involved, visible and influential. Comfortable operating in an owner-managed environment, you will know how to challenge effectively while building trust and credibility.
You are likely to bring:
- Proven experience operating at Finance Director level in a £15–30m turnover business
- Strong background in stock-based operations and working capital management
- Clear, hands-on experience of implementing and improving finance and ERP systems
- The confidence to influence owners and senior stakeholders using strong data and insight
- A practical mindset, balancing control, pace and commercial reality
This is an outstanding opportunity for a Finance Director who wants to combine commercial impact, systems expertise and board-level influence in a growing SME – and leave a lasting imprint on a business with clear ambition and momentum.
Pratap Partnership are working exclusively with Universal Containers on this appointment, please contact Gillian McBride for further details,