What a Finance Manager typically owns
- Month-end close and reporting ownership
- Team leadership and development
- Systems, process and control improvement
- Budgeting, forecasting and cash management
Typical profile
Qualified or qualified-by-experience, with people management.
Every shortlisted Finance Manager is assessed against the Gravitate Baseline, with the role's technical must-haves agreed in the brief.
Salary guide 2026/27
Qualified hires, permanent base salary excluding bonus and benefits, South West excluding Bristol. Compiled October 2026. How we built these bands.
Get a salary benchmark and a hiring plan.
30 minutes, no obligation. Silver Search has no upfront fee.
Eliot: Finance Manager campaigns go back to my newly qualified desk, and recent placements include a Finance Manager in Gloucester and a Commercial Finance Manager in Bourton-on-the-Water.
Book a callGetting a Finance Manager hire right
Scope varies more than the title
A Finance Manager can be the hands-on lead in a small team or manage managers in a larger function. Write down what they'll own: month-end, systems, payroll, the audit, people, and who they report to.
Leadership evidence
Ask for a specific example of developing a junior team member or handling a performance issue. Supervising tasks and leading people are different, and a CV may not show which they've done.
Why salaries differ
Our band is for qualified Finance Managers. Roles open to part-qualified or qualified-by-experience candidates, or in smaller businesses with a narrower scope, can be advertised below it. Our live Crediton role is an example (see below).
Got a finance role to fill?
A 30-minute call: the role, a salary benchmark, a realistic timeline and which search option fits.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to hire a Finance Manager in the South West?
We run a structured two-stage interview process that targets shortlist to offer within two weeks. Sourcing and screening happen before the shortlist, and the timeline relies on prompt interview slots and decisions on your side. The start date then depends on the candidate's notice period, so allow for that in your plan.
What salary should I offer a Finance Manager in Devon or the South West?
Our Gravitate South West salary guide 2026/27 puts a qualified Finance Manager at £52k–£70k base in an SME and £60k–£80k in a larger or group business, excluding bonus and benefits. Sector, scope and qualification move it within that range, so we benchmark every role on the first call.
How much does it cost to recruit a Finance Manager?
Fees are agreed per role and depend on whether you choose Platinum, Gold or Silver Search. Silver Search has no upfront fee. Book a call and we'll share our terms.
Which areas do you cover?
Exeter, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bath. We don't actively cover Bristol.