Automotive Finance Director Recruitment

Automotive Finance Director

FD Capital recruits Finance Directors and CFOs for UK automotive businesses — vehicle manufacturers and OEMs, tier-one and tier-two automotive suppliers, dealership groups and dealer networks, automotive retail businesses, EV and mobility technology companies, and automotive aftermarket businesses. Automotive finance is a specialist discipline: the combination of OEM supply chain financial complexity, dealer network economics, the rapid structural shift to electric vehicles, and the working capital dynamics of vehicle distribution creates a finance leadership brief that differs materially from general manufacturing or retail finance. Adrian Lawrence FCA, founder of FD Capital and a Fellow of the ICAEW, leads our senior finance recruitment practice.

Call 020 3287 9501 or email recruitment@fdcapital.co.uk. Shortlists within three to five working days.

What Makes Automotive Finance Distinctive

OEM and supply chain commercial complexity

Automotive supply chain businesses — supplying to Jaguar Land Rover, Stellantis, BMW, Toyota, Nissan and the other OEMs operating in the UK — face commercial finance complexity that is specific to the sector. OEM customer contracts are long-term relationships with annual price-down obligations, annual productivity improvement requirements, and detailed cost transparency that gives the OEM significant visibility into the supplier’s cost base. The Finance Director must manage the commercial negotiation with OEM customers, model the long-term profitability of major programme wins under different volume and pricing scenarios, and maintain the financial discipline required to achieve the productivity improvements the OEM contract requires year on year. This commercial finance capability is distinct from general manufacturing finance and is best developed through direct supply chain experience.

Dealer network and automotive retail economics

Automotive dealer groups and franchise networks have financial dynamics that are genuinely unlike any other retail sector. The combination of vehicle stocking finance (floorplan), manufacturer bonus and target structures, aftersales parts and service margin, used vehicle reconditioning and disposal, and the financial impact of manufacturer tactical support programmes creates a P&L structure that requires a Finance Director who has worked in the sector to interpret correctly. Dealer group Finance Directors must understand the economics of each profit centre — new vehicle sales, used vehicles, aftersales, finance and insurance — and the interactions between them, particularly how manufacturer bonus achievement drives total dealership profitability in ways that are not immediately obvious from the face of the accounts.

EV transition financial modelling

The transition to electric vehicles is creating both significant capital investment requirements and short-term margin pressure across the automotive value chain. OEMs are absorbing substantial losses on early EV programmes while ICE volumes decline faster than planned. Tier-one suppliers are investing in EV capability while ICE programme revenues reduce on accelerated timelines. Dealer networks are managing EV inventory economics — including higher stocking costs, slower turn rates in some regions, and customer education requirements — alongside the transition away from traditional aftersales revenue streams. Finance Directors who can model these dynamics, stress-test the business against different EV adoption scenarios, and advise the board on the capital allocation implications of the transition are in high demand across the automotive sector.

Working capital and supply chain financing

Automotive businesses — particularly component manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers — face working capital challenges from the combination of OEM extended payment terms, high inventory requirements to support JIT (just-in-time) delivery obligations, and significant tooling and capital investment tied to specific vehicle programmes. Supply chain financing programmes (reverse factoring) are common in the sector, and the Finance Director must understand both the working capital benefit and the accounting treatment of these arrangements under IFRS, following the IASB’s narrow-scope amendments that restrict the off-balance-sheet treatment previously used.

Automotive Finance Director Roles FD Capital Places

FD Capital places Finance Directors and CFOs across the automotive sector — at OEM supply chain businesses, dealer groups, automotive aftermarket companies, EV technology businesses, and automotive-focused PE portfolio companies. We place permanent Finance Directors, fractional Finance Directors for businesses below the scale where a full-time appointment is justified, and interim Finance Directors for transformation support, vacancy cover, or specific programme requirements.

Automotive Finance Director Salary Guide UK 2026

Related Sector and Senior Finance Services

Related pages: Manufacturing Finance Directors | Engineering Finance Directors | Technology Finance Directors | Fractional Finance Director | Interim Finance Director | Fractional CFO | CFO Executive Search