Head of FP&A

Location West Malling / Hybrid
Salary Paying £85k - £95k DOE
Contract Permanent
Job Ref

Location: West Malling (Hybrid working)

Contract: Full time, permanent

Salary: £85k - £95k, plus benefits

Reporting to: Commercial Finance Director

The opportunity

A large, multi-site service organisation, part of a wider group, is looking for a Head of Financial Planning & Analysis to lead planning, forecasting, performance reporting and strategic financial analysis across the business.

You will provide the financial insight behind decisions made by the Commercial Finance Director, CFO, Executive Team and Board. Alongside owning the budget and forecast, you will be the finance lead on acquisitions, growth projects and business cases, and the finance partner to shared service functions including estates, legal and digital.

It will suit an experienced FP&A or commercial finance leader who wants a broad, genuinely strategic remit: someone as comfortable building an acquisition model as presenting the budget to the Board, and keen to set a consistent, data-driven approach to performance management across a complex group.

What you'll be doing

Planning, budgeting and forecasting

  • Lead the annual group budget, setting the timetable, developing top-down targets and consolidating divisional and corporate budgets
  • Review budget assumptions for consistency across the group, and own the shared services budgets
  • Develop and own the group forecasting process, with driver-based models linking operational and financial performance
  • Analyse variances against budget and prior forecasts, and drive improvements in forecast accuracy
  • Prepare budget presentations for the Executive Team and Board

Group reporting and insight

  • Deliver group monthly and weekly management reporting packs, and reporting for the parent company
  • Provide consolidated analysis of performance trends, risks, opportunities and drivers

Growth, M&A and strategic projects

  • Lead financial modelling for acquisition opportunities, supporting due diligence and analysing synergies and returns
  • Oversee financial analysis for development and growth projects, tracking capital expenditure, project cash flows and costs against approved business cases
  • Lead financial evaluation of new business opportunities and support tender reviews and commercial evaluations
  • Prepare Executive and Board papers on acquisitions and growth initiatives

Cost control and governance

  • Maintain group oversight of agency and workforce expenditure, and support annual pay review analysis
  • Lead analysis of cost control initiatives and savings programmes
  • Manage insurance submissions, forecasts and presentations, and support property valuation reviews
  • Produce finance governance presentations and Board papers

Business partnering and systems

  • Provide financial leadership and challenge to shared service functions including estates, legal, digital services and corporate functions
  • Lead the implementation of financial planning and budgeting system modules
  • Drive continual improvement in reporting, systems, controls and data quality

About you

Essential

  • ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified, and degree educated or with equivalent experience
  • Significant experience in FP&A, commercial finance or corporate finance leadership roles
  • Experience of group-level budgeting, forecasting and financial planning
  • Strong financial modelling capability, with advanced Excel
  • Experience supporting strategic projects and acquisitions
  • A track record of producing Board and Executive-level financial presentations
  • Experience managing and developing finance teams
  • A highly commercial mindset, able to turn complex financial information into clear business insight
  • Excellent stakeholder management, presentation and communication skills
  • Strong analytical, organisational and problem-solving skills, with close attention to detail

Desirable

  • Experience in a regulated or multi-site service environment
  • Experience with BI and reporting tools, ideally Power BI

How to apply

Apply with an up-to-date CV, together with your notice period and salary expectations. Suitable applicants will be contacted to discuss the role in more detail, including full information about the organisation.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

Apply now

Consultant

Dan Gladwin

Director