Senior Finance Business Partner

This is a Permanent, Full Time vacancy. The Role

About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues of $18 billion and approximately 60,000 employees. The automotive industry is changing. Better manufacturing, evolving brand loyalty and more lease/buy options than ever are shaping consumer demand and seller behaviour leading to impending unprecedented volumes of used vehicle inventory. That’s where Cox Automotive comes in. We have more than 33,000 team members in 200 locations and are partners to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, engaging consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Closer to home, Cox Automotive Europe is driving the digital transformation of defleet, remarketing and retail operations for our manufacturer, fleet and dealer customers in continental Europe, ROI and the UK. We work in partnership with our customers to provide solutions that improve performance and profitability throughout the vehicle lifecycle today, and to innovate and prepare for the opportunities of tomorrow. As part of Cox Automotive, the world’s largest automotive service organisation, we’re transforming the way the world buys, sells, owns and uses vehicles.

Finance at Cox Automotive Europe

Cox Automotive is organised across 5 solution sets each made up of different companies and brands. Our people work across a matrix organisation and the finance department sits in Corporate Services; a core support function across Europe. This enables the finance department to work closely together as a team, supporting the business in the most effective manner possible. The finance team has responsibility for maintaining the financial records of the business, ensuring appropriate controls and governance measures are in place to minimise risk as well as providing in-depth managing reporting and analytics to drive business decisions. The finance team works closely with Cox Automotive US to provide financial and management information as well as alignment of policies and controls. Further, the Finance team is core to the delivery of strategic change, providing support and challenge through business partnering with all of the business units and functions in the group.

Objectives for Role:

The Senior Finance Business Partner - Operations will be a strong voice in Senior Leadership Team meetings and provide accurate analysis, insight and recommendations to drive improved financial performance aligned with financial and strategic goals. This role, which will have a keen focus on enterprise value creation, is pivotal in driving financial efficiency and is fundamental to supporting the strategic goals of the Cox Automotive Europe group and the Cox Automotive Retail Solutions businesses.

Responsibilities:

• Financial Management: Oversee all financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A): Lead the FP&A function to provide insightful analysis and strategic recommendations. Develop and maintain financial models to support business planning and decision-making.
• Value Generation: Focus on generating value for the business through strategic financial planning and analysis. Identify opportunities for cost savings, revenue enhancement, and operational improvements.
• Investment Management: Manage the content required for the Cox Europe Investment Management decision-making forum. Develop and evaluate business cases for new projects and initiatives. Ensure that all business cases are supported by robust financial analysis and align with the company’s strategic objectives.
• Governance Structure: Implement and maintain a controlled governance structure for financial planning and decision-making. Ensure that all financial activities are conducted within a framework of strong internal controls and compliance.
• Process Improvement: Identify and implement process improvements to enhance financial efficiency and accuracy.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop the finance operations team, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
• Audit and Compliance: Ensure compliance with all financial regulations and standards, including internal controls and audit requirements. The adherence and accuracy of internal resource capitalisation being a key focus area.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely with senior management and other departments to provide financial insights and support strategic decision-making.
• Technology Integration: Leverage advanced financial technology solutions to streamline operations, improve data accuracy, and enhance reporting capabilities. This includes the implementation and management of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, financial analytics tools, and automation technologies.
• Data Management: Ensure robust data governance and management practices are in place to maintain the integrity and security of financial data.
• Risk Management: Identify, assess and manage financial risks, ensuring robust risk mitigation strategies are in place.
• Performance Monitoring: Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track financial performance, measure financial and non-financial outcomes, and track operational efficiency.

Skills & Experience:

• Education: A professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA) is required.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in finance operations, with a preference for at least 5 years in a senior finance position. Experience within a technology-driven environment will be favourable.
• Skills: Strong leadership and team management skills. Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities. Proficiency in financial analysis tools (e.g. Power BI, Tableau) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems (e.g. Coda, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics). Very strong presentation skills – highly proficient in use of MS Office Suite (particularly PowerPoint; Excel) to drive content for value-added conversations with senior leaders. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.