At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and optimise Anaplan models for financial planning and reporting.
- Company: Join Aberdeen, a leading Wealth & Investments group in the UK.
- Benefits: Enjoy 40 days annual leave, private healthcare, and a generous pension contribution.
- Other info: Flexible working environment with a focus on inclusivity and personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in finance with cutting-edge technology and a supportive team.
- Qualifications: Must have Anaplan Level 3 certification and experience in model building.
At Aberdeen, our ambition is to be the UK’s leading Wealth & Investments group. Strengthening talent and culture is one of our strategic priorities. We strive to make Aberdeen a great place to work so that we can attract and retain the industry’s best talent. Our people put our stakeholders at the heart of everything they do by helping us to make a positive difference to the lives of our clients, customers, colleagues, shareholders, and society.
We are focused on growing our direct and advised wealth platforms and repositioning our specialist asset management business to meet client demand. We are committed to providing excellent client service, supported by leading technology and talent.
Aberdeen comprises three businesses, interactive investor (ii), Investments, and Adviser, each of which focuses on meeting and adapting to our clients evolving needs:
- Interactive investor, the UK’s second largest direct-to-consumer investment platform, enables individuals in the UK to plan, save, and invest in the way that works for them.
- Our Adviser business provides financial planning solutions and technology for UK financial advisers, enabling them to create value for their customers.
- Our Investments business is a specialist asset manager that focuses on areas where we have both strength and scale to capitalise on the key themes shaping the market, through either public markets or alternative asset classes.
About the department: Aberdeen’s Finance Squad sits within the Corporate Technology Office, responsible for managing Aberdeen's core Finance systems with Anaplan being one of its Strategic tools of choice. Aberdeen is also live with Oracle Financials (GL, AP, AR, FA) & Oracle ERP Cloud solutions (Fusion), and Enterprise Performance Management (EPM). We have an exciting roadmap ahead of us to further enhance our systems architecture over the next 3 years and embed and enhance ways of working.
About the role: We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Anaplan Analyst with deep expertise in Anaplan model building and strong experience in Cloud-based applications. This role will focus on designing, maintaining, and optimizing financial and operational planning models, while leveraging cloud technologies to deliver scalable and efficient solutions.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design, build, maintain and optimise enterprise-scale Anaplan models across finance planning use cases such as budgeting, forecasting, cost centre planning, workforce planning, scenario modelling and management reporting.
- Translate business requirements into scalable Anaplan solutions, working closely with Finance stakeholders, Product Owners, SMEs and technology teams.
- Apply Anaplan best-practice model design principles, including DISCO, PLANS, model optimisation, scalability, sparsity management and maintainability.
- Design and support Anaplan integrations, including data hubs, imports, exports, APIs, CloudWorks or Anaplan Connect, ensuring appropriate reconciliation and control processes are in place.
- Own production model support, issue resolution, release management and continuous improvement activity across the Anaplan estate.
- Manage testing activity across unit testing, system integration testing, regression testing, user acceptance testing, defect triage and financial reconciliation.
- Support Anaplan governance and security, including role-based access, selective access, change controls, auditability and compliance with internal technology standards.
- Provide technical assurance for Anaplan changes, challenging requirements where appropriate and ensuring solutions are robust, scalable and aligned to the wider Finance systems roadmap.
- Produce clear documentation, training materials and support guidance for business users and technology teams.
- Mentor and support junior model builders or analysts, sharing Anaplan best practice and helping improve team capability.
About the candidate:
- Anaplan certification and expertise: Anaplan Level 3 Model Builder certification is essential, with demonstrable experience building, maintaining and optimising complex enterprise-scale Anaplan models.
- Best-practice model design: Strong practical knowledge of Anaplan best-practice design principles, including DISCO, PLANS, model optimisation, sparsity management, scalability and maintainability.
- Finance planning and systems experience: Proven experience delivering Anaplan solutions across finance or enterprise planning use cases, such as budgeting, forecasting, workforce planning, management reporting and scenario modelling.
- Integration, governance and controls: Experience with Anaplan integrations, data hubs, imports, exports, APIs, CloudWorks or Anaplan Connect, alongside strong understanding of access controls, change management and release governance.
- Stakeholder and delivery capability: Confident working with Finance stakeholders, Product Owners, SMEs and technology teams, with strong analytical, problem-solving, documentation and mentoring skills.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer. Therefore, if you have a disability and would like to apply to one of our UK roles under the Disability Confident Scheme, please notify us by completing the relevant section in our candidate questionnaire and one of our team will reach out to support you through your application process.
Our benefits: There's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported. When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount portal.
An inclusive way of working: Whatever way you like to work, if you have the talent and commitment to join our team, we’d like to hear from you. At Aberdeen we’ve adopted a blended working approach. This approach combines the benefits of face-to-face collaboration, coaching and connecting in our offices with the flexibility of working from home. It enables colleagues to find a balance that works for their roles, their teams, our clients and our business.
An inclusive culture, where diverse perspectives drive our actions, is at the core of who we are and what we do. If you need assistance with your application, or a reasonable adjustment to your interview arrangements for example, because you are neurodivergent, or have a physical, sensory, cognitive, mental, visible or invisible disability please let us know and we’ll be happy to help. We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment.
Senior Anaplan Model Builder (LvL 3 Certified) - Edinburgh, London employer: aberdeen
Join a forward-thinking company in Edinburgh that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. With an impressive benefits package including 40 days of annual leave and flexible perks, we foster a supportive work culture that values innovation and collaboration. Our commitment to compliance and excellence in AML practices ensures that you will be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Anaplan Model Builder (LvL 3 Certified) - Edinburgh, London
✨Tip Number 1: Tap Into Professional Networks
The finance world loves a good connection, so jump into industry-specific groups on platforms like LinkedIn where you can find discussions on financial controlling. Engaging in these communities can expose you to hidden job leads that aren't openly advertised!
✨Tip Number 2: Attend Finance Events and Conferences
Make it a mission to attend finance-related events and conferences, even virtual ones! This is a golden opportunity to network face-to-face with people from companies like aberdeen. You never know who might be your next boss or a crucial contact!
✨Tip Number 3: Showcase Your Expertise
Consider writing articles or sharing insights related to financial controlling or industry trends. Publish these on platforms like LinkedIn to establish yourself as a knowledgeable player in the field. This not only increases your visibility but also catches the attention of recruiters from aberdeen.
✨Tip Number 4: Apply Directly on Company Websites
Since you're going for a full-time gig, don't forget to keep an eye on the careers page of companies you're interested in, like aberdeen. Many companies prefer candidates who apply through their website as it shows genuine interest and makes your application stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Anaplan Model Builder (LvL 3 Certified) - Edinburgh, London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers Game:In financial controlling, detail is everything! Make sure your CV showcases your proficiency with numbers—highlight any relevant experience in budgeting, forecasting, or working with financial software. Quantifying your past achievements will make you stand out, so don’t be shy about flaunting those impressive percentages or cost savings you've implemented.
Tailored Cover Letter is Key:Your cover letter is a chance to shine, especially for a full-time role. Use it to express your genuine interest in aberdeen and the specific impact you hope to make in financial controlling. Mention any relevant qualifications or experiences that align with the company’s goals, and don’t forget to show that you're ready for a long-term commitment!
Certifications Matter:List relevant certifications such as ACCA or CIMA on your CV. These qualifications not only showcase your dedication to the field but also your technical competence in financial principles. If you have any ongoing training or courses, make sure to mention those as well to demonstrate your commitment to continual learning in financial controlling.
Don’t Overlook Soft Skills:While numbers are crucial, so are those soft skills! Financial controllers need strong communication and analytical reasoning abilities. We recommend embedding examples of these skills in your CV and cover letter, like how you’ve successfully delivered financial reports to stakeholders or collaborated with teams to improve processes. Let’s show aberdeen how you can be a team player!
How to prepare for a job interview at aberdeen
✨Brush Up on Technical Skills
Make sure you're comfortable with key financial concepts, especially around forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis. Sometimes, interviewers may throw in technical questions or case studies, so practicing these types of scenarios will help you shine!
✨Showcase Your Financial Acumen
If you've had experience with specific financial software like SAP or Oracle, make it known! Be ready to discuss how you used these tools to improve processes or reporting, as this hands-on knowledge can really set you apart in a full-time role with aberdeen.
✨Know Your Numbers
In full-time interviews, especially in financial controlling, be prepared for numerical reasoning tests or questions. Brush up on your mental maths and understand how to interpret and analyse financial statements on the spot, as this may come up during the assessment.
✨Connect with Company Goals
Familiarise yourself with aberdeen's financial objectives and any recent developments. During the interview, try to weave your understanding of their business model and challenges into your answers—this shows your genuine interest and alignment with their goals!
