Role Overview
Deputy Finance Director – Fixed term (6–12months) located in Green Park, Reading (free onsite parking). The role supports the Finance Director in stabilising and strengthening a complex finance function during a period of transformation and programme delivery.
Responsibilities
- Assist the Finance Director in stabilising and strengthening the finance function through a period of transformation.
- Rapidly assimilate AWE’s financial position at a strategic level, providing insightful analysis and highlighting key risks, issues and opportunities to senior stakeholders.
- Ensure delivery of accurate, timely and high‑quality financial and management reporting.
- Drive the integrity and consistency of financial data, ensuring a single version of the truth across corporate systems.
- Ensure financial data is effectively structured to enable informed decision‑making.
- Provide technical accounting expertise across UK GAAP and IFRS.
- Partner with the Finance Director to define and implement a target operating model.
- Drive improvements in performance, accountability and outputs.
- Identify inefficiencies and support resolution of capability gaps.
Qualifications
- Qualified, impact‑oriented Finance Director‑level leader experienced in complex, multi‑entity environments (ACA, CIMA or ACCA).
- Demonstrated experience partnering with executive leadership teams and board stakeholders.
- Strong track record in finance transformation, process improvement and performance uplift.
- Deep expertise in financial reporting, governance and control frameworks.
- Strong analytical capability with the ability to translate financial data into clear, actionable insight.
- Decisive, resilient and delivery‑focused, able to build credibility quickly in a complex environment.
- A collaborative, people‑centric leader with a record of developing team capability and improving performance.
- Experience in a regulated or arm’s‑length body is preferable but not essential.
Benefits
- 9‑day working fortnight (every other Friday off) plus 270 hours of annual leave.
- Market‑leading contributory pension scheme with employer contributions between 9% and 13% of pensionable pay.
- Family‑friendly policies: 39‑week maternity leave at full pay and 4‑week paternity leave at full pay.
- Professional career development funding, including annual membership of a relevant professional body.
- Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
- Life assurance at 4× annual salary.
- Access to savings and discounts across everyday spending.
- Special leave policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.
Eligibility & Security Clearance
- British citizenship required.
- Candidate must have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years to obtain Security Clearance, and for 10 years for Development Vetting.
- Sufficient security clearance will be funded by the employer.
Contact Details:
Atomic Weapons Establishment Recruitment Team
