Head of Financial Planning - FTC in London

Division: Finance – Performance Management

Reports To: As per Beazley’s organisation chart

Key Relationships: Exec Management, Finance Leadership Team, Modernisation Programme, Finance Teams, Corporate Strategy, Ceded Reinsurance, Underwriting Teams, Group, Auditors, Risk & Compliance, and other Business Users

Specialist insurance company Beazley is seeking a Head of Global Planning within its Finance function to work closely with a wide range of business stakeholders. As Beazley evolves through its modernisation programme, this role will take on significant responsibility, being a central pivot point in an Integrated planning framework and responsible for financial planning BAU, strategic and governance opportunities.

Reporting to the Head of Performance Management (FLT), this role will involve managing the accurate and timely delivery of group planning and forecasting deliverables and scenarios, alongside input and oversight of all global planning submissions. The role includes having a key influence in the continuing strategic journey towards a full integrated planning suite, working with the modernisation programme to enhance the current global planning capability and working with the IFRS 17 programme team to bring IFRS 17 planning into production.

Key Activities & Areas of Responsibility

• Take on significant leadership and strategic responsibility relating to global planning, including representation throughout finance, the executive committee, PLC board and local management committees and boards.
• Work with the Head of MI & Business Partnering and wider Performance Management senior management peers to foster a culture that values employee experience, empowerment and wellbeing alongside amplifying the team’s overall capabilities.
• Develop and lead a sizeable global team with a focus on customer service to provide best in class service.
• Ensure that all employees have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform effectively in their given roles, especially in relation to management responsibility, and work with them to ensure effective training and coaching to support career progression.
• Play a pivotal role in strategic planning, working closely with the Strategic Finance team and Corporate Strategy team to deliver financial outcomes aligned to strategic direction and initiatives.
• Help drive the strategic journey towards a full integrated planning suite across varying time periods, taking ownership of the Medium Term Plan and linking it to the capital plan as part of that journey, articulating a roadmap and sharing with relevant stakeholders across Global Business Management, Corporate Strategy, Corporate Finance and Group Actuarial.
• Work with the modernisation programme to utilise new Workday technology to enhance the current global planning capability, ensuring we create efficiency and globalisation across new processes.
• Ensure the accurate and timely delivery of group planning and forecasting deliverables, analytics and scenarios (technical and non‑technical) to all relevant committees and boards, including consideration of new platform structures and ownership of planning consolidations.
• Work with the IFRS 17 programme team to bring IFRS 17 planning and analytics into production and report in line with an agreed corporate timetable.
• Ensure clear and concise articulation to Executive Management of key drivers pertaining to key outputs.
• Ensure completion of all audit deliverables and actions in relation to global planning activity.
• Embed within wider company activities and support variety of Finance projects and initiatives.

General

It is important that within all your interactions both internally and externally you adhere to Beazley’s core values: Being Bold, Striving for Better, and Doing the Right Thing. We also expect Beazley employees to:

• Comply with Beazley procedures, policies and regulations, including the code of conduct.
• Undertake training on Beazley policies and procedures as delivered by your line manager, the Culture & People or assurance teams (compliance, risk, internal audit) either directly, via e‑learning or the learning management system.
• Display business ethics that uphold the interests of all our customers and ensure all interactions with customers are focused on delivering a fair outcome, including having the right products for their needs.
• Comply with any specific responsibilities necessary for your role as outlined by your line manager, the Culture & People or assurance teams and keep up to date with developments in these areas.
• Carry out additional responsibilities as notified, either through objectives or learning management system; may include membership of any Beazley committees or working groups.

Personal Specification

We are a flexible and innovative employer offering a friendly, collaborative, diverse and inclusive working environment. We actively encourage and expect applications from all backgrounds. We empower people to choose where to work given the work they need to do. Collaboration in office spaces is important but we do not mandate a set number of days in the office or from home – you decide what works best for you and the role you are in. Beazley will offer the person a competitive salary and discretionary bonus with a strong benefits package including commuting reimbursement, free‑office lunch, excellent parental leave and financial physical and mental wellbeing contributions among others.

Relevant qualifications and capabilities are listed as follows

Essential Criteria

• Experienced qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)
• Experience of the insurance market, preferably Lloyd’s
• Experience of FP&A roles within complex insurance organisations and knowledge of accounting policies adopted

Skills

• Coaching & leadership skills
• Stakeholder management and relationship building
• Customer focus with strong attention to detail
• Understanding of controls frameworks including documentation
• Experience of a deadline driven environment
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Analytical / Problem solving / Decision making
• Creativity / Innovation