Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control

Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control

Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
BIP UK

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead financial planning, forecasting, and governance for consulting engagements.
  • Company: Join BIP Group, a top consultancy transforming businesses through innovation.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, high visibility, and opportunities for strategic decision-making.
  • Other info: Be part of a collaborative team driving operational excellence.
  • Why this job: Shape financial governance in a fast-paced, growth-focused environment.
  • Qualifications: Strong finance experience in consulting and excellent stakeholder management skills.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

Location: London, United Kingdom

Employment Type: Permanent

Reporting to: UK CFO

Salary: Competitive (£70,000–£90,000 dependent on experience)

About BIP

BIP Group is a leading international consultancy focused on transforming businesses through strategy, innovation, technology, and people. Across the UK business, we support clients through complex transformation programmes spanning financial services, public sector, energy, sustainability, and digital transformation.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a highly commercial and operational finance professional to join BIP UK as Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control. This role will play a critical position within the UK finance function, partnering closely with consulting leadership and the UK CFO to drive financial governance, engagement performance, revenue control, forecasting accuracy, and operational decision-making across the business.

The successful candidate will bring strong experience operating within consulting, professional services, or project-based environments where utilisation, revenue forecasting, margin management, and engagement financial control are central to business performance. This is a hands-on leadership role suited to someone comfortable operating both strategically and operationally within a fast-paced growth environment.

Key Responsibilities

  • Commercial Financial Planning & Analysis
    • Lead UK commercial financial planning and forecasting processes
    • Drive revenue forecasting, backlog tracking, and pipeline visibility across consulting engagements
    • Partner with leadership teams to improve commercial performance and financial decision-making
    • Deliver accurate financial reporting, forecasting, and variance analysis to senior stakeholders
    • Support budgeting, monthly forecasting cycles, and long-range planning activity
  • Engagement Financial Control
    • Oversee financial governance across client engagements and consulting projects
    • Monitor engagement profitability, utilisation, recovery rates, revenue recognition, and margin performance
    • Ensure robust controls around project financial management and revenue tracking
    • Work closely with consulting leadership to challenge financial assumptions and improve commercial outcomes
    • Identify financial risks, leakage, and operational inefficiencies across the portfolio
  • Operational Finance Leadership
    • Support the UK CFO in driving operational finance initiatives across the UK business
    • Improve finance processes, reporting capability, and commercial insight across the organisation
    • Drive consistency and governance across engagement financial management
    • Support resource planning and workforce forecasting activity from a commercial finance perspective
    • Contribute to finance transformation and continuous improvement initiatives
  • Stakeholder Management
    • Act as a trusted finance business partner to Partners, Directors, and operational leadership teams
    • Build strong relationships across consulting and operational functions
    • Present financial insights and commercial recommendations clearly to senior stakeholders
    • Support leadership teams with data-driven commercial decision-making

Candidate Profile

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

  • Strong commercial finance experience within consulting, professional services, or project-based environments
  • Experience managing engagement financial performance, revenue forecasting, and operational finance processes
  • Strong understanding of project accounting, utilisation metrics, margin analysis, and consulting economics
  • Excellent stakeholder management and business partnering capability
  • Highly analytical mindset with strong commercial acumen
  • Comfortable operating in both strategic and hands-on operational environments
  • Advanced Excel and financial modelling capability
  • Experience working within fast-paced and growth-oriented businesses
  • ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualified
  • Previous experience within consulting or transformation-led organisations
  • Exposure to resource planning and consulting delivery environments

Why Join BIP?

  • Opportunity to play a key role within a rapidly growing consulting business
  • High visibility across UK leadership
  • Significant exposure to strategic and commercial decision-making
  • Ability to shape financial governance and operational performance across the UK business
  • Entrepreneurial, collaborative, and growth-focused environment

Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control employer: BIP UK

BIP Group is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and collaborative work culture that fosters innovation and growth. As the Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control in London, you will have the opportunity to significantly influence financial governance and operational performance within a rapidly expanding consultancy. With competitive salaries, high visibility across leadership, and a commitment to employee development, BIP provides a rewarding environment for professionals seeking meaningful impact in their careers.

BIP UK

Contact Details:

BIP UK Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy to reach out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their values and how they align with your experience. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.

Tip Number 3

Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or use online resources to refine your answers. Focus on articulating your experience in commercial finance and how it relates to the role at BIP.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control

Commercial Financial Planning
Revenue Forecasting
Financial Reporting
Variance Analysis
Engagement Financial Control
Project Accounting
Utilisation Metrics

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control. Highlight your experience in commercial finance, stakeholder management, and any relevant project-based environments. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your achievements in financial planning and analysis, and how you've driven commercial performance in previous roles. We love a good story!

Showcase Your Analytical Skills:Since this role requires a strong analytical mindset, make sure to highlight your experience with financial modelling and data analysis. We want to see how you've used these skills to make informed decisions and improve financial outcomes in your past positions.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team at BIP!

How to prepare for a job interview at BIP UK

Know Your Numbers

As a candidate for the Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control, you need to be on top of your financial game. Brush up on key metrics like revenue forecasting, margin management, and utilisation rates. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed these in past roles.

Showcase Your Strategic Mindset

This role requires a blend of strategic and operational thinking. Prepare examples that highlight your ability to drive financial governance and improve commercial performance. Think about times when your insights led to significant business decisions.

Build Relationships

Stakeholder management is crucial in this position. Be prepared to talk about how you've built strong relationships with senior stakeholders in previous roles. Share specific instances where your financial insights influenced decision-making at a high level.

Demonstrate Your Analytical Skills

An analytical mindset is key for this role. Bring along examples of financial reports or analyses you've created that led to actionable insights. Show how your analytical skills have helped identify risks or operational inefficiencies in past projects.