Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control in London

Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control in London

London 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, 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.

Key Responsibilities

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 in London 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 influence strategic financial governance while working closely with senior leadership in a rapidly expanding consultancy. With competitive salaries, significant exposure to decision-making, and a commitment to employee development, BIP Group is dedicated to creating a rewarding environment for its team members.

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 in London

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their needs, especially in commercial finance.

Tip Number 3

Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain your value in a concise way. Highlight your experience in financial planning and stakeholder management to stand out.

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 are proactive about their job search.

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

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 Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control role. Highlight your experience in commercial finance, project-based environments, and stakeholder management. 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 at BIP. Share specific examples of your achievements in financial governance and operational finance that demonstrate your capabilities.

Showcase Your Analytical Skills:Since this role requires a strong analytical mindset, make sure to highlight your experience with financial modelling and analysis. We love numbers, so don’t shy away from showcasing your advanced Excel skills and any relevant projects you've worked on.

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!

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 analysis, and utilisation rates. Be ready to discuss how you've used these metrics in past roles to drive performance.

Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills

This role requires excellent stakeholder management, so prepare examples of how you've built strong relationships with senior leaders. Think about times when your financial insights influenced decision-making and be ready to share those stories.

Demonstrate Your Hands-On Approach

BIP is looking for someone who can operate both strategically and operationally. Be prepared to discuss specific instances where you've rolled up your sleeves to improve finance processes or tackle operational challenges. Highlight your ability to balance high-level strategy with day-to-day operations.

Prepare for Scenario Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Think about potential financial risks or inefficiencies you might encounter in consulting engagements and how you would address them. This will show your analytical mindset and readiness for the challenges of the role.