At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead financial planning and analysis, driving insights for impactful decision-making.
- Company: Join CloudFactory, a mission-driven team transforming the world with AI.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, quarterly bonuses, comprehensive medical cover, and personal development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a vibrant community focused on meaningful work and growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while collaborating with innovative leaders.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in FP&A, strong modelling skills, and a passion for technology.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
At CloudFactory, we are a mission-driven team passionate about unlocking the potential of AI to transform the world. By combining advanced technology with a global network of talented people, we make unusable data usable, driving real-world impact at scale. More than just a workplace, we’re a global community founded on strong relationships and the belief that meaningful work transforms lives. Our commitment to earning, learning, and serving fuels everything we do as we strive to connect one million people to meaningful work and build leaders worth following. If you’re passionate about innovation, collaboration, and making a real impact, we’d love to have you on board!
About the Role
CloudFactory is looking for a Financial Planning & Analysis Lead who enjoys moving between modelling and serving as the embedded finance business partner for our Operations and Technology orgs. You will report to the Sr. FPA Manager and work closely with the CFO in a private equity-backed environment where pace, rigor, and accountability are the norm.
Responsibilities
- Architect of the Company-wide rolling forecast.
- Collaborate with Finance Leadership on building and maintaining the consolidated financial forecast (P&L, Cash, Headcount Planning).
- Prepare executive-ready reporting packages (P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow) that highlight key performance drivers and risks to the annual plan.
- Conduct deep-dive variance analysis (Actual vs. Forecast vs. Budget) and trend analyses to provide leadership with actionable insights into margin fluctuations and OpEx spending.
- Develop scenario and sensitivity analyses to stress-test assumptions around growth, client concentration, margin, and hiring.
- Assist in producing the financial narrative and supporting materials for board meetings, investor updates, and leadership reviews.
- Assist with the fiscal year planning and own the long-range models.
- Act as the team's subject matter expert on Abacum, owning model structure, data integrations, driver logic, and new use cases.
- Serve as the go-to resource for other FP&A team members working in the tool.
- Finance business partner to SLT and Management.
- Partner with cross-functional partners and leadership on forecasts, budgets, margin improvement plans, workforce planning, capacity models, and operating cost structure that sits underneath Delivery and S&T.
- Partner with the engineering leadership on the technology budget, platform costs including cloud and infrastructure spend, SaaS and tooling, and capitalized vs expensed effort.
- Translate operational metrics into financial impact and vice versa, so operations leaders can see the P&L consequences of staffing, tech efficiency, and other delivery decisions.
- Review operating expense budgets, flag risks and opportunities.
- Support client and workstream-level reviews by pairing margin analysis (led by the workstream analyst) with the broader operations cost picture.
What We Are Looking For
- 3+ years of experience in FP&A, corporate finance, or strategic finance experience, ideally in a SaaS, or tech-enabled services company.
- Strong three-statement modeling skills and a track record of owning a consolidated forecast or a meaningful slice of one.
- Comfortable with operational and engineering cost drivers and working with SLT.
- Excellent Excel / Google Sheets skills.
- Experience with business intelligence software is a plus.
- Adept at using AI to avoid complexity in models.
- Hands-on experience with forecasting tools is strongly preferred.
- Candidates without direct Abacum experience should have deep proficiency in a comparable planning tool (Anaplan, Pigment, Adaptive, Cube, or similar) and the appetite to become our internal subject matter expert on Abacum quickly.
- A communication style that works with both finance and non-finance audiences.
- Ability to tell a clear, concise financial story to executives and also non-financial people.
- Proactive and can infer the finance leadership’s intent and progress confidently with low supervision.
Mindset & Skills
- Critical and analytical thinker: you solve problems, challenge assumptions, connect patterns across data sets, and bring structure to ambiguity.
- Advanced financial modeling skills and experience building integrated three-statement models.
- Technology-forward: genuine enthusiasm for AI, automation, and modern finance tooling, with a track record of reducing manual work and improving output quality.
- Commitment to accuracy: You care about getting the numbers right and building processes that make precision the default, not the exception.
- Strong communicator: ability to translate financial complexity into clear, actionable insights for non-finance stakeholders.
- Comfortable in a hands-on role within a fast-growing, PE-backed business where pace and accountability matter.
Great Mission and Culture
- Meaningful Work
- Market competitive salary
- Quarterly variable compensation
- Comprehensive medical cover
- Group life insurance
- Personal development and growth opportunities
- Periodic team building and social events
Principal Financial Analyst in Reading employer: CloudFactory Limited
At CloudFactory, we pride ourselves on being a mission-driven employer that values innovation and collaboration, making us an excellent choice for those seeking meaningful work. Our vibrant work culture fosters strong relationships and offers numerous opportunities for personal development and growth, all while providing competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits. Join us in our mission to connect one million people to impactful work and be part of a community that truly transforms lives.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Financial Analyst in Reading
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at CloudFactory on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into CloudFactory's mission and values. Show us how your passion for AI and meaningful work aligns with what we do. We love seeing candidates who genuinely connect with our goals!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your financial storytelling! Be ready to explain complex financial concepts in simple terms. We want to see how you can communicate effectively with both finance and non-finance folks.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Financial Analyst in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Principal Financial Analyst role. Highlight your FP&A experience, especially in SaaS or tech-enabled services, and don’t forget to showcase your modelling skills!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you’re passionate about finance and how you can contribute to our mission at CloudFactory. Be genuine and let your personality come through.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills:In your application, give examples of how you've tackled complex financial problems or improved processes in previous roles. We love critical thinkers who can connect the dots and provide actionable insights!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our community!
How to prepare for a job interview at CloudFactory Limited
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Principal Financial Analyst, you'll need to be on top of your financial modelling skills. Brush up on your three-statement models and be ready to discuss how you've owned forecasts in the past. Prepare specific examples that showcase your analytical prowess and how you’ve turned data into actionable insights.
✨Understand the Business
CloudFactory is all about transforming data into meaningful work. Familiarise yourself with their mission and how finance plays a role in achieving it. Be prepared to discuss how operational metrics translate into financial impacts, and think about how you can contribute to their goals of innovation and collaboration.
✨Showcase Your Tech Savvy
With a focus on AI and modern finance tools, make sure you highlight your experience with forecasting tools like Abacum or similar. If you don’t have direct experience, demonstrate your willingness to learn and adapt quickly. Discuss any instances where you've used technology to streamline processes or improve accuracy.
✨Communicate Clearly
You’ll need to convey complex financial information to both finance and non-finance audiences. Practice explaining your past projects in simple terms, focusing on the impact rather than the technical details. This will show your ability to connect with various stakeholders and ensure everyone is on the same page.
