Financial Planning & Analysis Lead in Reading

Financial Planning & Analysis Lead in Reading

Reading Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
CloudFactory

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead financial planning and analysis, driving impactful insights for operations and technology.
  • 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 global community focused on meaningful work and personal growth.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact while working in a dynamic, innovative environment.
  • Qualifications: 3+ years in FP&A or corporate finance, strong modelling skills, and excellent communication.

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.

Our Culture

  • Mission-Driven: We focus on creating economic and social impact.
  • People-Centric: We care deeply about our team’s growth, well-being, and sense of belonging.
  • Innovative: We embrace change and find better ways to do things together.
  • Globally Connected: We foster collaboration between diverse cultures and perspectives.

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.

Requirements

  • 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.
  • A communication style that works with both finance and non-finance audiences.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Benefits

  • 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.

At CloudFactory, we believe that work should be more than just a job—it should be a platform for growth, impact, and community. Here, you’ll earn with purpose, learn every day, and serve a mission that truly matters. If you're looking for a career where you can develop professionally, contribute meaningfully, and be part of a global movement, we’d love to have you on this journey!

Join us today and be part of our mission to connect people and technology for a better world!

Financial Planning & Analysis Lead in Reading employer: CloudFactory

At CloudFactory, we pride ourselves on being a mission-driven employer that values innovation, collaboration, and personal growth. Our vibrant work culture fosters a sense of belonging and empowers employees to bring their authentic selves to work, while our commitment to meaningful work ensures that every team member contributes to impactful projects. With competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and ample opportunities for professional development, CloudFactory is an exceptional place to build a rewarding career in the heart of a global community.

CloudFactory

Contact Details:

CloudFactory Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Financial Planning & Analysis Lead in Reading

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 culture and values. At CloudFactory, they’re all about being mission-driven and people-centric, so show how you align with that!

Tip Number 3

Practice your storytelling skills. Be ready to share your experiences in a way that highlights your impact and how you can contribute to their mission of meaningful work.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen and shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the CloudFactory team.

We think you need these skills to ace Financial Planning & Analysis Lead in Reading

Financial Planning & Analysis
Three-Statement Modelling
Consolidated Forecasting
Variance Analysis
Scenario and Sensitivity Analysis
Executive Reporting
Abacum

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Financial Planning & Analysis Lead role. Highlight your three-statement modelling skills and any relevant experience in FP&A or corporate finance.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell your story! Explain why you’re passionate about the role and how your background aligns with CloudFactory's mission-driven culture. Don’t forget to mention your enthusiasm for AI and innovation!

Showcase Your Analytical Skills:In your application, emphasise your critical thinking and analytical abilities. Provide examples of how you've solved complex problems or improved processes in previous roles, especially in a fast-paced environment.

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 don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at CloudFactory

Know Your Numbers

As a Financial Planning & Analysis Lead, you’ll need to be on top of your financial game. Brush up on your three-statement modelling skills and be ready to discuss how you've owned forecasts in the past. Prepare to share specific examples of your work with P&L, cash flow, and balance sheets.

Understand the Business

CloudFactory is all about innovation and collaboration. Make sure you understand their mission and how finance plays a role in driving that forward. Research their recent projects or initiatives and think about how your financial insights could support their goals.

Communicate Clearly

You’ll need to translate complex financial data into actionable insights for non-financial stakeholders. Practice explaining your past analyses in simple terms. Think about how you can tell a compelling financial story that resonates with both finance and non-finance audiences.

Be Ready for Scenario Planning

Given the dynamic nature of CloudFactory, be prepared to discuss scenario and sensitivity analyses. Think about how you would stress-test assumptions around growth and costs. Bring examples of how you’ve approached this in previous roles to showcase your analytical thinking.