At a Glance
- Tasks: Support financial management and provide insights into engineering disciplines for project profitability.
- Company: Join a leading consultancy improving lives with smart infrastructure solutions.
- Benefits: Gain valuable experience, competitive salary, and opportunities for career growth.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on personal development and innovation.
- Why this job: Deepen your finance skills while making a real impact in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in finance and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 44000 £ per year.
This role sits at the heart of a technically complex, people-driven consultancy business where accurate cost recovery, resource planning and financial transparency are critical to performance. As a Finance Analyst, you will play a key role in supporting the financial management of engineering disciplines, ensuring the integrity of staff cost data, charge-out rates and overhead recovery mechanisms that underpin project profitability and business planning.
Working closely with discipline leads and senior operational stakeholders, you will provide clear financial insight into headcount, utilisation, overhead performance and cost recovery. The role combines core FP&A responsibilities with hands-on involvement in the financial mechanics of a consultancy model, offering excellent exposure to business partnering with a commercial lens.
You will be part of the Group FP&A function, contributing to monthly reporting, forecasting and planning cycles. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to deepen their finance and commercial understanding and progress their career within a high-profile infrastructure and engineering environment.
Costain helps to improve people’s lives with integrated, leading edge, smart infrastructure solutions across the UK’s energy, water, transportation and defence markets. We help our clients improve their business performance by increasing capacity, improving customer service, safeguarding security, enhancing resilience, decarbonising and delivering increased efficiency. Our vision is to be the UK’s leading smart infrastructure solutions company.
The Primary responsibilities of this role are:
- Own and maintain the Engineering staff cost model, ensuring accurate headcount, award and cost data to support distribution rate calculations and reconciliation to timesheet system.
- Develop and maintain discipline charge-out and distribution rates, supporting rate modelling, updates and audit requirements.
- Partner with Discipline Leads to review monthly financial performance, providing clear analysis of variances, trends and risks.
- Assist in the preparation of the Monthly Business Review (MBR) pack, including overhead analysis and commentary.
- Support the budgeting and quarterly forecasting processes, including headcount planning and overhead cost modelling.
- Oversee the shared services and the posting of standard month-end journals.
- Prepare and post ad-hoc journals where required, ensuring appropriate controls and documentation.
- Support half-year and year-end audit processes, responding to queries and providing required analysis.
- Maintain and monitor the PO Tracer to support effective GRNI management and cost control.
- Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, controls and reporting efficiency within the FP&A function.
- Support wider FP&A team initiatives and ad-hoc analysis as required.
Essential qualifications include being a Part Qualified Chartered Accountant or Certified Practicing Accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA).
Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:
- Experience in a finance role +2 years.
- Collaboration with stakeholders and identifying financial anomalies.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret financial data, identify trends and explain key drivers of performance, particularly in a people-cost and overhead-driven environment.
- Confident communicating financial concepts to non-financial stakeholders, including Discipline Leads and operational managers.
- Demonstrates strong attention to detail when maintaining headcount and cost data models.
- Good understanding of accounting principles, nominal ledger structures and internal controls.
- Able to manage competing deadlines during month-end, forecasting and budget cycle.
Personal attributes:
- Shows genuine interest in understanding how the engineering consultancy operates and how financial metrics drive performance.
- Takes ownership of tasks and follows through to completion.
- Builds positive working relationships across finance and operational teams.
- Maintains high levels of accuracy when handling sensitive financial and headcount data.
Finance Analyst in Reading employer: Costain
As a leading employer in traffic management, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture that prioritises safety and efficiency. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through continuous training opportunities and support for professional development, ensuring that our team members thrive in their roles. Located in a vibrant area with access to essential resources, we offer a dynamic environment where your contributions directly impact the success of our projects and the safety of the community.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance Analyst in Reading
✨Tap into Campus Networks
If you're still in uni, don’t forget to engage with your campus's career services and attend finance-related events. Banks often do presentations and recruitment drives on campus, so put yourself out there and make use of these opportunities to show off your passion for the field.
✨Get Certified
Consider pursuing relevant certifications like the CFA or ACCA while you’re job hunting. They not only beef up your CV but also connect you with professional bodies which can lead to networking opportunities and even job openings in banking and financial services.
✨Connect on Professional Platforms
Join finance-focused groups on platforms like LinkedIn and engage in discussions. This can really help you stand out from the crowd, allowing potential employers to see your knowledge and interest in industry trends. Plus, you might stumble upon job postings shared exclusively within the group.
✨Apply Directly and Be Proactive
Don’t shy away from reaching out directly to firms like Costain. Use their websites and apply through them, but also consider following up with a polite email to express your enthusiasm. Being proactive can make a huge difference in getting noticed in the competitive financial services sector.
We think you need these skills to ace Finance Analyst in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers!:In the banking and financial services world, quantifiable achievements are key. Make sure your CV highlights your grades in relevant subjects, any financial certifications you hold, and specific projects where you've delivered measurable results. Employers love to see how your skills translate into real-world success.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Role:When applying for a full-time position, your cover letter should make a direct connection between your experience and the job description. Don't just state your enthusiasm for finance—dive into how your background in banking or financial analysis sets you apart. Let your passion shine through while being specific about what you can bring to Costain.
Include Relevant Financial Software Experience:If you've worked with financial modelling tools or software like Excel, SAP, or specific analytical tools during your studies or internships, bring that up! Highlighting your proficiency can really make your application pop and show you're ready to hit the ground running in a full-time role.
Research and Reflect:Before hitting that 'apply' button on Costain's website, do a little digging. Look up their recent projects, values, and culture. Reflecting their ethos in your application can make a huge difference and show you’re genuinely interested in being part of the team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Costain
✨Brush Up on Financial Analysis Skills
Make sure you're well-versed in financial concepts and analytical techniques relevant to banking and financial services. Get comfortable with tools like Excel for modelling or financial forecasting, as technical questions in this area are common during interviews with Costain.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to tackle case studies that demonstrate your problem-solving skills in real-world banking scenarios. Familiarise yourself with the types of problems you might face—think risk assessments or investment evaluations—and be ready to articulate your thought process clearly.
✨Show Your Passion for Finance
Since this is a full-time position, employers at Costain will be keen to see your genuine interest in finance. Be prepared to discuss recent industry trends or news articles that excite you, showcasing your enthusiasm and engagement with the field.
✨Network with Industry Professionals
Before your interview, reach out to current or former Costain employees on platforms like LinkedIn. They'll offer unique insights into the company's culture and the interview process, which can give us a delightful edge in showcasing a good fit for the team.
