Head of Business Planning

Overview

Daikin UK is a high growth provider of innovative and sustainable climate control solutions, specialising in heating, cooling, ventilation and refrigeration systems for residential, commercial and industrial markets. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daikin Europe, the company employs over 420 people across the UK to deliver high-efficiency products and support services, including advanced air source heat pumps and chiller systems.

Job Description

At the core of our UK service division you will lead the strategic, financial and operational planning and reporting with responsibility for forecasting, profitability and performance analysis. This role partners closely with business leaders across service, sales, corporate planning and finance both in the UK and in Daikin Europe to align business objectives, customer needs and service delivery capability to ensure setting of robust budgets and profitability of our engineering service operations. Your data-driven insights, market intelligence and ability to translate raw data into clear, concise and compelling business cases will directly shape the long term strategic planning to ensure service growth, service excellence and profitability at Daikin.

Business Improvement & Strategy

• Ensure financial budgets are underpinned by commercial and operational insights (quality).
• Detailed analysis of market drivers, customer feedback, competitor activity and benchmarking.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance customer lifetime value and drive business growth through new service solutions, such as extended warranties, remote monitoring, energy optimisation services or new customer development opportunities (vertical sectors).
• Develop compelling business cases for strategic investments. Coordinate the implementation of strategic and/or tactical changes in Daikin service processes (especially P&L and demand planning) and propose process design and improvements of P&L reporting that will lead to coherent control and planning.
• Collaborate closely with Service, Corporate Planning, Sales, and Finance departments to ensure a seamless and profitable end-to-end customer journey, from initial sale to long-term service and support.

Financial Planning & Budgeting

• Take responsibility for the foundations of the budget and reporting process and the related definitions. Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting process (revenue, volume, margin, cost, profit) specifically for the Service Division, encompassing planned preventative maintenance (PPM) contracts, reactive call-outs, commissioning, spare parts sales, and our accredited Service Partner network.
• Develop and refine financial models to accurately assess the profitability and correct revenue recognition of various service offerings and contract types, from single residential Altherma units to large commercial VRV and chiller installations.
• Work with Corporate departments to manage and report divisional expenditure, providing detailed variance analysis on everything from engineer overtime and vehicle costs to spare part inventory levels.
• Ensure accurate month-end close and analyse variances between actuals and forecast/budget identifying trends, risks, opportunities and recommended actionable insights.
• Partner with service and operations teams to support pricing strategies, resource planning and cost optimisation.

Performance Monitoring & Analysis

• Define, track, and report on the core KPIs that drive service excellence, including engineer utilisation, back office efficiency, speed of customer response, first-time-fix (FTF) rates, SLA adherence, and contract renewal rates.
• Conduct deep-dive analyses into operational performance, identifying trends that lead to preventative or proactive measures and further opportunities to improve service delivery in line with regulations and best practice.
• Prepare and present detailed monthly and quarterly business reviews to the senior management team, translating complex operational data into clear commercial insights and actionable recommendations.
• Lead all service-related reporting towards Daikin Europe and assure compliance for revenue-related topics.

The Successful Applicant

Proven experience in a business planning, FP&A, service operations or a strategic management role with exceptional financial acumen and deep experience in building budgets, forecasts, and profitability models.

Other Attributes

• Strategic thinker with commercial acumen and excellent communications skills.
• Data and analytics-driven decision maker.
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Confident and credible communicator, capable of influencing senior operational and commercial stakeholders.
• Adaptable and confident problem solver with a strong analytical approach.
• Highly organised, detail oriented and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Customer focused with a positive \”can do\” attitude.
• Organised self-starter – able to prioritise to meet tight deadlines.
• Demonstrate high levels of integrity.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.

What’s On Offer

• Competitive salary
• Company car and bonus scheme
• Enhanced pension contributions and private health care
• A professional working environment in Weybridge

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