Head of Finance - C&T in London

Reporting directly to the Global Solutions CFO, this senior leadership role is responsible for leading the Consulting & Technology finance function to include development and delivery of financial analysis, forecasting, planning, and budgeting across C&T, oversight of financial control and transactional finance teams and driving finance transformation and change across C&T. Consulting & Technology (C&T) are one of the three sub-divisions of Davies Global Solutions with approximate revenues of £70m, and a headcount of c1000. The Head of Finance will own key financial reports for Exco/Board and other Davies related operational reports. Provide deep financial analysis and understanding to key stakeholders across finance and operational leadership teams. They will also oversee business partnering and FP&A functions in order to ensure accurate and timely financial forecasting and analysis is delivered to P&L owners and functional heads. Deliver and communicate strong commercial analysis and understanding of financial performance across the C&T business unit. This is a Hybrid role and required London office attendance twice weekly (fluidity required on occasion).

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of 33 including five direct reports across FP&A, financial control, and transactional finance, the latter 2 of which include an increasing offshore/shared service component which is in transition currently.
• Lead the design and innovation of financial analytics, KPIs, forecasting, planning and budgeting processes across the enlarged C&T business unit.
• Oversee the financial control function to ensure effective systems, processes and controls in place.
• Develop and improve balance sheet reporting and controls across C&T.
• Drive transformation and change, operating model improvements and efficiencies across the C&T business unit, including the continuation of offshoring activity.
• Oversee transactional finance team across C&T and aim to maximise billing and liquidity effectiveness and efficiency of the team.
• Liaise and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders across the organisation.
• Drive the combination of Consulting and Technology business units as they are integrated to support revised business model.
• Review, assess and improve the financial reporting and control environment, including establishing relevant policies and procedures and ensuring suitable controls are in place.
• Interact with finance team and other key stakeholders including operational leadership team across C&T on financial assumptions and drivers to ensure rigour in analysis.
• Own the Davies C&T annual budget, supporting the submissions across industries and capabilities, and consolidating. Submitting final numbers into the Davies Group finance deliverables.
• Work with the business to produce short-term and medium-term business forecasts, outlooks and performance reports supported by insightful commentary on variances.
• Oversee production of industry/capability performance reports, including margin and pricing analysis.
• Own revenue analysis by understanding and communicating to the SLT any revenue leakage based on the utilisation reports and any other KPIs.
• Identify and propose alternative approaches and techniques in finance activities, processes and procedures and work with the wider team to continually improve processes, including getting best use from current and future finance systems.
• Be a key player in selecting future FP&A tools across the group to support improvements in this area.
• Identify data quality issues working with the wider team to help resolve issues, providing analysis and insight.
• Coach team members in development opportunities and identify development needs and build out a high performing finance function across C&T.
• Oversee production of annual accounts and audit process.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Qualified Accountant (or qualified with experience) with seasoned functional leadership expertise.
• Must have FP&A experience; managing a multi-geographical team desirable.
• Experience working in global organisation and confident working with localised requirements.
• Experience working within a PE environment, advantageous.
• Comfortable presenting and communicating complex finance information to Executive Leadership and non-finance management.
• Expert knowledge of multiple accounting systems (D365, Sage etc).
• Credible dynamic leader who can influence team members and wider stakeholder groups.
• Experience building excellent relationships with colleagues and external contacts.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to distil complex technical information into clear simple messages.
• High levels of analytical skill and commercial awareness.