Senior Director, Finance & Corporate Systems in London

The Senior Director, IT Finance is a strategic leadership role responsible for managing and optimizing the entire financial systems landscape, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives and regulatory requirements. This role governs the product backlog for Finance, Treasury, Procurement, AP, Payroll, Audit, Investor Relations, Legal and Revenue Recognition. It balances core financial responsibilities with the strategic implementation and management of technology solutions for efficiency and growth, ensuring compliance with auditable regulations and segregation of duties. The Senior Director collaborates closely with cross‐functional teams to successfully deploy and manage Workday solutions, driving the effectiveness of the organization's project and services operations.

Summary of Responsibilities

• Finance Strategic IT Partner – Partner with the finance team to provide systems that support planning, budgeting, forecasting, and long‐range planning. Ensure accurate, timely, and compliant internal and external financial reporting in accordance with U.S. GAAP, SOX, and other regulatory requirements.
• Systems & Process Innovation – Oversee the strategy, implementation, and optimization of core financial systems (e.g., Workday, Anaplan, subscription billing, revenue recognition tools). Lead transformation projects, including process automation, standardization, and adoption of new technologies such as AI‐driven analytics.
• Leadership & Team Management – Lead, mentor, and develop a high‐performing team of finance and systems professionals, fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. Build strong relationships with cross‐functional teams across IT, Sales, Operations, and other departments.
• Risk Management & Internal Controls – Own the narratives for auditable IT processes for financial systems, identify potential risks, and develop mitigation strategies. Establish and maintain robust internal controls and policies to safeguard assets and ensure data integrity.
• Strategic Leadership and Planning – Define and execute the strategic roadmap for all financial systems, aligning finance team goals with technical capabilities and business objectives.
• Solution Architecture and Implementation – Lead the design, development, and optimization of scalable technology solutions, ensuring model integrity, scalability, and performance. Manage full implementation and enhancement projects, including timelines and budgets.
• Stakeholder Collaboration and Management – Serve as primary liaison between senior business stakeholders and model builders to translate strategic requirements into effective Anaplan solutions.
• Data Management and Integration – Oversee management and analysis of master data across integrated systems, ensuring accuracy and consistency.
• Process Optimization and Reporting – Optimize planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes using existing technologies and analytics to provide actionable insights to executive leadership.

Qualifications (Minimum Required)

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, MIS, or related field (MBA, CPA, CMA highly preferred).
• Experience: 10‐15 years of progressive experience in finance or finance systems management, with significant leadership or project management roles; experience in a growth‐oriented or SaaS environment is a plus.
• Technical Skills: Deep expertise in financial modeling, forecasting, and data analysis. Proficiency with major ERP systems (e.g., Workday, Anaplan, Blackline), BI tools (PowerBI, Tableau), and advanced Excel.
• Soft Skills: Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; ability to translate complex financial and technical data into actionable insights. Excellent problem‐solving, strategic thinking, and project management skills.

Experience (Minimum Required)

• Proficiency in Workday modules or other ERP systems.
• Deep expertise in Anaplan architecture, including model design, data integration, and performance optimization.
• Experience with enterprise systems such as Blackline and ACEND.
• Strong problem‐solving skills and ability to troubleshoot complex system issues.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to translate business requirements into system configurations and improvements.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast‐paced environment.
• Strategic thinking and innovative product‐solution design.

Fortrea may consider relevant and equivalent experience in lieu of educational requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, IT, Data Science, or related field.
• Experience in a Clinical Research Organization.

Work Environment

General office environment.