Head of FP&A – Corporate Planning & Analysis in Bristol

At IVC Evidensia, we are a leading veterinary services provider in Europe and North America with more than 2,500 clinics and hospitals across 19 countries and around 42,000 employees. We aim to have an extraordinary impact on animal lives, supporting in the region of 25,000 animals every single day across our international network. IVC Evidensia exists to champion the long‑term health and welfare of animals and deliver our purpose of Healthy Animals, Happy Owners.

Reporting to the Group FP&A Director, this role owns the end‑to‑end financial planning, forecasting and performance reporting framework for the Group. You will lead a team delivering the insight that enables the senior leadership team to make confident, evidence‑based decisions. The role spans the full performance management cycle — from building and challenging the annual plan and quarterly forecasts through to rigorous variance analysis and benchmarking against external measures. As a key member of the Group FP&A leadership team, you will also play an active role in evolving the function’s capabilities, systems and processes as the business continues to grow and transform. This is a high‑impact role within a dynamic, growing business with revenues of £3.5bn. The role plays a central part in shaping how the Group understands its financial performance, driving the planning and forecasting cycles and leading the analytical engine that connects actual results to strategic ambitions.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Planning & Forecasting
  • Own and manage the annual budgeting and multi‑year planning cycle, coordinating inputs across all business units and central functions to produce a consolidated, Board‑ready financial plan.
  • Lead the monthly and quarterly forecast process, ensuring timely, accurate and insightful reforecasts that reflect the latest trading conditions and strategic priorities.
  • Challenge and interrogate business unit submissions, bringing rigour and consistency to assumptions, phasing and presentation.
  • Develop and maintain financial models that support scenario planning, sensitivity analysis and longer‑range strategic modelling.
  • Continuously improve planning processes, timelines and tools, with a focus on efficiency and accuracy with a particular focus on driving forward the use of the new Oracle planning module to fully utilise its capabilities.
• Reporting & Performance Analytics
  • Lead the production of key monthly Group info on P&L and cash flow reporting versus plan, prior year and external benchmarks.
  • Provide deep‑dive analysis on variances, identifying root causes and translating financial data into clear, actionable narrative for senior stakeholders including the Exec team.
  • Assist with the development and maintenance of KPI dashboards and scorecards that track financial and operational performance across the Group.
  • Benchmark Group and divisional performance against relevant external measures, sector peers and market indicators, providing context and competitive intelligence.
  • Ensure reporting is accurate, consistent and aligned with the Group’s accounting policies and governance standards.
• Stakeholder Management & Business Partnering
  • Build strong, credible relationships with divisional finance teams, operational leaders and Group functions, acting as a trusted advisor on performance and planning matters.
  • Present financial analysis and insight clearly to senior leadership, adapting communication style to audience and context.
  • Support the Group FP&A Director in preparing Board and investor materials, including Board packs.
  • Collaborate closely with the Group Accounting, Tax, Treasury and Strategy teams to ensure joined‑up financial planning and reporting.
• People Leadership
  • Lead, develop and inspire a team of around nine, including two direct reports, fostering a high‑performance culture built on accountability, development and collaboration.
  • Set clear objectives and manage performance, supporting the professional growth of team members and building a strong pipeline of future talent.
  • Create an environment of continuous improvement, encouraging the team to challenge existing processes and adopt better ways of working.
• Systems, Process & Continuous Improvement
  • Champion the ongoing development of FP&A systems, tools and data infrastructure, working with IT, finance transformation and systems teams to enhance capability.
  • Drive automation and standardisation of reporting and planning processes to improve speed, accuracy and scalability as the business grows.
  • Maintain and develop robust financial controls and governance frameworks within the FP&A function.

Experience / Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with significant post‑qualified experience in a complex, multi‑site or multi‑divisional environment.
• Proven experience in a senior FP&A role, with ownership of planning, forecasting and management reporting cycles.
• Strong people leadership skills, with experience managing and developing multi‑person finance teams.
• Exceptional financial modelling, analytical and problem‑solving skills, with high levels of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Commercially astute, with the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insight for non‑finance audiences.
• Advanced Excel skills; experience with planning/reporting tools – ideally Oracle EPBCS but certainly a sector‑leading system (e.g. Anaplan, Cognos, SAP BPC, Power BI or similar).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership.
• Ability to work at pace in a fast‑changing environment, managing multiple priorities and deadlines without compromising quality.

Desirable

• Experience in a private equity‑backed business with a performance‑driven culture.
• Exposure to businesses of comparable scale (£1bn+ turnover), ideally across multiple divisions or geographies.
• Experience supporting CFO or Board‑level reporting and presentation.
• Track record of leading or contributing to FP&A transformation or systems implementation programmes.

As a BAME and LGBTQ+ inclusive employer, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long‑term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.

What We Offer

• Work‑life balance
• 26 days annual leave
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing
• Pension
• Discretionary Bonus
• Discounted staff pet care
• Dog Friendly office
• Free Parking available at Head Office

At IVC Evidensia we recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do.