At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead corporate financial planning and reporting, providing insights to top executives.
- Company: Join a dynamic company with a fun and friendly culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, pension, life assurance, and a Merlin Magic Pass for free attractions.
- Other info: Great career growth opportunities in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on financial strategies and drive business success.
- Qualifications: Finance qualification with 8+ years in senior finance leadership roles.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
The Group FP&A Director, Corporate is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing the Corporate financial planning and board reporting processes on a global scale. Reporting to the VP of Group FPA&R, this role provides critical financial insights to the CFO, Executive Committee & shareholders, enabling a deeper understanding of the Group's financial and commercial performance. The role is pivotal in driving cash flow forecasting & long‐term planning processes that ensure robust decision‐making at the highest level to steward the company to its targets.
Key Accountabilities
- Strategic Financial Leadership: Lead the corporate financial planning and reporting team, ensuring alignment with business objectives and strategic priorities. Act as a key financial advisor to senior executives, including the CFO, CEO, and Finance Leadership Team (FLT), providing insightful analysis and strategic financial guidance.
- Executive Committee & Board Reporting: Accountable for the delivery and critical assessment of the Group's annual budget, 5-Year Strategic Plan & Capital Plan to the Exec and board and monthly board reporting. Provide detailed analysis and commentary on financial performance, ensuring clear, succinct, and commercially relevant insights are delivered to the Executive and Board. Ensure continuous development of financial systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of reporting processes.
- Cashflow Forecasting: Develop & execute the indirect cash flow forecasting process, reporting outlooks to the Board and Executive reporting. Work closely with the Treasury team to support the direct cash flow forecasting process, and reconciliation process to the indirect method. Develop cash levers to improve liquidity for the group, including leading working capital improvement projects.
- Long term planning: Develop long‐term financial plans in collaboration with senior stakeholders, incorporating strategic objectives, external market data, and internal business insights. Run scenario & sensitivity analysis to demonstrate a range of future outcomes based on macroeconomic factors & different investment strategies. Collaborate with the capital development teams to incorporate evolving capital allocation strategies into financial plans.
- Corporate Analysis: Compare internal financial projections with external viewpoints, including benchmarking against competitors and macroeconomic factors. Provide actionable recommendations to improve business performance throughout the year to steward the organization towards its financial targets. Deliver standard shareholder reporting & support on ad hoc data & analysis requests.
Critical Interfaces
- CFO, SVP Finance: Strategic advisory and financial insight delivery
- Finance Leadership Team: Stakeholder engagement and financial planning
- Treasury Team: Debt reporting and cash flow forecasting support
- External Reporting Team: Support for forecasting models and valuation assessments
- Strategy & Commercial Teams: Development of long‐term planning and performance analysis
- Shareholder analysts: Board reporting & shareholder ad hoc analysis requests
Qualifications & Experience
- Recognised finance qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, MBA) with a minimum of 8 years post‐qualification experience.
- Proven experience in a senior finance leadership role within a large, complex, multi‐site, and multi‐country organisation.
- Strong commercial and strategic finance acumen, with experience providing Board‐level financial insights.
- Experience in financial planning systems such as IBM Planning Analytics (TM1), Hyperion, and Power BI.
- Excellent Excel modelling skills and ability to present complex financial data clearly and concisely.
- Experience in the leisure industry is preferable but not essential.
Skills and Competencies
- Leadership & Influence: Ability to engage at Board level and effectively lead a team of senior finance professionals.
- Strategic Thinking: Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess financial performance and provide strategic insights.
- Stakeholder Management: Ability to build relationships across multiple functions and influence key decision‐makers.
- Process Improvement: Proven ability to drive continuous improvement in financial planning and reporting processes.
- Communication & Presentation: Ability to articulate financial insights in a clear, visually impactful, and engaging manner for senior stakeholders.
- Adaptability: Energised by a fast‐moving, growth‐oriented business with a passion for the industry.
LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOURS
- Soulfully Curious: Leaders who seek out new knowledge, explore a diverse range of perspectives, and show a genuine interest in learning about complex issues. Leaders who ask questions with positive intent, show a willingness to learn and remain open to new ideas.
- Results Focused: Leaders who set clear goals, prioritise tasks, regularly evaluate progress, and course‐correct in pursuit to achieve desired outcomes. Leaders who take accountability, learn from both successes and failures, and demonstrate a commitment to meeting or exceeding targets.
- Extraordinary Teammate: Leaders who proactively collaborate, share knowledge, offer assistance and support a wider community of peers across the organisation. Leaders who communicate clearly and respectfully, celebrate others' successes, and contribute to team performance and culture at an enterprise level.
- Develops People: Leaders who positively support the growth and advancement of others, provide and seek out regular constructive feed‐forward. Leaders who coach their teams, create opportunities for skill development, nurture talent and take a genuine interest in the personal growth of others.
Benefits
We're growing fast and alongside a fun and friendly environment, we offer a fabulous package and amazing prospects – ideal if you're already fantastic and want to become even better (our magic can help here). Benefits include Pension, Life Assurance, discretionary company bonus, 25 days' holiday and, of course, a Merlin Magic Pass which gives you and your friends and family free admission to all of our attractions worldwide, as well as 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants and 40% discount on LEGO.
Pay Range: Competitive
Group FP&A Director, Corporate in London employer: Merlin
As a Group FP&A Director at our corporate headquarters, you'll thrive in a dynamic and supportive environment that champions professional growth and collaboration. We offer an attractive benefits package, including a competitive salary, generous holiday allowance, and exclusive discounts on our global attractions, ensuring you enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance while contributing to strategic financial leadership at the highest level.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Group FP&A Director, Corporate in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance world, especially those who have experience in FP&A roles. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your financial modelling skills and understanding the latest trends in corporate finance. We want you to showcase your strategic thinking and ability to provide insights that matter!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just wait for job postings; be proactive! Research companies you admire and reach out directly. Express your interest in their FP&A teams and how you can add value. You never know what opportunities might arise!
✨Tip Number 4
Finally, apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team and contributing to our success.
We think you need these skills to ace Group FP&A Director, Corporate in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Group FP&A Director role. Highlight your strategic financial leadership experience and any relevant qualifications. We want to see how your background aligns with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past achievements in financial planning and reporting that demonstrate your capabilities.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills:In your application, don’t forget to showcase your analytical skills. Mention any tools or systems you’ve used, like IBM Planning Analytics or Power BI, and how they’ve helped you deliver insights to senior stakeholders.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Merlin
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Group FP&A Director, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive strategic decisions in previous roles. Prepare examples that showcase your ability to analyse financial performance and provide actionable insights.
✨Master the Art of Storytelling
When presenting your financial insights, clarity is key. Practice articulating complex financial data in a way that's engaging and easy to understand. Use visuals if possible, and think about how you can tell a compelling story with the numbers to captivate your audience, especially at the Board level.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership and influence. Be prepared to share examples of how you've led teams in the past, particularly in high-pressure situations. Highlight your experience in stakeholder management and how you've successfully collaborated with senior executives to achieve business objectives.
✨Prepare for Scenario Analysis
Given the importance of long-term planning and scenario analysis in this role, come equipped with examples of how you've conducted sensitivity analyses in the past. Discuss the outcomes and how they informed strategic decisions. This will show your potential employer that you're not just a number cruncher but a strategic thinker.
