Finance & Legal Transformation Manager - 12 Month Fixed Term Contract in Keynsham

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.

The Finance & Legal Transformation Manager will lead the day-to-day legal merger activity across the business, in addition to two distinct restructuring initiatives within Belgium and Netherlands, from discovery, planning and design through to implementation. This role will include managing resources, budget and people to achieve the desired outcome.

They will be responsible for the effective co-ordination of all workstreams across each restructuring initiative, including Legal, Tax, Group, GBS, IT and in-country HR and Operations teams, ensuring alignment and cohesive delivery. This includes managing external legal and tax advisors, providing required financial and tax information to support due diligence, and maintaining rigorous monitoring and control of activities to track progress and meet delivery timelines.

The role will identify, manage and mitigate delivery, legal, tax, finance and operational risks, escalating significant issues through the Restructuring SteerCo as appropriate. It will also ensure that any required changes are implemented through a robust change-control process while overseeing day-to-day activities and co-ordinating across multiple stakeholder groups to achieve successful, timely and well-managed outcomes.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the co-ordination of workstreams for each initiative, including Legal, Tax, Group, GBS, IT and In-Country Management Teams (HR, Ops);
• Robust due diligence and other prerequisite activity completed in preparation for the project;
• Co-ordination of external legal and tax advisory including provision of financial and tax information and analysis as required;
• End to end management of finance, tax, and operational activities for each transaction including implementation and maintenance of action plans, RAID and change control registers;
• Work collaboratively with Integration Coordinators, SMEs in R2R, P2P and O2C, and GBS pillar leads to ensure the successful delivery of the projects;
• Identify, manage and mitigate delivery, legal, tax, finance and operational risks, escalation of significant risks and issues via Restructuring SteerCo;
• Working with Group functions to ensure readiness pre- and post-transaction;
• Review and approval of accounting entries to ensure accuracy in our system of record;
• Adherence to statutory, tax, and regulatory requirements through liaison with external tax compliance advisors;
• Ensuring appropriate handover from GBS Integration to GBS BAU post transaction;
• Support continual review, development and improvement of systems and ways of working.

Experience/Qualifications:

• ACCA / CIMA qualified or equivalent, minimum 2 years PQE;
• Strong management accounting background required;
• Highly organised with a proven track record of successful project delivery at Manager/Senior Manager level;
• Previous experience of legal entity rationalisation desired but not essential;
• Sufficient experience of finance, tax, regulatory, and operational matters;
• Effective communicator with excellent stakeholder management at all levels; able to build strong relationships with colleagues in other countries and departments, and with third party advisors;
• Confident in working with finance and legal experts, technically competent with the ability to think analytically in a logical and systematic manner and to contribute effectively;
• Excellent presentation and written communication skills;
• Strong IT skills and experience with Power BI and accounting reporting systems (e.g. Oracle).

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.