Finance Director Public Safety in Chippenham

This position plays a vital role in overseeing and managing the financial activities of the Public Safety Business. Responsible for providing strategic financial guidance and ensuring the business's financial health, stability, and growth. The role collaborates with various departments and senior executives to develop and implement financial plans, policies, and strategies aligned with the organisation's goals and objectives.

To work with the Commercial finance team to provide guidance and innovation to assist in complex financial transactions, bids and acquisitions. To work with the CFO and Group finance team to provide technical leadership in terms of driving forward improvements to systems, processes & accounting policies.

• Financial Planning and Analysis
  • Develop and implement financial strategies, plans, and budgets to support the organization's short-term and long-term goals.
  • Conduct financial analysis and provide insights on key performance indicators, financial trends, and forecasts.
  • Assess the financial feasibility of projects and investments, and provide recommendations to senior management.
• Financial Reporting and Compliance
  • Prepare accurate and timely financial statements, reports, and analysis in accordance with regulatory requirements and accounting standards.
  • Ensure compliance with financial laws, regulations, and company policies.
  • Oversee internal and external audits, coordinate with auditors, and implement recommended changes.
• Cash Flow and Treasury Management
  • Manage cash flow and liquidity, including forecasting, monitoring, and optimizing working capital.
  • Develop and implement effective treasury management strategies, including cash management, debt management, and investment strategies.
  • Monitor banking relationships, negotiate terms, and ensure compliance with banking agreements.
• Risk Management
  • Identify and assess financial risks, develop risk management strategies, and implement appropriate controls and procedures.
  • Evaluate and mitigate financial and operational risks related to investments, contracts, and business decisions.
  • Stay updated on industry trends, regulatory changes, and best practices in financial risk management.
• Team Leadership and Development
  • Lead and mentor the finance team, fostering a culture of collaboration, high performance, and professional development.
  • Provide guidance and support to finance staff in areas such as financial analysis, reporting, and compliance.
  • Promote a strong internal control environment and ensure adherence to ethical standards.
  • Coach, develop and support the team through conducting regular 1-to-1s.
  • Deputise for CFO if required.
  • Assist CFO Executive Directors with any other duties that may be required.
• Reporting
  • Lead and provide accurate and timely P&L, cashflow and balance sheet financial reports for the Executive directors of Solutions and Services (actual and forecast) including commentary on major variances and trends.
  • Lead co-ordination and preparation of the 3YP process with CFO, and Executive Directors of Business unit to include detailed financial analysis, strategy etc.
  • Provide detailed KPI analysis (sub-P&L level, e.g. by customer or region).
  • Provide financial reports on development and innovation projects (investment appraisal).
  • Provide project and contract reports and forecasts with comparison to BAF and budget.
  • Co-ordinate, prepare and review the annual budget and 3-year business plan.
  • Liaise with Public Services divisional finance team to ensure Group consolidation and ad hoc finance requests are completed.
  • Ensure we have adequate financial processes and procedures in place.
  • To take responsibility with the finance team for successfully achieving our independent audit.

Qualifications

• Industry Experience
  • Experience of working in a software based business model with contract accounting preferable.
  • Managerial qualities.
  • Management of a highly skilled team.
  • Ability to delegate tasks as appropriate.
  • Has a customer driven, service approach whilst maintaining high levels of quality.
  • Ability to communicate clearly, appropriately and in a compelling manner, including explanation of complicated financial processes to non-finance staff, direct reports, and the operational management team.
  • Ability to organise, schedule and monitor tasks in order to meet tight deadlines.
  • Commercial qualities.
  • Working technical knowledge of reporting standards and excellent management accounting techniques.
  • Extensive experience of a variety of accounting and operational systems, SAP and TM1 experience is desirable.
  • High level of experience and proficiency with MS Office, in particular strong Excel skills are essential.
  • Demonstrate a strong understanding of issues, events and activities and a perception of their longer-term impact or wider implications with a willingness to identify fresh approaches and challenge old assumptions.
• Personal Qualities
  • Ability to interact with people at all levels in an effective manner.
  • Flexibility to work within a high growth, rapidly changing environment.
  • Commitment to continuous personal development.
  • Full ownership of problems and issues.
• Qualifications and Skills
  • Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or a related field (Master's degree or Accounting qualification preferred) or equivalent experience.
  • Proven experience in a senior financial management role, such as Finance Manager or Controller.
  • Strong knowledge of financial principles, practices, and regulations.
  • Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
  • Proficiency in financial software systems and advanced MS Excel skills.
  • Exceptional leadership and communication abilities.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities effectively.

Additional Information

• Private Medical Cover funded by NEC for Employees (with the option to add family members at an additional cost).
• 25 days paid holiday with the option to buy/sell.
• 4 x basic salary life assurance cover funded by NEC (with the option to increase cover at an additional cost).
• A Group Pension Plan with fantastic employer contributions up to a maximum of 8.5%.
• A fantastic selection of flexible benefits to suit your individual needs.
• We are an employer who cares, we have an invaluable employee assistance programme which can help in every area of your life.
• All colleagues get free access to LinkedIn Learning. Over 15,000 courses covering a huge breadth of subjects.

Other Information

• Candidates must be able to demonstrate a pre-existing right to work and travel within the UK. Documentary evidence will be required.
• All offers are subject to satisfactory vetting, financial probity check and reference checks.
• A Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check will be required and, dependent on the role, further higher vetting may be requested.

Equal Opportunity Statement

NEC Software Solutions is an equal opportunities employer, welcoming applications from all communities. If you require any reasonable adjustments or have specific accessibility needs during the recruitment or interview process, please feel free to share these with us. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accommodating experience for all candidates.

Who We Are

We’re NEC Software Solutions (part of the global tech giant NEC Corporation). While you read this ad, our software is helping to dispatch ambulances, support families, keep trains on the move, locate missing people and even test the hearing of newborn babies. Working with us, you’ll be helping our 3,000+ employees push the boundaries of what’s possible and support amazing public services. We work with governments, hospitals, police forces, housing providers, local authorities and more. We help them pay financial support faster, speed up treatments for patients and respond to emergencies in the right way. The more we do, the more our customers can do for others. And together, we make a world of difference. We’d love your help. And we’ll support you all the way.