At a Glance
- Tasks: Deliver high-quality financial planning and analysis to support decision-making.
- Company: Join a rapidly growing global life reinsurer with a relaxed yet hardworking culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, private insurance, and a subsidised gym membership.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to community involvement and work-life balance.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in financial planning while embracing your potential.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in FP&A or financial analysis; CPA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA preferred.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
We believe in giving you ongoing opportunities to advance your career. Here at Pacific Life Re and UnderwriteMe, we want to help you embrace your potential so you can achieve your personal best doing purposeful work, every day. We are a rapidly growing global life reinsurer, working with our clients around the world to manage their mortality, longevity, and morbidity risk. We provide Life, Critical Illness, Income Protection, Hospital Cash and Longevity reinsurance products and services to our clients. We have a relaxed but hard-working culture and providing employees with a healthy work-life balance is important to us.
We are currently midway through a back-office transformation program (Project Unify) and the company has recently re-organized into a Line of Business structure. The combination of these two events means an exciting time for Financial Planning and Analysis as we modernize our processes and set ourselves up to partner with the business effectively.
This role will focus on delivering high-quality financial planning, analysis, and insight to support decision-making within the Division. This is a hands-on role that requires strong analytical skills, sound accounting judgment, and the ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders across Finance and the wider business. Understanding complex reinsurance products and the ability to communicate this understanding with colleagues of differing expertise will be an asset in this role. Proficiency in Power BI development and experience working with financial systems would be beneficial. The role does not carry formal people-management responsibility but plays a key role in influencing outcomes through insight, analysis and business partnering.
Financial Planning & Analysis is a global function within Finance operating in UK, Asia, Australia and North America. The FP&A team is responsible for all financial analysis, MI design and production, strategic planning and forecasting. The FP&A team also support the company’s strategic objectives in relation to organic growth, new products and markets, pricing, modelling and Tax strategy. The team is also responsible for financial analysis, MI, and stakeholder management with the Enterprise FP&A team based in California.
Financial Planning, Analysis & Insight:
- Support the development and ongoing maintenance PL Re Division planning processes, including annual budgets, forecasts, and long-range plans.
- Prepare and deliver planning and forecasting outputs that provide transparency into performance, risks, and opportunities for senior FP&A leaders and business stakeholders.
- Conduct in-depth financial analysis, including variance analysis, profitability analysis, and scenario modelling, to support operational and strategic decision-making.
- Identify risks and opportunities within financial results and forecasts, escalating material items with well-supported analysis and recommendations.
- Develop and maintain financial models, dashboards, and KPIs to track business performance, communicating insights effectively to stakeholders.
- Ensuring analysis is timely, accurate, and decision-focused, enabling stakeholders to understand both financial outcomes and forward-looking implications.
Systems, Data and Process Enhancement:
- Contribute to finance transformation initiatives aimed at standardising and improving FP&A processes, systems and reporting.
- Support implementation of new planning, forecasting and expense management tools, including requirements definition and testing.
Professional accounting designation (CPA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent) is preferred. Typically, 3+ years of relevant post-qualification experience in FP&A, financial analysis, or related finance role. Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to both finance and non-finance stakeholders. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (Power query) and Power BI report development beneficial. Strong experience working with planning systems and analysis tools, including hands-on data extraction and management. Experience on finance transformation projects is preferred. Accounting knowledge combined with advanced financial analysis and modelling skills.
Every person in our global team is valued for the unique qualities they bring to our business and we seek to build their expertise and support their individual ambitions at every step. We regularly host a range of team building days to strengthen our team's connection with each other and reflect on their successes. Providing employees with a healthy work-life balance is very important to our culture. We are also committed to supporting our employee's involvement in their communities, by actively fundraising, hosting charity events and overseeing volunteering opportunities.
Benefits (Only for Permanent and Fixed Term Employees):
- 25 days of annual leave with option to buy/sell more days
- Generous enhanced parental leave
- Comprehensive private insurance coverage for employee and dependents
- Group Life Insurance coverage of 9x basic annual salary and Group Income Protection up to 75% of basic annual salary
- Savings & Retirement
- Subsidized gym membership
- Access to Employee Assistance Program
- Cycle to Work and Electric Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme
- Time off for volunteering
We are committed to a culture of diversity and inclusion that embraces the authenticity of all employees, partners and communities. As part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we will provide reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to ensure equal access to applicants with disabilities.
Senior Financial Accountant (Fixed Term) in London employer: Pacific Life
Pacific Life Re is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth, offering a supportive work culture enriched by diversity and inclusion. As a Talent Intelligence & Recruitment Marketing Analyst, you will benefit from comprehensive healthcare coverage, generous leave policies, and opportunities for continuous learning, all while contributing to innovative recruitment strategies in a dynamic environment. Located in a vibrant area, the company fosters collaboration and creativity, ensuring that every team member can thrive and make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Financial Accountant (Fixed Term) in London
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Financial Accountant (Fixed Term) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Academic Achievements:In banking and financial services, your academic record can really make you stand out. List relevant grades, certifications, or coursework on your CV, especially if you've taken finance-related modules. This is particularly important for a temporary role where qualifications can help you shine even brighter!
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Tailor Your Cover Letter Purposefully:When writing your cover letter, focus on why you’re interested in a temporary position at Pacific Life. Let them know how you can quickly adapt to the team's needs and how eager you are to learn the ropes of the banking sector during this short stint. Your motivation and enthusiasm could really set you apart!
Be Prepared with References:For temporary roles, references can play a crucial role in your application. Make sure you’ve got a couple of references lined up who can vouch for your skills and work ethic. This helps to give Pacific Life confidence in your short-term commitment to the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Pacific Life
✨Brush Up on Financial Regulations
Since this is a role in banking and financial services, be ready to discuss key regulations like MiFID, Basel III, or GDPR. These are hot topics, and your awareness of how they impact daily operations can give you a significant edge during your interview with Pacific Life.
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Prepare for interview questions that assess your analytical abilities. You might need to tackle hypothetical scenarios involving risk assessment or financial forecasting. Bringing examples of relevant projects or coursework can emphasise your practical understanding of these concepts.
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For a temporary role, showing that you can quickly pick up new processes and tools is crucial. Be ready to discuss previous experiences where you had to adapt to changing requirements or tight deadlines, as this will reassure Pacific Life that you’re a reliable team player.
✨Demonstrate a Willingness to Learn
In a temporary position, leaning into your eagerness to learn can really set you apart. Be prepared to share how you’re staying updated on industry trends or any additional training you've pursued. Employers appreciate candidates who are proactive about their development—even for short-term roles.