At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead AI adoption and automate financial processes while shaping the future of finance at Pareto.
- Company: Join a fast-growing, innovative facilities management business with ambitious expansion plans.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work model, and opportunities for career progression.
- Other info: Direct exposure to senior leadership and private equity investors in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI in finance and make a real impact on business decisions.
- Qualifications: Experience in FP&A, strong analytical skills, and a passion for AI and automation.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Pareto Group is a fast-growing, private equity-backed facilities management business with a turnover of c.£80–100m and an ambitious buy-and-build strategy. Following recent acquisitions and ongoing integration activity, we are looking for an exceptional FP&A Manager to help shape the future of our finance function.
This is not a traditional FP&A role. We are seeking someone who combines strong commercial finance and financial planning expertise with a genuine passion for AI, automation, and data-driven decision making. Reporting directly to the CFO, you will build the financial planning infrastructure, reporting capability, and automation roadmap required to support a modern, investor-focused organisation.
Working closely with the CFO, COO, CEO, Finance Business Partners, and wider leadership team, you will become the analytical backbone of the finance function while leading Pareto's adoption of AI and automation technologies.
The Opportunity
This role sits at the centre of financial planning, forecasting, board reporting, and business intelligence across the Group. You'll be responsible for building and maintaining Pareto's consolidated financial model, owning the budgeting and forecasting process, producing board and investor reporting, and creating automated data flows between core systems including Sage and Simpro.
Alongside these responsibilities, you'll act as Pareto's AI champion within finance, identifying opportunities to automate processes, improve reporting, and increase efficiency through the use of AI tools such as Claude, Copilot, and other emerging technologies. This is a high-profile role offering direct exposure to senior leadership and private equity investors, making it an ideal opportunity for an ambitious finance professional looking to progress towards senior finance leadership.
What You'll Be Doing
- AI & Automation Leadership
- Lead AI adoption across the finance function
- Champion the use of Claude, Copilot and other AI tools within finance
- Automate variance commentary, board pack narratives, reporting workflows and analytical processes
- Identify manual and repetitive finance processes and develop automation solutions
- Build AI playbooks, prompt libraries and best-practice guides
- Train and support the wider finance team in adopting AI-supported working practices
- Work alongside the COO and leadership team on wider business automation initiatives
- Stay up to date with developments in AI and proactively introduce new capabilities
- Financial Planning & Analysis
- Own the annual budgeting process from planning through to sign-off
- Develop and maintain rolling forecasts and scenario models
- Build and maintain a fully integrated three-statement financial model
- Produce detailed financial forecasts and sensitivity analysis
- Develop and maintain 13-week and 12-month cash flow forecasts
- Support acquisition modelling, integration planning and synergy analysis
- Provide meaningful forward-looking financial insight to support decision making
- Board & Investor Reporting
- Own the monthly board reporting process
- Produce investor-grade financial packs and commentary
- Develop KPI reporting aligned to the Group's value creation plan
- Support lender and covenant reporting requirements
- Work closely with the CFO ahead of board meetings and investor updates
- Develop robust reporting frameworks to support future exit activity
- Data & Reporting Infrastructure
- Lead the development of automated reporting between Sage, Simpro and management reporting tools
- Build dashboards and performance reporting for senior leadership
- Ensure contract-level financial data is accurate, consistent and accessible
- Improve reporting efficiency by eliminating manual data handling wherever possible
- Maintain strong governance, version control and audit trails across reporting processes
- Commercial & Operational Analysis
- Develop contract-level profitability reporting
- Analyse margins, commercial performance and operational trends
- Support bid pricing, commercial modelling and investment decisions
- Monitor working capital performance including WIP, debtors and cash conversion
- Deliver actionable insight to operational leaders and senior management
- Team Development
- Act as the finance team's subject matter expert for modelling, systems and reporting
- Support Finance Business Partners with data and analytical frameworks
- Help standardise reporting and analytical processes across the Group
- Mentor and develop junior finance colleagues
What We're Looking For
Essential Experience
- Proven experience within FP&A, Commercial Finance, Management Accounting or a similar analytical finance role
- Advanced financial modelling capability, including integrated three-statement models, forecasting and scenario analysis
- Strong cash flow forecasting experience
- Proven, hands‑on use of AI and LLM tools in a professional environment (hard requirement)
- Experience producing board-level or senior leadership reporting
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Experience working in multi-entity or operationally complex businesses
- Excellent Excel and financial systems capability
- Ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels
Highly Desirable
- PE-backed, investor reporting or lender reporting experience
- Facilities Management, engineering services, support services or other contract-led business experience
- Experience with ERP systems such as Sage
- Experience with field operations platforms such as Simpro
- Power BI, Power Automate, Python or similar automation experience
- Acquisition, integration or business transformation exposure
Qualifications
- ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified (preferred)
- Strong candidates who are part-qualified or qualified by experience will also be considered
Personal Attributes
- Is genuinely excited by AI and emerging technology
- Loves building processes, systems and reporting frameworks from scratch
- Is commercially curious and wants to understand how the business operates
- Has exceptional attention to detail and high standards of accuracy
- Can communicate complex analysis clearly to non-finance stakeholders
- Is proactive, self‑motivated and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment
- Enjoys improving processes and challenging traditional ways of working
- Wants to play a key role in shaping the future of a growing business
Why Join Pareto?
- Direct exposure to CFO, COO, CEO and private equity investors
- Opportunity to lead AI adoption within a finance function
- Significant scope to influence systems, processes and reporting
- Work within a growing PE-backed business with ambitious expansion plans
- Genuine opportunity to develop into a senior finance leadership position
- Be part of a business embracing innovation, automation and modern finance practices
This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious FP&A professional who wants to combine commercial finance, technology, AI, and strategic business partnering in a role that offers genuine influence and long-term career progression.
FP&A Manager employer: Pareto Facilities Management Ltd
Pareto Group is an exceptional employer that offers a dynamic work environment where innovation and technology are at the forefront. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have direct exposure to senior leadership and the opportunity to lead AI adoption within the finance function, all while working in a hybrid setting in Milton Keynes. The company fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, making it an ideal place for ambitious finance professionals seeking meaningful and rewarding careers.
Contact Details:
Pareto Facilities Management Ltd Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land FP&A Manager
✨Tap into Campus Networks
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Don’t shy away from reaching out directly to firms like Pareto Facilities Management Ltd. Use their websites and apply through them, but also consider following up with a polite email to express your enthusiasm. Being proactive can make a huge difference in getting noticed in the competitive financial services sector.
We think you need these skills to ace FP&A Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers!:In the banking and financial services world, quantifiable achievements are key. Make sure your CV highlights your grades in relevant subjects, any financial certifications you hold, and specific projects where you've delivered measurable results. Employers love to see how your skills translate into real-world success.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Role:When applying for a full-time position, your cover letter should make a direct connection between your experience and the job description. Don't just state your enthusiasm for finance—dive into how your background in banking or financial analysis sets you apart. Let your passion shine through while being specific about what you can bring to Pareto Facilities Management Ltd.
Include Relevant Financial Software Experience:If you've worked with financial modelling tools or software like Excel, SAP, or specific analytical tools during your studies or internships, bring that up! Highlighting your proficiency can really make your application pop and show you're ready to hit the ground running in a full-time role.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Pareto Facilities Management Ltd
✨Brush Up on Financial Analysis Skills
Make sure you're well-versed in financial concepts and analytical techniques relevant to banking and financial services. Get comfortable with tools like Excel for modelling or financial forecasting, as technical questions in this area are common during interviews with Pareto Facilities Management Ltd.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
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✨Show Your Passion for Finance
Since this is a full-time position, employers at Pareto Facilities Management Ltd will be keen to see your genuine interest in finance. Be prepared to discuss recent industry trends or news articles that excite you, showcasing your enthusiasm and engagement with the field.
✨Network with Industry Professionals
Before your interview, reach out to current or former Pareto Facilities Management Ltd employees on platforms like LinkedIn. They'll offer unique insights into the company's culture and the interview process, which can give us a delightful edge in showcasing a good fit for the team.
