Head of FP&A and Business Partnering £110,000 - £130,000 + package

Essential: FP&A and FBP leadership in a Financial Services blue-chip.

Pear Talent is representing a Financial Services business who are looking for a Head of FP&A and Business Partnering to work directly with the CFO, partnering closely with divisional MDs/Exec, especially Chief Digital, IT and Transformation Officers. It’s an exciting time to join, with a new Group CEO there’s a major emphasis on technology and digital led strategy to modernise the business and realise both significant financial and operating efficiencies across the business.

You’ll lead a team of 10 responsible for all FP&A and Business Partnering including the 5-year AOP, insight and analysis for the ExCo/Board, management of the underlying business performance, financial management of all capital and operating expenditure, as well as partnering with commercial finance teams to drive profitability. With regular exposure to Exec/senior leadership business-wide you’ll need to be an experienced c-suite stakeholder manager, comfortable influencing commercial decision making and challenging where required.

• Regular interaction with the Group and divisional Exec/MDs/FDs, leading the implementation of the plan and strategy at a business level to drive performance.
• Lead the analysis of the financial performance, plans and forecasts of the business, as well as cash and capital usage and potential investment proposals.
• Deliver high quality business insight to both support and influence strategic decision making, as well as provide ad-hoc commercial analysis for the Exec.
• Proactively drive forward the development of new MI and processes to improve the quality, speed and usefulness of metrics and forecasts.
• Lead the business target setting for the annual planning process, ensuring that the divisional strategic plans align into a coherent Group strategic plan and that shorter term financial targets also reflect both the Group’s and division’s strategy.
• Critically review, and where necessary, challenge divisional plans. Ensure strategic issues and relevant analyses are brought to the attention of the Exec as necessary assisting in solutions that add value to the Group.
• Understand the competitor and market environment, the changes happening within them and the impact these would have on internal strategies, plans and targets.
• Regularly meet with divisional FDs/MDs to ensure a comprehensive understanding of their business (structure, products, markets etc), strategy, and both recent and projected financial performance.
• Proactively and critically review and challenge reported performance against agreed plans, preparing insightful briefings for senior management, Group Exec and the Board.
• Support divisional MDs / FDs anticipate and prepare for challenges they may receive from the Group Exec at performance review meetings, whilst always seeking opportunities to enhance performance.

• The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA / CPA) with significant post-qualified experience gained in a similar role within Financial Services.
• Ability to lead commercial and strategic analysis and evaluation, as well as make significant contribution in driving and improving the underlying performance of the business.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to both constructively challenge and influence at all levels, including an Exec level.
• It’s important that you can demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the markets in which the business operates, their products, strategies and risks, as well as a detailed understanding of the drivers of business performance.