Head of Financial Planning Analysis in London

Interim Head of Financial Planning & Analysis, FP&A, 12mth FTC

Essential experience: PE backed Financial Services (Insurance adv.) + FP&A leadership

Contract: 12mths FTC (poss. perm)

Location: City of London (2 days WFH)

Pear Talent is representing a globally recognisable Financial Services business who are looking for an interim Head of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) on a 12mth contract. Reporting to the Director of FP&A you’ll lead all core FP&A deliverables, commercial insight and business performance management. You’ll also play a critical role in reshaping the function, specifically improving current processes and systems. This is a unique opportunity to build a best-in-class framework, coupled with automation and technology, that supports strategic decision-making and delivers actionable insights.

Key accountabilities:

• You’ll have regular interaction with the CFO/Exec stakeholders in order to lead the implementation of the plan in line with company growth strategy, as well as drive performance.
• You’ll 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 CFO/Exec stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the 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 leadership to anticipate business performance challenges and identify opportunities to enhance performance.

Required experience:

• The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA / CPA) with significant post-qualified experience in a similar senior FP&A role within a private equity backed Financial Services (Insurance adv) company.
• 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.
• Experience driving Finance change and transformation activities.
• 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.