Group Financial Planning & Analysis Senior Lead

We are recruiting for a critical leadership role in the Group Financial Planning and Analysis team. If you enjoy a fast-paced and agile environment, developing and delivering insight to drive business performance and strategy, then this may be the role for you. With a keen eye for detail, being skilled at understanding complex information and succinctly communicating its meaning, you’ll be part of a small team at the heart of the business and optimizing member and business value.

Who Are We?

Not just another building society. Not just another job. We’re the fourth biggest building society and mutual organisation in the UK. Mutuality makes us different as we don’t have shareholders; we’re owned by our members. Our colleagues say Skipton’s a great place to work, and you could be one of them, bringing new ideas on how we can keep customers at the heart of what we do. Whatever your background, and whatever your goals, we’ll help you take the next step towards a better future.

Meet The Team

We’re strengthening our FP&A team and broadening its remit to cover Group stress testing and forecasting activities, facilitating opportunities to make the most of the Group's capabilities. The team you will join, Group Financial Planning and Analysis within Group Financial Performance, consists of 9 colleagues working with financial business partners, business lines, and executive teams. Our core role is to understand, report, and forecast business performance, explaining the implications of decisions and identifying corrective actions to achieve strategic goals or mitigate financial risks. Turning data into insight, insight into action, and action into customer satisfaction is central to all we do.

What Will You Be Doing?

• Lead the review of the Society’s forecasting and stress testing / planning operating model with key stakeholders, adopting a more agile, collaborative approach.
• Lead the bottom-up modelling (QRM) of the Society’s internal stress testing / forecasting and regulatory requirements, liaising with the Homes and Money Finance team to agree assumptions and working with Capital to deliver financial projections.
• Coordinate, review, and challenge all forecasting and monthly management account reporting activities.
• Responsible for consolidating Group forecasts and the 5-year Corporate Plan.
• Identify vulnerabilities through stress testing / forecasting and propose improvements.
• Deliver supporting documentation including ExCo and Board papers, especially the Group CFO’s monthly performance report.

What Do We Need From You?

• Strong communication skills to interpret and explain complex accounting and technical matters clearly.
• Excellent planning, analytical, and modelling skills to understand and challenge complex models.
• Flexibility and drive to support a growing, changing business.
• Proactive, enthusiastic, and self-motivated with a focus on delivering outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of Financial Planning and Analysis and technical accounting, with a desire to be a subject matter expert.
• Good commercial understanding to translate operational plans into financial outcomes.
• Experience in planning and organizing work to meet deadlines.
• Ideally, a professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACCA, CIMA, ACA) with 2+ years’ post-qualification experience.

What’s In It For You?

Skipton values work/life balance and supports hybrid and flexible working. Benefits include:

• Annual discretionary bonus
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays + up to 5 days additional leave based on service
• Holiday trading scheme
• Matching employer pension contribution (up to 10%)
• Colleague mortgage (conditions apply)
• Salary sacrifice for hybrid & electric cars
• Training and development
• Private medical insurance
• 3 paid volunteering days per year
• Diverse colleague networks (e.g., Carers, Pride)
• Health and wellbeing benefits including cycle to work and gym discounts