Head of Financial Planning Analysis

Leading International Technology Business

London, hybrid, 3-4 days in the office in Central London with some international travel

STOIX is retained by a large, privately owned international business with multi-billion revenues and thousands of employees. It is growing at pace and expects a strategic event in the medium term, whether an IPO, private equity investment or trade exit. The finance function is being built to be ready for it.

Planning is the next pillar to be built. The current process is light and largely model-led. The aim is to move to formal quarterly forecasting, then rolling forecasts, supported by proper driver models and a business-led planning cycle. You will design and own all of it.

The role

You will own planning end to end: the annual plan, the reforecast cycles, and the driver models and targets beneath them. Business leaders own their numbers. You set the parameters, run the calendar, challenge the submissions and consolidate them into one clear position for the senior finance leadership.

• Run the annual planning cycle and the mid-year reforecast, then move the business to quarterly and rolling forecasts.
• Build and maintain driver models for revenue, gross profit, cost and headcount, and cascade targets from the top down.
• Analyse forecast accuracy after every cycle, work out where and why the business missed, and feed it back into the next round.
• Challenge senior leaders on their submissions and hold process discipline across functions.
• Write the commentary, papers and presentations that explain what the numbers mean and what to do about them.
• Shape the planning agenda, including tooling, automation and the practical use of AI in forecasting.

This is a hands-on, individual contributor role initially, with a clear path to building and leading a planning team as the function matures.

• Direct experience of what good looks like in the Group FP&A function of a large, listed, £multi-billion group, and the ability to bring that standard to a business that is still building it.
• US and/or multinational experience, working across several geographies, entities or reporting regimes.
• Experience running a recurring, business-wide planning cycle end to end, including calendar, templates, submissions, challenge and consolidation.
• Driver-based models that you have built and maintained, and strong hands‑on modelling skills.
• A record of challenging senior stakeholders and holding your ground, with the presence to present to a senior audience.
• The ability to write clearly and tell the story behind the numbers. This will be tested in the process.
• Curiosity. You ask what is driving a result, whether volume, price, mix or cost, and you raise it before anyone asks.

A sales-driven business with targets or quotas, forecast accuracy analysis, and hands‑on use of AI tools in planning.

The person we are looking for:

Someone with energy and personality, a self‑starter who is not fazed by pace or pressure and enjoys building from a low base. You will join a capable team that needs fresh ideas and a confident voice, and you will be expected to present to senior leadership early on.

Why this role

• A rare chance to build a core finance capability from the ground up, with real influence.
• A fast‑growing business with a significant strategic event ahead, and the chance to be part of preparing for it.
• Strong leadership around you, high visibility and clear progression as the function grows.

Our client's identity will be shared at the appropriate stage of the process. All enquiries are treated in strict confidence.

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