FP&A Transformation Lead: AI-Driven Forecasting in Sheffield

Overview

Are you ready for what’s next, now? We’re looking for an FP&A AI & Transformation Manager for our office in Sheffield, UK. This is a full‑time, onsite position. You’ll join an awesome team to support our growing operations.

About the role

Aptean is investing heavily in its data and AI capability, built on a unified data platform (Microsoft Fabric) that brings together forecasting, CRM, professional services, and accounting data in one place. This role is primarily focused on transforming how our Finance function operates - moving from spreadsheet‑driven month end and planning cycles (loaded into TM1) to dynamic, AI‑assisted forecasting, performance insight and month end close periods. You will lead the transformation of how Finance produces and consumes analysis - setting the direction for the analytical layer that sits between our data platform and the business, and reshaping how Accounting and FP&A operate. This is a mandate to redesign the operating model: moving forecasting and reporting from manual assembly into a scaled, AI‑augmented capability, and establishing the standards, tooling, and ways of working that determine how quickly leadership sees a coherent picture of financial performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• FP&A Transformation (Core Focus)
• Partner with FP&A to redesign the forecasting process - replacing manual Excel-based inputs with structured, governed models built on our UDP (Microsoft Fabric), whilst testing Microsoft latest planning capability in Fabric.
• Build and maintain multi‑scenario forecast models (rolling forecasts, budget vs actuals, working forecast) that pull live data from CRM pipeline, PS capacity and bookings, and recurring revenue streams.
• Develop driver-based planning models that give FP&A real levers to stress‑test assumptions - headcount, bookings, utilisation & churn, rather than just adjusting prior‑period numbers.
• Introduce AI‑assisted variance commentary: automatically surfacing what changed, why, and where to focus - so FP&A can add judgement rather than narrate data.
• Supporting FP&A with the monthly and quarterly reporting packs - building automated, always‑current versions that replace point‑in‑time spreadsheets.
• Actuals Bridging (Supporting Function)
• Work with Accounting to ensure month‑end actuals land cleanly in the platform and flow through to FP&A and business‑facing dashboards with minimal lag.
• Use AI‑assisted workflows to automate the translation of closed‑period accounting data into business commentary - variance to budget, prior period, and forecast.
• Flag data quality issues at source so that actuals can be trusted without manual reconciliation each cycle.
• Stakeholder Enablement
• Act as the product owner for Finance’s reporting and planning tool needs (based on UDP data) - gathering requirements, prioritising, and delivering.
• Train and upskill FP&A team members to self‑serve from apps and planning tools, reducing dependency on ad hoc data requests.
• Be the translator between what Finance needs and what the data platform can deliver.

About you

You have the financial rigour of a seasoned FP&A professional and the curiosity of someone who genuinely wants to rebuild how things work. You’re frustrated by manual processes not because they’re tedious, but because they get in the way of doing the interesting work. You’re as comfortable in a data model as you are in a board‑level conversation, and you know how to make numbers tell a story.

Essential

• Significant hands‑on FP&A experience - budgeting, forecasting, scenario modelling, and management reporting in a commercial environment.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in SQL and/or Python for data querying and modelling.
• Experience with Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, or a comparable modern data platform.
• Demonstrated ability to build or improve forecasting and planning processes, not just operate within them.
• Strong communicator - able to present financial insight clearly to senior stakeholders and work credibly with both Finance and Technology teams.
• Project management of FP&A tooling integration.

Desirable

• Experience applying AI or LLM tooling in a finance context - automated commentary, anomaly detection, natural language querying of financial data.
• Familiarity with SaaS or subscription business models: ARR, NRR, churn and recurring vs non‑recurring revenue.
• Exposure to services businesses - understanding of utilisation, backlog, and capacity‑driven revenue forecasting.
• Experience with CRM data (Salesforce or similar) as an input to revenue forecasting.
• A finance qualification (CIMA, ACCA, ACA) is advantageous but not required if experience is strong.

What we offer

A high‑visibility role shaping how a global B2B software company plans, forecasts, and understands its performance. Access to a modern, unified data platform (Microsoft Fabric) spanning CRM, services, forecasting, and accounting data. A collaborative environment spanning FP&A, Analytics, Strategy, and Technology.