At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive financial planning and commercial performance to enhance business outcomes.
- Company: Established project-driven business in South London with a focus on financial excellence.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and the chance to influence key business decisions.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for process improvement and strategic influence.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on profitability while working closely with senior leadership.
- Qualifications: Qualified accountant with strong FP&A and commercial finance experience.
The predicted salary is between 64350 - 78650 £ per year.
- Senior Finance Business Partner - FP&A & Commercial Performance
- Reporting to: Finance Director
- Level: Senior Finance Professional
The Opportunity
We are recruiting for an experienced, commercially focused Senior Finance Business Partner to join an established, project-driven business looking to strengthen its financial planning, forecasting and commercial performance capabilities.
Working closely with the Finance Director, CEO and wider leadership team, this is a highly visible, hands-on position offering the opportunity to make a measurable impact on business performance.
The successful candidate will go beyond traditional financial reporting, using data to understand what drives revenue, costs and profitability, challenge commercial assumptions and identify opportunities to improve financial outcomes.
This role would suit someone who enjoys getting beneath the numbers, working closely with operational teams and taking ownership of improvements rather than simply reporting on historic performance.
What Success Looks Like - Your First Six Months
A particularly important aspect of this appointment is the ability to deliver tangible improvements within the first six months.
The successful candidate will be expected to
- Improve forecasting accuracy: Strengthen the consistency, reliability and usefulness of financial forecasts, ensuring the business has greater confidence in future performance.
- Enhance financial visibility: Establish clearer, more insightful reporting across revenue, gross margin, operating expenditure and EBITDA.
- Understand profitability: Develop greater transparency around profitability by project, client and business area, identifying the factors influencing financial performance.
- Build commercial relationships: Establish credibility and effective working relationships with operational and commercial leaders, becoming a trusted partner in decision-making.
- Identify opportunities to improve margins: Highlight tangible opportunities to improve profitability, manage costs and increase operational efficiency.
- Streamline management reporting: Reduce manual processes, improve data quality and introduce more efficient reporting and analytical tools.
- Influence strategic decisions: Provide the Finance Director and CEO with clear, timely and actionable financial insight to support faster, better-informed decisions.
The expectation is not simply to produce better financial reports, but to actively influence how the business performs.
Key Responsibilities
- Financial Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting
- Lead and improve budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes.
- Develop rolling forecasts covering revenue, gross profit, operating costs and EBITDA.
- Build financial models to support scenario planning, investment decisions and commercial opportunities.
- Challenge departmental assumptions and improve accountability for financial performance.
- Analyse actual results against budgets and forecasts, identifying risks, trends and opportunities.
- Commercial Finance & Profitability
- Analyse financial performance across projects, customers and operational business areas.
- Identify the drivers behind revenue, gross margin and profitability.
- Work closely with commercial and operational teams to understand project costs, pricing, resource utilisation and margin performance.
- Evaluate commercial opportunities, pricing structures and investment proposals.
- Highlight areas of margin erosion, cost overruns and underperformance, recommending practical solutions.
- Management Information & Business Insight
- Develop meaningful management information and performance dashboards for senior leadership.
- Improve the clarity, consistency and accessibility of financial reporting.
- Translate complex financial information into concise, commercially relevant recommendations.
- Establish financial and operational KPIs that improve visibility and accountability.
- Provide insightful commentary on performance, rather than simply presenting financial results.
- Finance Business Partnering
- Work directly with the Finance Director, CEO and senior operational stakeholders.
- Build relationships across commercial, operational and finance teams.
- Provide constructive challenge to assumptions, decisions and business plans.
- Help non-financial managers understand their financial responsibilities and performance.
- Proactively identify commercial risks and opportunities.
- Systems, Data & Process Improvement
- Identify opportunities to automate reporting and reduce manual spreadsheet activity.
- Improve the quality, consistency and reliability of financial data.
- Develop reporting models, dashboards and analytical tools.
- Support improvements to financial systems, processes and controls.
- Ensure financial information can be used effectively to support operational and strategic decisions.
- The Person We're Looking For
We are particularly interested in individuals who are naturally curious, commercially inquisitive and genuinely motivated by understanding what sits behind the numbers.
This is not a role for someone who simply produces management accounts and reports on historic performance.
We are looking for someone who
- Questions the numbers: Enjoys investigating financial performance, identifying inconsistencies and understanding the underlying commercial drivers.
- Is comfortable with complex data: Can work confidently with large volumes of information, identify patterns and turn analysis into meaningful business insight.
- Has commercial confidence: Is comfortable challenging senior stakeholders, asking difficult questions and constructively influencing decisions.
- Takes ownership: Demonstrates initiative, follows issues through to resolution and brings solutions rather than simply identifying problems.
- Builds relationships: Works collaboratively with operational and commercial colleagues, understanding their challenges and helping them improve performance.
- Think beyond finance: Understands the connection between operational activity, commercial decisions, financial performance and profitability.
- Enjoys improving processes: Recognises opportunities to simplify reporting, improve data quality and create more efficient ways of working.
- Delivers results: Is pragmatic, proactive and focused on achieving measurable business improvements.
Above all, we want someone who combines strong financial expertise with commercial curiosity, credibility and the determination to make a difference.
Experience & Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA), or substantial equivalent relevant experience.
- Strong background in FP&A, commercial finance, finance business partnering or management accounting.
- Proven experience developing financial forecasts, budgets, models and management information.
- Advanced Excel and financial modelling capabilities.
- Strong understanding of P&L performance, gross margin, EBITDA and operational cost drivers.
- Experience working closely with commercial and operational stakeholders.
- Ability to analyse complex financial information and present clear recommendations to senior management.
- Evidence of improving financial reporting, forecasting or business performance.
Desirable
- Experience within a project-based, operationally complex or service-led business.
- Exposure to project profitability, labour costs, resource utilisation and subcontractor expenditure.
- Experience using Power BI or similar reporting and business intelligence tools.
- A track record of reporting automation, data improvement or financial systems enhancement.
- Experience working within a group or international reporting environment. Involvement in business improvement, transformation or operational change initiatives.
Why This Opportunity?
This is an opportunity to take a central role in improving the financial visibility and commercial performance of an established business.
With direct exposure to the Finance Director and CEO, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to influence important decisions, develop stronger financial processes and deliver improvements that have a genuine impact on profitability.
Senior Finance Business Partner / Commercial FP&A in London employer: Wade Macdonald
Wade Macdonald is an exceptional employer that values strategic leadership and employee development, offering a dynamic work culture in Reading. With a focus on hybrid working, employees enjoy flexibility while engaging in meaningful projects that shape compensation frameworks across the UK and internationally. The company fosters growth through continuous learning opportunities and a collaborative environment, making it an ideal place for professionals seeking to make a significant impact in their careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Finance Business Partner / Commercial FP&A in London
✨Tip Number 1: Tap Into Professional Networks
The finance world loves a good connection, so jump into industry-specific groups on platforms like LinkedIn where you can find discussions on financial controlling. Engaging in these communities can expose you to hidden job leads that aren't openly advertised!
✨Tip Number 2: Attend Finance Events and Conferences
Make it a mission to attend finance-related events and conferences, even virtual ones! This is a golden opportunity to network face-to-face with people from companies like Wade Macdonald. You never know who might be your next boss or a crucial contact!
✨Tip Number 3: Showcase Your Expertise
Consider writing articles or sharing insights related to financial controlling or industry trends. Publish these on platforms like LinkedIn to establish yourself as a knowledgeable player in the field. This not only increases your visibility but also catches the attention of recruiters from Wade Macdonald.
✨Tip Number 4: Apply Directly on Company Websites
Since you're going for a full-time gig, don't forget to keep an eye on the careers page of companies you're interested in, like Wade Macdonald. Many companies prefer candidates who apply through their website as it shows genuine interest and makes your application stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Finance Business Partner / Commercial FP&A in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers Game:In financial controlling, detail is everything! Make sure your CV showcases your proficiency with numbers—highlight any relevant experience in budgeting, forecasting, or working with financial software. Quantifying your past achievements will make you stand out, so don’t be shy about flaunting those impressive percentages or cost savings you've implemented.
Tailored Cover Letter is Key:Your cover letter is a chance to shine, especially for a full-time role. Use it to express your genuine interest in Wade Macdonald and the specific impact you hope to make in financial controlling. Mention any relevant qualifications or experiences that align with the company’s goals, and don’t forget to show that you're ready for a long-term commitment!
Certifications Matter:List relevant certifications such as ACCA or CIMA on your CV. These qualifications not only showcase your dedication to the field but also your technical competence in financial principles. If you have any ongoing training or courses, make sure to mention those as well to demonstrate your commitment to continual learning in financial controlling.
Don’t Overlook Soft Skills:While numbers are crucial, so are those soft skills! Financial controllers need strong communication and analytical reasoning abilities. We recommend embedding examples of these skills in your CV and cover letter, like how you’ve successfully delivered financial reports to stakeholders or collaborated with teams to improve processes. Let’s show Wade Macdonald how you can be a team player!
How to prepare for a job interview at Wade Macdonald
✨Brush Up on Technical Skills
Make sure you're comfortable with key financial concepts, especially around forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis. Sometimes, interviewers may throw in technical questions or case studies, so practicing these types of scenarios will help you shine!
✨Showcase Your Financial Acumen
If you've had experience with specific financial software like SAP or Oracle, make it known! Be ready to discuss how you used these tools to improve processes or reporting, as this hands-on knowledge can really set you apart in a full-time role with Wade Macdonald.
✨Know Your Numbers
In full-time interviews, especially in financial controlling, be prepared for numerical reasoning tests or questions. Brush up on your mental maths and understand how to interpret and analyse financial statements on the spot, as this may come up during the assessment.
✨Connect with Company Goals
Familiarise yourself with Wade Macdonald's financial objectives and any recent developments. During the interview, try to weave your understanding of their business model and challenges into your answers—this shows your genuine interest and alignment with their goals!
