Chief Financial & Operating Officer in London
Chief Financial & Operating Officer

Chief Financial & Operating Officer in London

London Full-Time 120000 - 150000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
William Scott Associates

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead financial strategy and operational execution for a dynamic, growing professional services firm.
  • Company: Join an international firm entering an exciting new growth phase.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a chance to shape the future of the firm.
  • Other info: Collaborative culture focused on high performance and values-driven leadership.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by driving financial performance and operational efficiency.
  • Qualifications: Senior leadership experience in finance or operations, ideally in a professional services environment.

The predicted salary is between 120000 - 150000 £ per year.

A dynamic growing professional services firm with international reach is looking for a Chief Financial & Operating Officer. The firm is entering a new phase of growth, requiring enhanced operational scalability, financial discipline, and transformation capability. The Chief Financial & Operating Officer is a critical leadership role combining financial leadership with operational execution. You will work closely with the senior leadership to drive financial performance, investment into key infrastructure to support revenue generation, profitable delivery of services, and operational efficiencies.

The role is accountable for leading, coordinating, and enabling the firm’s financial management, operational infrastructure, and execution capability, ensuring the firm has the discipline, insight, and an operating model required to scale.

Key Responsibilities
  • Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis, delivering clear insight to inform strategic decisions.
  • Lead the firm’s budgeting process, setting performance targets and monitoring delivery against financial objectives.
  • Maintain the integrity of financial information, ensuring robust reporting, compliance, and control frameworks.
  • Act as a trusted adviser on financial performance, risk, and commercial opportunities.
  • Oversee cash flow, working capital, and financing arrangements to maintain liquidity and balance sheet strength.
  • Represent the firm externally with banks, auditors, tax authorities, and other key financial stakeholders.
  • Chair and co-ordinate monthly Operational Heads meetings ensuring clear priorities, ownership, and follow-through.
  • Provide executive oversight across all functions, including change and transformation, technology and digital, legal and risk, facilities, and international operations.
  • Drive operational effectiveness across a fast-growing, multi-location business.
  • Sponsor firm-wide change and transformation programmes, including process optimisation, operating model evolution, and major investment initiatives.
  • Sponsor and oversee the firm’s technology and digital roadmap.
  • Provide strategic oversight of facilities management, ensuring cost-effective, high-quality working environments.
  • Support strategic planning and execution across the firm.
  • Prepare and present high-quality financial and operational updates, proposals, and risk assessments to the Leadership Board, supporting informed decision-making and effective oversight.
  • Lead and develop high-performing teams across Finance, IT, Facilities, and Change.
  • Build leadership capability and succession, reducing single-point dependency.
  • Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture aligned with the firm’s values.
Key Requirements
  • Senior leadership experience in a CFO, COO, or combined CFO/COO role within a professional services or equivalent environment.
  • Strong understanding of LLP structures and partner economics.
  • Strong commercial and financial acumen with experience leading transformation and scaling operations.
  • Qualified accountant.
  • Experience in a multi-site, international organisation.
  • Exposure to mergers, acquisitions, or other inorganic growth.
Personal Attributes
  • A credible, confident leader with strong judgement and presence.
  • Proactive, outcome-focused, and comfortable operating at pace.
  • Able to combine strategic thinking with disciplined execution.
  • Collaborative, resilient, and values-driven.

Chief Financial & Operating Officer in London employer: William Scott Associates

Join a dynamic and growing professional services firm that values innovation and collaboration, offering a unique opportunity for the Chief Financial & Operating Officer to lead transformative initiatives in a multi-location environment. With a strong commitment to employee development, you will benefit from a culture that fosters high performance and strategic insight, alongside competitive remuneration and comprehensive benefits. This role not only allows you to shape the financial and operational landscape of the firm but also positions you at the forefront of its exciting growth journey.
William Scott Associates

Contact Detail:

William Scott Associates Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Chief Financial & Operating Officer in London

✨Network Like a Pro

Get out there and connect with people in the industry! Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential colleagues on LinkedIn. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help land that dream job.

✨Ace the Informational Interview

Set up informal chats with professionals in roles you’re interested in. This isn’t a job interview, but a chance to learn and make a great impression. We can use these conversations to showcase our passion and knowledge about the firm and its operations.

✨Showcase Your Skills

Prepare a portfolio or case studies that highlight your achievements and how they relate to the role of Chief Financial & Operating Officer. We want to demonstrate our financial acumen and operational expertise in a way that’s engaging and relevant to the firm’s needs.

✨Follow Up Like a Boss

After any meeting or interview, send a thoughtful follow-up message. Thank them for their time and reiterate your enthusiasm for the role. We want to keep ourselves top of mind and show that we’re genuinely interested in contributing to the firm’s growth.

We think you need these skills to ace Chief Financial & Operating Officer in London

Financial Leadership
Operational Execution
Financial Planning
Budgeting
Forecasting
Performance Analysis
Financial Reporting
Compliance
Risk Management
Cash Flow Management
Working Capital Management
Stakeholder Engagement
Change Management
Process Optimisation
Team Leadership

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Chief Financial & Operating Officer role. Highlight your leadership experience, financial acumen, and any relevant transformation projects you've led.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've driven financial performance and operational efficiencies in previous positions.

Showcase Your Strategic Thinking: In both your CV and cover letter, demonstrate your ability to think strategically while executing disciplined operations. We want to see how you can combine these skills to help us scale effectively.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. This way, we can ensure your application gets the attention it deserves and you can easily track your application status!

How to prepare for a job interview at William Scott Associates

✨Know Your Numbers

As a candidate for the Chief Financial & Operating Officer role, you need to be on top of your financial game. Brush up on key financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've used them to drive performance in previous roles. This shows you’re not just familiar with numbers but can leverage them for strategic decision-making.

✨Showcase Operational Excellence

Prepare examples that highlight your experience in enhancing operational scalability and efficiency. Think about specific projects where you’ve led transformation initiatives or optimised processes. This will demonstrate your ability to align operational execution with financial goals, which is crucial for this role.

✨Engage with Strategic Insight

Be ready to discuss how you would approach the firm’s budgeting process and performance monitoring. Bring insights into how you’ve set performance targets in the past and how you ensured delivery against those objectives. This will show that you can think strategically while maintaining financial discipline.

✨Build Rapport with Leadership

Since this role involves working closely with senior leadership, practice how you’ll engage with them during the interview. Prepare to discuss how you’ve fostered collaboration in previous roles and how you plan to build high-performing teams. This will help convey your leadership style and cultural fit within the firm.

Chief Financial & Operating Officer in London
William Scott Associates
Location: London

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