Head of Financial Planning & Analysis

Head of Financial Planning & Analysis

Application Deadline: 13 April 2025

Department: Finance

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: London

Reporting To: Finance Director

Compensation: Circa £70,000

Description

Reporting to the Finance Director, the Head of FP&A will lead on the Trust’s financial planning, budgeting and forecasting, alongside a primary responsibility of leading the preparation of precise and timely management accounts. This role will act as a key business partner, collaborating across departments to ensure budgets are managed effectively, future plans are strategically aligned and financial risks are identified and mitigated. By offering informed decision support through financial analysis and insights, the Head of FP&A will drive financial performance and contribute to the Trust’s long-term success.

This role involves championing a culture of continuous improvement, including mentoring and developing the FP&A team (two Management Accountants) to foster excellence in financial management.

Key Responsibilities

Management Accounting and Reporting

• Review and re-engineer month end process to produce accurate and useful management accounts (by working day 5), enabling department heads to manage performance.
• Produce a whole Trust monthly performance report, with insightful commentary and over time incorporating non-financial metrics.
• Develop and deliver dashboard reporting and drill-down capabilities as part of the recently implemented finance system (iplicit).
• Improve the reporting, monitoring and reconciliation of restricted funds.

Planning, Analysis & Decision Support

• Develop a culture and capability set to deliver excellent business partnering.
• Provide useful and insightful management information to departments and work with them to ensure forecasts, risks and opportunities are captured and actioned.
• Financial modelling and sensitivity analysis to inform decision making, any other ad hoc reporting and analysis as required.
• Take the lead in maintaining and delivering accurate and robust reforecasts and budgets to tight deadlines ahead of key meetings, including responsibility for key departments.
• Work with department heads, Finance Director and COO to develop KPIs and integrate with financial reporting.
• Produce professional presentations and board packs with clear and actionable insights on performance.
• Own and lead enhanced cashflow forecasting and integration into other routine processes.

Other responsibilities: Business Partnering

• Manage, develop and mentor a team of two Management Accountants.
• Provide financial information to support grant applications and project reviews.
• Undertake work required for the annual statutory accounts and audit, including analytical reviews.
• Shared responsibility for checking the fortnightly casual staff payroll and supplier BACS runs, ahead of release by a member of the Executive team.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• An accountancy qualification – ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
• Significant experience in both financial & management accounting and commercial finance, ideally across both commercial and not-for-profit sectors.
• Proven business partnering experience.
• Experience of managing complex spreadsheets, analysing data and turning it into insight.
• Experience with accounting software packages and databases, with understanding of how to record complex transactions and extract data for reporting and analysis (preferably with experience of iplicit, but not essential).
• Ability to deliver robust, accurate reporting to tight deadlines.
• Advanced analytical skills with ability to convert to high quality visuals and narratives.
• Highly motivated with a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Proactive, flexible approach to continually enhance and improve processes, reporting and decision-making.
• Strong communication skills, with ability to deliver financial information simply and effectively to stakeholders at all levels.

Benefits

Mental Health & Wellbeing

• Access to our external Employee Assistance Programme (CiC) for free 24/7 confidential advice and support, including up to 6 free counselling sessions per year where needed.
• Mental health support and guidance from our in-house trained Mental Health First Aiders.
• Hybrid working based on having 3 days in the office per week (pro rata if part-time).
• Contribution towards eye tests and glasses.
• Trust life insurance scheme.

Holiday

• Enhanced annual leave – 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata).
• Birthday leave - additional day leave.
• Celebration day - to celebrate anything of your choice.

Other Leave

• Sick leave – 20 days full pay, followed by 20 days half pay (pro rata & following 3 months service).
• Emergency dependent care – option to use 25% of paid sick leave for emergency care of a dependent (pro rata & following 3 months service).
• Enhanced maternity pay.

Additional Benefits

• 8% employer pension contributions, no employee contribution required (following 3 months employment).
• Option for salary sacrifice.
• Interest-free loans.
• Season ticket loan.
• Cycle to Work scheme.

Discounts, offers and free stuff:

• The list is endless and includes tickets to Somerset House events and entrance to other London Heritage sites.
• Discounts in Somerset House cafes and restaurants.
• Discounts with various high street retailers and restaurants.
• Discounts to local leisure centres.