Head Of Finance Management Services

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Reporting to the Director of Finance and Shared Services, this role sits within the Management Services business unit and has budget responsibility of in excess of £120m, with accountability for delivering the budgeted results along with the accuracy, completeness and compliance of financial records of all functions (such as Corporate Real Estate, IT, HR and legal) within that business unit, to support the company in achieving its strategic objectives.

• Being a financial partner for Heads of Functions (covering most UK Executive Committee members), providing financial and non-financial insight to both challenge function leaders and influence decision making maintaining regular performance reviews and reporting;
• Development of financial strategies for Management Services with a focus on achieving effective resource management and encouraging efficiencies and cost savings
• Leading the development of robust budgets & forecasts, that reflect future financial needs, planned programmes, and include financial targets for Management Services functions, trend analysis and projection of Key Performance Indicator patterns.
• Ensuring variances between budgets, forecasts and actual results are anticipated in advance, the root causes are understood, clearly explained and to work with the Head of Function to ensure necessary actions are implemented promptly
• Management of Corporate Costs across both Management Services and operational business units, ensuring that relevant operational and finance leaders clearly understand their central costs and are appropriately challenged to improve business performance
• Providing clear communication (including via presentations) of analytical movements, trends and anticipated future impacts, to the UK CFO, the finance team of the ultimate parent entity in Canada. These cover both reporting on forecasts and monthly performance for both Group and local reporting, ensuring consistency and clarity between differing methods of reporting data for different needs
• Management of capital expenditure and investment development and review e.g. Corporate Real Estate investment proposals; IT projects
• Supporting business cases put forward from the Management Services teams, principally around property and IT investment cases.
• Overseeing the use of IFRS 16 software in respect of accounting for leases and ensuring compliance with the accounting standard and associated controls
• Embedding the operation of the new ERP to achieve efficiencies, automation and a strong platform to support the wider business

YOUR TEAM

• This role has responsibility for several staff & sits within the Management Services team
• Regular interaction with staff from the support functions, including Heads of Function
• Being a financial partner for Heads of Functions (covering most UK Executive Committee members), providing financial and non-financial insight to both challenge function leaders and influence decision making maintaining regular performance reviews and reporting;

• Qualified accountant
• Academically strong, highly numerate with strong verbal and written communication skills
• Comfortable with presenting
• Demonstrate experience of thriving in a rapidly changing business environment
• Experience of operating within a large finance department
• Staff management experience, with ability to motivate a team
• Collaborative working style & a team player
• Good organisational and documentation skills, with attention to detail

• Work-life balance?

WSP recognises that work is only one part of your life and making time for other things is important – whether that’s for your families, friends, or yourself.

Our hybrid working policy allows the flexibility to work from the comfort of your own home as well as collaborating in our contemporary offices across the UK.

• Inclusivity & Diversity?

We want our people to achieve rewarding careers, bringing their whole selves to work. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing diversity to create a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP.

Our employee resource groups VIBE (LGBTQ+ employees), CREED (Championing Racial Equality and Ethnic Diversity) and our Gender Balance Group, in tandem with WSP’s Neurodiverse Community Group, WSP Connect Group (visible and non-visible disabilities) help us promote the right environment for you to reach your full potential.

• Health & Wellbeing?

We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.

Med24 gives you and your family unrestricted telephone access to an NHS doctor where you can call day or night or have a face-to-face video consultation.

• Flex your time?

For improved work life balance, WSP offers the “WSP Hour” which enables you to take one hour per day to do as you wish and make up the time earlier or later that day. We also offer part time and flexible working arrangements plus the option to flex your bank holiday entitlement to suit you.

• Your development?

We appreciate that development and training is important to you and that’s why we have a supportive environment that invests in your development, whether that’s chartership, training or mentoring.

#WeAreWSP

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.

Please note WSP reserves the right to close the vacancy before the advertised closing date.

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