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Job Description

We are delighted to be working in retained partnership with a pioneering, entrepreneurial and diversified company in their search for a new divisional level Finance Director for the insurance business. With an impressive story to tell including recent private equity backing, the group are an instantly recognisable name in the UK market, with this key leadership role a pivotal appointment partnering closely with the CEO, Board and Chairman as their trusted business partner and adviser.

Key aspects of the role include forecasting, budgeting and planning and commercial decision support, all combined with an oversight over financial control and management reporting. The role provides all aspects of financial support to the Executive Directors and their teams including commercial and strategic decision making; suited to someone from a background in the financial services industry such as banking, insurance or investment management.

Please note this role is based in Basingstoke with a hybrid work set-up and expectation you're in the office 2-3 days a week.

Responsibilities will include:

* Act as a key member of the leadership team working with the directors and managers responsible for the business; shaping commercial decision making and providing decision support though the finance team

* Leadership and guidance to a sizeable finance team via several direct reports

* Manage the planning and forecasting processes to deliver 5 year plans, annual budgets and quarterly forecasts

* Review the performance / achievements of the business against the business plan, annual budget and forecasts

* Deliver P&L focused updates to the leadership team to ensure collective responsibility and the identification of risks and opportunities to plans

* Ensure management and financial performance is targeted appropriately in ad hoc / formal reporting to individuals and forums across a spectrum of abilities and seniority

* Liaison with strategic partners to the ensure accuracy and transparency of the P&L

* Support and challenge the product and marketing teams to ensure optimal pricing decisions and rigorous scenario analysis for decision-making

* Monitoring of credit and operational risk as well as other behaviours

* Liaison with other Finance teams to validate proposed income and cost recognition as part of planning process

* Provide business case support for any new opportunities / project costing

* Ground understanding of marketing cost base, and drive improvements in marketing and cost effectiveness

* Be a proactive and engaged member of the Finance leadership team, and wider senior leadership team across the group, identifying and taking ownership for team-wide initiatives that help to embed a culture of high engagement and high performance

* Develop a seamless and robust month-end reporting process, ensue an appropriate review/ control/ governance framework is in place

* Ensure VAT, IPT, corporation tax and transfer pricing policies are transparent and maximising the opportunities available within corporate and regulatory guidelines

* Leading member of the Investment Committee, overseeing investment performance/position; maintaining dialogue with fund managers

Your background:

* Fully qualified accountant (ACA, CA or equivalent) with a background in the insurance sector. This is essential given the specialist nature of the appointment.

* Ideally operating at FD or Head of Finance level; possibly in a number 2 role and looking to step up

* Strong commercial acumen and business partnering skills with the ability to get into the technical detail as/when required

* Track record of successful complex stakeholder management

* Be capable of working effectively at an operational and strategic level

* Strong commercial negotiation skills at a senior level particularly around increasing profit margins, third party contracts and acquisitions etc

* Strong understanding of market economics, competitive dynamics and drivers of profit

* Able to provide strong budget control and decision support

Eames Consulting is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.