Head of Finance - Commercial & Control

Title: Head of Commercial Financial Planning & Control

Location: Central London (Hybrid)

Salary: £80,000 - £100,000 (DOE) + Benefits

 

Benefits include 25 days holiday, 6% employer pension contribution, private medical insurance, life assurance, employee assistance programme and additional wellbeing benefits.

 

Company:

Stanton House is partnering with a private equity-backed international consulting business to appoint a senior commercial finance leader into its UK operation.

 

The organisation delivers large-scale transformation, technology, digital and advisory services across both public and private sector clients. Following a period of restructuring, leadership change and operational reset, the UK business has returned to profitability and is entering the next phase of growth.

 

This is a business that is rebuilding, not maintaining. Significant investment is being made in commercial performance, forecasting accuracy, operational controls and management information to support future expansion.

 

Role:

Reporting directly to the UK CFO, this is the number two finance position within the UK business.

The successful candidate will lead a medium-sized finance team and take ownership of commercial finance, financial planning, forecasting, project profitability and financial performance across a consulting operation generating more than £20m in revenue.

 

This is a highly visible leadership role that combines commercial finance leadership with operational finance responsibility. It requires someone capable of influencing senior stakeholders while remaining hands-on in improving reporting, controls, forecasting processes and management information.

 

The position offers a genuine opportunity to shape the future finance function and build the foundations for future progression into a Director-level role.

 

Responsibilities:

• Act as the lead commercial finance partner to the UK CFO and senior leadership team.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes across the business.
• Improve forecasting accuracy, revenue visibility and commercial decision-making.
• Provide insight into project profitability, utilisation, resource deployment and margin performance.
• Strengthen management information, reporting capability and financial controls.
• Build and enhance commercial reporting processes and reporting infrastructure.
• Lead operational finance activities across a project-based consulting environment.
• Challenge and support senior stakeholders on financial performance and business decisions.
• Oversee revenue recognition, project accounting and engagement profitability analysis.
• Manage and develop a medium-sized finance team.
• Drive process improvement, automation opportunities and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Support the business through its ongoing transformation and growth programme.
• Partner with the wider international finance organisation to improve consistency and reporting standards.

 

Requirements

Essential

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Commercial finance, FP&A or finance leadership experience within consulting, professional services, technology services or project-based environments.
• Strong forecasting, budgeting and financial planning experience.
• Experience managing and developing finance teams.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and challenge commercial decision-making.
• Strong understanding of project profitability, utilisation and revenue drivers.
• Track record of improving processes, controls and management reporting.
• Comfortable operating in a hands-on environment where finance processes are still developing.
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling capability.
• Strong communication and business partnering skills.

Desired

• ACA qualification and audit training background.
• Experience within a £20m-£150m professional services or consulting business.
• Exposure to private equity-backed environments.
• Experience supporting business turnaround, restructuring or transformation programmes.
• Knowledge of project accounting, resource planning and consulting business economics.
• Experience building finance processes and reporting frameworks from the ground up.
• Ambition to progress into a future Finance Director or Director-level role.

 

If you are looking for a commercially focused leadership position where you can have a direct impact on business performance, strategy execution and finance transformation, we would welcome your application.