Commercial Finance Manager

Wade Macdonald; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus and benefits

Job summary

Wade Macdonald is seeking a commercially focused FP&A leader to partner with Operations and Commercial teams. The role will own financial performance across major projects, improving visibility on margin, cash and risk, and expanding into bid and contract phases over time.

You will lead a Commercial Finance Analyst, establish robust project finance disciplines and provide senior stakeholders with insightful forecasting and reporting through ERP/finance systems.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with project accounting or FP&A experience in a complex project-led environment.
• Experience with projects exceeding £10m and exposure to ERP/reporting systems.
• Advanced Excel and financial modelling skills are important.
• Ability to influence senior non-finance stakeholders and develop junior finance professionals.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of job costing and project financial reporting across a portfolio of complex projects.
• Create a consolidated view of portfolio performance and highlight margin pressures and risks.
• Monitor expenditure, remaining costs and project outturn against original position.
• Assess working capital needs and identify funding or cash-flow gaps early.
• Lead post-close reviews of financial performance and KPIs for management reporting.
• Ensure alignment between commercial project information and accounting records.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Financial modelling

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder management

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent

Tools

ERP/Finance systems

Job description

Location:

London Hybrid 3 days in the office

Salary:

£70,000 - £80,000 Plus Bonus and Benefits

About the Client

Our client is a sizeable Engineering organisation delivering complex, high-value projects across a multi-disciplinary and international environment. The business is continuing to strengthen the role Finance plays within operational and commercial decision-making, creating an excellent opportunity for someone who wants genuine influence rather than a purely reporting-focused position.

Their culture is rooted in collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement, with teams encouraged to challenge constructively, build strong cross-functional relationships and take ownership of results.

About the Job

This is a commercially focused finance leadership role, reporting to the Director of FP&A and managing a Commercial Finance Analyst. You will become the key finance partner for an operational business area, taking ownership of the financial performance of a portfolio of major projects and ensuring greater visibility over margin, cash, risk and project outturn.

A significant part of the position will involve establishing robust project finance disciplines and providing senior operational and commercial stakeholders with the insight needed to make well-informed decisions. Over time, the remit is expected to broaden further into the pre-award stages of projects, including bids, estimating and contracts.

Duties will include:

• Taking overall ownership of job costing and project financial reporting across a portfolio of complex projects.
• Creating a consolidated view of portfolio performance, highlighting emerging margin pressures, financial risks and opportunities.
• Monitoring actual expenditure, remaining costs and anticipated project outturn against the original commercial position.
• Assessing project and portfolio working capital requirements and identifying potential funding or cash-flow gaps at an early stage.
• Reviewing financial inputs into weekly cash forecasting and improving the visibility and accuracy of project cash positions.
• Acting as the principal link between Operations and FP&A, translating operational plans and delivery expectations into meaningful forecasts.
• Challenging forecasting assumptions around pipeline, resources, costs and project delivery where they are inconsistent with current performance.
• Leading post-close reviews of financial performance, trends and KPIs and contributing insight to management and Board reporting.
• Maintaining alignment between commercial project information and accounting records, overseeing monthly reconciliations and resolving discrepancies.
• Supporting appropriate accounting treatment for project risks, opportunities, contingencies and provisions.
• Providing financial input throughout the project lifecycle, from initial system setup through to financial closure.
• Partnering closely with senior Operations and Commercial stakeholders, providing constructive challenge around pricing, cost recovery, margin and project performance.
• Improving financial understanding among operational colleagues and establishing consistent project finance terminology and measures.
• Representing Finance during project reviews and ensuring financial risks and opportunities form part of operational decision-making.
• Working collaboratively across Finance to strengthen planning, reporting, controls and data quality.
• Identifying opportunities to simplify processes and increase the value Finance provides to the wider organisation.
• Managing and developing a Commercial Finance Analyst, providing clear priorities while building their technical and commercial capabilities.

About the Successful Applicant

You will be a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with substantial project accounting, commercial finance or FP&A experience gained within a complex project-led environment. Experience of projects exceeding £10m, advanced Excel and financial modelling skills, and exposure to ERP/reporting systems are important. You will combine commercial judgement with the confidence to influence senior non-finance stakeholders and will have experience developing junior finance professionals.

What You Will Receive in Return

This is an opportunity to take on a highly visible commercial finance position with genuine scope to shape how Finance supports major project delivery. You will work closely with senior operational and commercial leaders, with the authority to challenge decisions and improve financial accountability.

The role offers considerable scope to establish stronger project finance processes, influence business-wide standards and develop a direct report. As the position matures, there is also an opportunity to extend your influence earlier in the project lifecycle, bringing Finance into bid, estimation and contractual decision-making.