Director of Financial Planning and Analysis

TN United Kingdom; Oxford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Director of Financial Planning and Analysis to lead strategic financial initiatives. This role involves overseeing budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting processes, ensuring alignment with long-term goals. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical skills and experience in managing large-scale finance processes. Join a collaborative environment that values innovation and excellence, and contribute to impactful solutions addressing humanity's most pressing challenges.

Qualifications

• Degree qualified with relevant experience in a corporate environment.
• Expertise in performance management and financial controlling.

Responsibilities

• Manage the annual budgeting process and ensure alignment with strategic goals.
• Lead the production of management accounts and variance analysis.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial Reporting

Performance Management

Analytical Skills

Stakeholder Management

Leadership

Education

Degree in Finance or related field

Professional qualification (CIMA, ACA, ACCA)

Job description

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Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, Oxford

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Client:

Ellison Institute of Technology

Location:

Oxford, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Finance

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

23883212c82c

Job Views:

5

Posted:

05.05.2025

Expiry Date:

19.06.2025

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Job Description:

About EIT:

The Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford’s purpose is to have a global impact by fundamentally reimagining the way science and technology translate into end-to-end solutions and delivering these solutions in programmes and platforms that respond to humanity’s most challenging problems.

EIT Oxford will ensure scientific discoveries and pioneering science are turned into products for the benefit of society that can have high-impact worldwide and, over time, be commercialised to ensure long-term sustainability.

Led by a faculty of world experts, EIT Oxford seeks to solve the world’s most challenging problems across four high-risk, high-reward, high-impact humane endeavours: health and medical science; food security and sustainable agriculture; climate change and clean energy; and government innovation in an era of artificial intelligence.

EIT Oxford is investing significant resources in a new world-class research and development facility in the Oxford Science Park. Set for completion in 2027, the state-of-the-art campus includes 300,000 sq ft of research laboratories, an oncology and preventative care clinic, and educational and meeting spaces. Together, they create the perfect environment for EIT Oxford experts to take ground-breaking ideas from research to broad implementation. The new facility will further EIT’s current partnership with the University of Oxford and become the new home for Ellison Scholars.

EIT Oxford is committed to cultivating a community where excellence is achieved through collaboration, trust, innovation and tenacity. We foster an environment where everyone’s experience and expertise are valued. We are curious and resilient in our efforts to drive long-term, sustainable innovation to meet humanity’s most enduring challenges.

EIT is looking for a Director of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), who will play a strategic leadership role, overseeing the development of robust financial plans that align closely with the organisation’s long-term goals. You will manage the end-to-end budgeting and forecasting process, ensuring plans are both credible and actionable, while also driving quarterly re-forecasts to reflect evolving business dynamics. A key part of the role involves delivering insightful management reporting and fostering strong business partnering relationships across departments, using data to inform and influence decision-making. You’ll lead the design of performance metrics, identify operational improvements, and communicate financial insights clearly to stakeholders. Additionally, you will ensure rigorous financial governance, oversee the implementation of audit actions, and mitigate risks proactively. As a senior leader in the finance team, you will inspire, mentor, and develop a team of finance business partners, ensuring they provide maximum value to the business while growing professionally. You will also collaborate closely with the Financial Controller to ensure alignment and continuous improvement in financial processes and reporting.

Key Responsibilities:

Budgeting & Forecasting

• Manage the annual budgeting process to meet the long-term strategic goals and objectives of the business, working with the business to translate strategies into plans and budgets.
• Accountable for the delivery of high quality, robust financial forecasts, challenging the organisation to ensure that the budget plans are credible.
• Lead the production of quarterly re-forecasts, reflecting the latest change in assumptions and highlighting risks and opportunities.

Reporting & Business Partnering

• Lead the production of periodic management accounts, in conjunction with the Financial Accounting team.
• Produce month-end management information and variance analysis to budget holders that drives sound decision-making.
• Recommend, design, and develop KPIs to steer the business areas successfully through growth and evolving environment.
• Identify and recommend operational and process improvements.
• Communicate key financial messages to stakeholders with clarity and consistency.

Governance, Reporting and Control

• Ensure appropriate governance and controls are implemented as per the organisations policy.
• Effectively oversee implementation of audit-based actions and flag any control issues on a timely basis. Proactively follow up to ensure risks are mitigated.
• Effectively manages all key stakeholders to ensure full alignment and buy-in on all plans and recommendations. Builds good stakeholder relationships.

Leadership and Management

• As part of the finance leadership team influence the direction and objectives of the department and the FP&A team.
• Lead and develop a team finance business partners to ensure the team delivers maximum value to the business whilst progressing their own professional development and career goals. Manage and organise the team’s workload.
• Work closely with the Financial Controller to ensure strong communication is in place between the FP&A and Financial Accounting teams at all times, and that process improvements are efficiently implemented to improve the reliability, accuracy and timeliness of financial information.

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience:

• Degree qualified or relevant experience in a similar corporate environment and professional qualification including (ie: CIMA, ACA, ACCA).
• Expert in Performance Management and Financial Controlling required to deliver requirements of role.
• Excellent experience gained throughout your career in managing large-scale finance processes (budgeting, forecasting, business case review).
• Results oriented and proven track record of relevant past achievements in driving and improving business results.
• Experience in the preparation of financial and performance reports including an understanding of programme reporting.
• Demonstrable experience in the management of costs within budgetary constraints.
• Persuasive communicator with the ability to challenge and influence at senior levels with integrity and fairness.
• You will have worked in roles where you have proven your ability to drive and implement change.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Strategic thinker with attention to detail and intellectual curiosity.
• Solid commercial understanding with experience providing financial advice.
• A strong leader who can identify talent, grow a team and develop them.
• You will have strong multitasking skills and be able to manage your time effectively.

Nice to have but not essential:

• Will have worked within Life science and Healthcare
• Experience in multi-national environments

Terms of Appointment:

• You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary.
• You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford.
• During peak periods, some longer hours may be required and some working across multiple time zones due to the global nature of the programme.
  

Why work for EIT:

At the Ellison Institute, we believe a collaborative, inclusive team is key to our success. We are building a supportive environment where creative risks are encouraged, and everyone feels heard. Valuing emotional intelligence, empathy, respect, and resilience, we encourage people to be curious and to have a shared commitment to excellence. Join us and make an impact!