Finance Lead

Manpower UK Limited; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 76,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking an interim Finance Lead for a global FMCG client. This full-time temporary role involves overseeing finance operations while offering hybrid working options. The ideal candidate should have strong experience in financial planning and forecasting, excellent communication skills, and the capability to influence stakeholders. The role ensures high-quality business case delivery and includes opportunities for international travel.

Benefits

Iconic work location

Staff shop discounted products

Onsite deli and restaurant

Free tea & coffee facilities

Gym available for use (subscription required)

Qualifications

• Previous finance experience, with specific expertise in financial planning and forecasting.
• Proven track record operating in a complex environment.
• Exposure to incorporating and running a separate legal entity is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Drive value creation and ensure high-quality delivery of business cases.
• Manage CapEx proposals and track progress spend.
• Develop long-term strategy proposals internal and external to Unilever.

Skills

Financial planning and forecasting

Business partnering

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Job description

Overview

Manpower are currently seeking an interim Finance Lead to work with our global FMCG client Unilever, renowned for brands such as Dove, Sure, Persil, and Simple. This full‑time temporary role is based at Blackfriars on London's Victoria Embankment, with hybrid working (remote and onsite) subject to business requirements.

The position is based at Blackfriars, London. This is a full-time temporary role lasting until the end of November 2026, requiring 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Compensation up to £90,000 per annum, pro rata, depending on experience.

The Fragrance Finance Lead will lead value creation on Unilever fragrance investments and drive business growth through innovation and excellence. This role offers senior leadership exposure, involvement in new business model establishment, and a strong grasp of end-to-end financial operations. The role will collaborate with Brand, R&D, Supply Chain, Strategy and Insights, and Category Procurement teams.

The Fragrance Finance Lead will be expected to:

• Drive Value Creation and ensure high‑quality delivery of business cases.
• Support the organisation with the right processes and new ways of working.
• Drive the system setup of the legal entity for business operations.
• Oversee the finance operations for Unilever Fragrance.

Note: The original career description used emphasis for some section headings; these have been reformatted to plain text where appropriate to fit the required tags.

Key Responsibilities

Business Case Management

• Ensure the signed‑off business case is delivered on time and in full.
• Provide timely forecasts of latest operation developments and present the latest view at senior stakeholder meetings.
• End‑to‑end governance on Project Capex and Opex spend. Sign off the actuals in line with the budgets (Opex and Capex management).

Performance Management & Value Partnering

• Deliver the required performance of the unit.
• Partner with all key stakeholders to deliver financial performance.
• Value partner all opportunities to find savings and accelerate the scope.
• Define the annual commercial plans, including resource allocation and budget setting.

Manage CapEx Proposals and Tracking Progress Spend

• PSL final Build and India Interim Build – ensure stays within budget and delivered on time in full.
• Partner UniOps Digital team to design the system architecture for the financial operations.
• Partner the US & India Sites to refine Fragrance requirements for hubs, ensuring capex remains within budget and delivered in time and in full.
• Incorporate and design the end-to-end finance operations for the unit.
• Collaborate with suppliers, 3PM and UFH (procurement & supply chain) team to refine the most effective operation.
• Collaborate across UFH to define the operations of the fragrance entity in collaboration with Tax, legal, IT and core project team. Assess roadmap to design legal entity creation.
• Ensure the legal entity is integrated with Unilever processes.

Drive Strategy and Alignment across Fragrance

• Partner UFH to develop long-term strategy proposals internal and external to Unilever.
• Support the development of new business cases, aligning resourcing requirements and ensuring clear ROI.

Controllership

• Manage and improve financial processes, ensuring financial records comply with global financial controls and internal policies, procedures and external/SOX controls.
• Assess and mitigate risk for the operation in line with Unilever risk mitigation guidelines (FX, Legal, Reporting, etc.).

Key Requirements

• Previous finance experience, with specific expertise in financial planning and forecasting.
• Proven track record operating in a complex environment.
• Exposure to incorporating and running a separate legal entity is beneficial.
• Strong business partnering and stakeholder management skills.
• Highly analytical, with a passion for delivering value-adding and sustainable results.
• Excellent communication and commercial acumen.
• Strong negotiation and influencing ability.

Additional Information

Travel to the office in Port Sunlight required approximately once per month (frequency may vary). Occasional international travel to India and USA (China optional), approximately one week per year.

Blackfriars working environment:

• Iconic location on the Victoria Embankment, modern working environment
• Short walk from Blackfriars station
• Staff shop discounted products
• Free tea & coffee facilities
• Onsite Deli and a restaurant open for breakfast and lunch
• Gym available for use, subscription required