Head of Finance and IT (FinIT)

Everest; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global risk management leader seeks a seasoned professional to head its newly formed Finance Process, Systems and Reporting Team in London. This role involves driving improvements in finance processes, mentoring analysts, and optimizing finance systems. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s in Accounting and Computer Science, proven leadership experience, and expertise in financial systems and data governance.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in finance transformation and finance systems.
• Relevant experience in the insurance industry.
• Expertise in financial systems such as ERP platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of Finance Systems Analysts.
• Drive change agenda relating to finance processes and systems.
• Support development of systems and data architecture for financial reporting.

Skills

Agile methodologies

Leadership

Data governance

Problem-solving

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and Computer Science

Tools

ERP platforms (Oracle, SAP, Workday)

Power BI

Tableau

SQL

Python

R

Job description

About Everest:

Everest is a global leader in risk management, rooted in a rich, 50+ year heritage of enabling businesses to survive and thrive, and economies to function and flourish.

About the Role:

You’ll be joining Everest Insurance International as a seasoned professional in financial processes, data, and systems, taking the lead of the newly formed Finance Process, Systems and Reporting Team.

In this pivotal position, you’ll drive improvements in finance processes and controls, while working closely with IT to shape the target architecture for data and systems. You’ll need to:

• Align operational data with finance processes and requirements.
• Understand how business processes affect data collection and management, and how that impacts financial reporting.
• Help build flexible finance technology that supports and adapts to evolving processes.

To succeed, you’ll bring a strong grasp of agile methodologies and a passion for driving meaningful change.

This position will be based from either our London or Madrid offices with a hybrid schedule of working two days remote each week.

Role & Responsibilities:

Leadership & Strategy

• In conjunction with Finance and IT leadership teams, define and execute the vision and strategy for Everest International Insurance (EII) finance data and system to support optimal finance processes and controls.
• Lead and mentor a team of Finance Systems Analysts, data specialists, and process improvement professionals.
• Drive agreed change agenda relating to finance processes and systems.

Finance Data Management & Reporting

• With IT, determine the optimal process for accurate and scalable financial reporting and support the development and maintenance of the necessary systems and data architecture.
• Support adoption of advanced reporting tools and techniques to support Finance in extracting actionable insights and meeting management and external reporting needs.
• Champion data governance initiatives to maintain high-quality, consistent, and compliant financial data.

Systems Optimisation

• Oversee the optimisation of EII finance systems (ERP platforms, reporting tools, etc.).
• Partner with IT and other departments to ensure seamless system integration.
• Provide IT with finance insights to help troubleshoot system performance issues.
• Lead finance testing strategy for new systems implementations and upgrades.
• Determine maintenance windows that minimize impact on Everest International Insurance (EII) finance.

Change Management

• Understand finance user needs (processes, data…) to effectively communicate requirements to data and IT teams.
• Prioritise reporting enhancements to improve efficiency (automation) with attention to the construction of key finance data point inventory which is consistent across regions.
• Own and manage finance inputs to the product backlog, participate in backlog grooming within an agile framework.
• Support product delivery and change management, ensuring releases are tested, communicated, and adopted by users.
• Maintain documented finance processes across multiple entities and systems, identifying opportunities for automation reconciliations and controls whilst ensuring scalability.
• Lead certain cross-functional projects to align finance processes and systems with evolving business needs.

Qualifications:

• You’ll hold a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and Computer Science (or an equivalent qualification).
• Bring proven experience in finance transformation, finance systems, data management, or similar roles within a leadership capacity.
• Have relevant experience in the insurance industry.
• You are a strategic thinker who can connect the dots between underwriting, claims, operations, reserving, and finance.
• Understands business processes and data flows across finance systems.
• Demonstrates expertise in financial systems such as ERP platforms (Oracle, SAP, or Workday), data analytics tools like Power BI and Tableau, and programming languages including SQL, Python, or R.
• Possesses a strong grasp of data governance frameworks and financial reporting standards.
• Has a track record of leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Communicates and collaborates effectively, influencing stakeholders across all levels.
• Excels in problem-solving and project management, with deep expertise in Agile methodologies.

If you don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Everest is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates.