Head of Finance Shared Services

Buro Happold; Bath; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the professional services industry is seeking a Head of Finance Shared Services to lead a newly established team. The role entails ensuring operational efficiency, implementing controls, and driving strategic financial initiatives while collaborating with various departments. Candidates should possess relevant qualifications and significant experience in a finance leadership role, with a strong focus on efficiency and stakeholder engagement.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar role and level.
• Broad experience in finance functions and strategic decision-making.
• Ability to engage stakeholders effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the newly created finance shared services team.
• Identify and implement efficiencies in financial workflows.
• Monitor KPIs and report progress to stakeholders.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Complex problem-solving skills

Excellent communication skills

Autonomous working capability

Team player

Resilient with attention to detail

Education

Qualified CIMA/ACCA/ACA

Tools

Unit4 accounting system

Deltek Vantagepoint

Job description

We are recruiting for a Head of Finance Shared Services. This global finance role will lead the growth of a newly created finance shared services team, ensuring services to the business are delivered aligned with Service Level Agreements and targeted KPIs which are communicated to the Finance Directors in the regions.

The Role

The position requires broad financial and systems knowledge across accounts payable, accounts receivable, financial control, reporting, projects, and intercompany. The role will be responsible for identifying efficiencies, implementing controls, and leading the direction for the shared service team. It will include collaboration with other business operations departments (IT & HR), policy & procedure review, global alignment, communication with internal & external stakeholders, resourcing & prioritisation of the new services to be introduced to a shared services centre.

Responsibilities

• Identify and implement transactional workflows being centralised.
• Achieve regional cost savings.
• Improve efficiency, controls, and support for regional finance teams.
• Support the Director of Financial Accounting & Reporting and the CFO in realizing their vision for the 'future of finance'.
• Support and grow a high-performing team motivated to deliver high standards of service.
• Review transactional processes to assess suitability for centralisation.
• Create, communicate, and implement new policies and procedures as required.
• Identify system dependencies for maximum efficiency and engage with operational finance teams for implementation.
• Identify areas for improvement—align to global risk matrix—including governance, controls, automation, and supporting future growth.
• Lead on global compliance initiatives.
• Assess and refine SLAs with stakeholders and report KPIs to track progress, implementing improvement plans as needed.
• Monitor KPIs through regular reporting and benchmarking.
• Manage workflow across the shared service centre, re-planning and prioritising resources as necessary.
• Foster an environment encouraging productivity, professional development, open communication, and teamwork.
• Standardise and document processes to meet financial control requirements, ensuring controls are operational.
• Ensure training and knowledge transfer across processes.
• Manage relationships with internal stakeholders on strategies, process improvements, and system developments.
• Collaborate with operational heads on cross-functional projects.
• Perform other ad hoc projects as assigned by the Finance Leadership team.

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified CIMA/ACCA/ACA.
• Experience in a similar role and level.
• Broad experience in finance functions and supporting strategic decision-making.
• Ability to engage stakeholders and staff for process execution.
• Strategic thinking and complex problem-solving skills.
• Strong team player, autonomous working capability.
• Excellent communication skills for finance and non-finance audiences.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders.
• Highly organised with the ability to prioritise under tight deadlines.
• Proactive, confident, and able to lead challenging situations independently.
• Collaborative approach to support and grow the business.
• Resilient with attention to detail.

Desirable Skills

• Experience in professional services or construction industry.
• Knowledge of Unit4 accounting system (preferred but not essential).
• Experience with Deltek Vantagepoint (preferred but not essential).

Styles & Behaviours

• Creative thinker and problem solver—strategic and detail-oriented.
• Effective communicator and influencer—fostering learning and creativity.
• Role model—positive and inspiring.
• Network builder—internal and external relationships.
• Resourceful—able to mobilise expertise and lead meetings.
• Supportive of team development and goal achievement.
• Proactive problem solver—minimising challenges and motivating solutions.
• Flexible and tactful—resolving issues amicably.
• Business-impact aware—considering how their expertise benefits the organisation.

Additional Information

Buro Happold values flexible working arrangements and encourages applications from diverse backgrounds, including those underrepresented in the industry. We are committed to accessibility and support during the application process—please contact [e-mail] for assistance.