The role of Director - Finance Centre of Excellence in the professional services industry involves leading a high-performing team, ensuring delivery of financial expertise and strategic support. This permanent position focuses on driving operational efficiency and offering innovative solutions in the accounting & finance department.

Client Details

This opportunity is with a large organisation within the professional services sector, known for its commitment to innovation and excellence in accounting and finance. The company provides a collaborative environment and offers opportunities for professional growth.

Description

The Role

As a Director in the Finance CoE, you will play a senior leadership role in shaping, delivering, and growing our finance-focused deal advisory propositions. You will lead complex, high-pressure, multi-workstream engagements, working directly with CFOs and finance leadership teams on both the buy-side and sell-side to design, plan, and execute finance workstreams within transaction environments.

You will be accountable for leading engagement teams, serving as a trusted advisor to clients, applying our methodology and best practices, and overseeing the deliverables, quality and commercial success of projects. You will also lead business development for key pursuits/ sectors/ accounts, proposition building, and the growth of our people and culture.

Roles & Responsibilities

Client Delivery & Leadership

* Lead end-to-end finance support across the deal lifecycle, often as part of a wider deal teams, shaping our support and ensuring delivery excellence.

* Serve as a key advisor to CFOs and senior finance stakeholders in different sectors, providing challenge, insight, and practical direction during high-pressure deal environments

* Collaborate with multi-workstream delivery teams often across multiple geographies, ensuring coordination, quality assurance, and value across finance workstreams.

* Lead and review separation/ integration planning, operating model design, and deal-driven finance change outcomes.

* Build strong relationships with clients across sectors, as well as other advisory firms involved in deals (e.g. legal, banking, technology).

People Leadership

* Provide leadership, coaching, and development for senior managers and below team members, fostering a high-performing, collaborative and supportive team culture.

* Drive capability development within the Finance CoE, helping colleagues grow expertise across deal execution, finance operations, core processes and consulting skills

* Promote the values of inclusion, agility, and personal development reflected in the firm's 'Our Deal' and 'The Academy' commitments.

Profile

The Person

Skills, Qualifications & Experience

Essential Experience

* Substantial experience working in a leading consulting firm, Big 4, private equity or strategy / corporate development team with a focus on the finance function in industry

* The candidate must have previous experience in consulting as well as industry. The latter needing to be in an operational capacity as 'Line Management'

* Experience of leading mid-sized and large deal execution projects with a focus on CFO-relevant issues

* Strong academic track record

* Experience of managing or supporting high-value business development activities with C-level stakeholders

* Demonstrable ability to independently generate sales opportunities, commercialise relationships with senior executives and maintain strong client relationships

* Acting as the source of new business development initiatives and taking these from idea, through design and execution all the way to clients

* Strong numerical capabilities combined with sound commercial acumen

* Demonstrable ability to lead teams in high-pressure, ambiguous, and fast-paced deal environments.

* Evidence of strong problem-solving & analytical capabilities

* Structured thinking skills combined with creativity

* Ability to talk credibly with C-level clients on the key issues and value implications facing their business in a deal context

* Ability to evaluate complex challenges and deliver insightful recommendations that can be practically executed

Finance in Deals Experience

* Proven track record leading complex/large-scale finance integrations, separations, carve-outs, joint venture setup projects

* Initiating marketing and sales efforts, proposals, scopes and pricing for mid-sized and large consulting assignments, preferably in the finance deals space

* Evidence of designing work plans, team structures and then managing these to (i) excellent client output and (ii) strong project economics

o This should include an extensive coverage of recent M&A transactions, e.g. Integration/ separation planning and execution, transitional service agreements

* Deep understanding of issues and decisions in M&A deals which affect financial controls, governance and reporting on both buy-side and sell-side, from pre-deal to post deal and exit

* Deep understanding of leading practice in finance functions, operating model design, and the impact of digital/disruptive technologies on finance

* Deep understanding of core finance processes (Record to Report, Procure to Pay, Order to Cash), with strong understanding of finance function structures, controls, systems, and performance metrics.

Preferred Qualifications

* Professional qualification (ACA, CIMA, MBA, or equivalent).

Core Competencies

* Outstanding client relationship skills, executive presence, and communication capability (oral and written).

* Exceptional problem solving, analytical thinking, and structured report writing.

* Ability to inspire teams, manage competing priorities, and deliver confidently under pressure.

Job Offer

• Competitive salary ranging from £130,000 to £150,000 per annum
• Annual cash car allowance of £6,500.
• Bonus scheme to reward performance.
• Comprehensive pension plan.
• Private medical insurance (single cover) and life assurance.

This is an excellent opportunity to take on a leadership role in the professional services industry. If you are ready to make an impact as a Director - Finance Centre of Excellence, apply now to embark on this exciting career journey.