ROLE Summary
The Group FP&A Director, Corporate is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing the Corporate financial planning and board reporting processes on a global scale. Reporting to the VP of Group FPA&R, this role provides critical financial insights to the CFO, Executive Committee & shareholders, enabling a deeper understanding of the Group’s financial and commercial performance. The role is pivotal in driving cash flow forecasting & long-term planning processes that ensure robust decision‑making at the highest level to steward the company to its targets.
Key Accountabilities
Strategic Financial Leadership
- Lead the corporate financial planning and reporting team, ensuring alignment with business objectives and strategic priorities.
- Act as a key financial advisor to senior executives, including the CFO, CEO, and Finance Leadership Team (FLT), providing insightful analysis and strategic financial guidance.
Executive Committee & Board Reporting
- Accountable for the delivery and critical assessment of the Group’s annual budget, 5-Year Strategic Plan & Capital Plan to the Exec and board and monthly board reporting.
- Provide detailed analysis and commentary on financial performance, ensuring clear, succinct, and commercially relevant insights are delivered to the Executive and Board.
- Ensure continuous development of financial systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of reporting processes.
Cashflow Forecasting
- Develop & execute the indirect cash flow forecasting process, reporting outlooks to the Board and Executive reporting.
- Work closely with the Treasury team to support the direct cash flow forecasting process, & reconciliation process to the indirect method.
- Develop cash levers to improve liquidity for the group, including leading working capital improvement projects.
Long term planning
- Develop long-term financial plans in collaboration with senior stakeholders, incorporating strategic objectives, external market data, and internal business insights.
- Run scenario & sensitivity analysis to demonstrate a range of future outcomes based on macroeconomic factors & different investment strategies.
- Collaborate with the capital development teams to incorporate evolving capital allocation strategies into financial plans.
Corporate Analysis
- Compare internal financial projections with external viewpoints, including benchmarking against competitors and macroeconomic factors.
- Provide actionable recommendations to improve business performance throughout the year to steward the organization towards its financial targets.
- Deliver standard shareholder reporting & support on ad hoc data & analysis requests.
Critical Interfaces
- CFO, SVP Finance – Strategic advisory and financial insight delivery
- Finance Leadership Team – Stakeholder engagement and financial planning
- Treasury Team – Debt reporting and cash flow forecasting support
- External Reporting Team – Support for forecasting models and valuation assessments
- Strategy & Commercial Teams – Development of long-term planning and performance analysis
- Shareholder analysts – Board reporting & shareholder ad hoc analysis requests
Qualifications & Experience
Experience and Qualifications
- Recognised finance qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, MBA) with a minimum of 8 years post-qualification experience.
- Proven experience in a senior finance leadership role within a large, complex, multi-site, and multi-country organisation.
- Strong commercial and strategic finance acumen, with experience providing Board-level financial insights.
- Experience in financial planning systems such as IBM Planning Analytics (TM1), Hyperion, and Power BI.
- Excellent Excel modelling skills and ability to present complex financial data clearly and concisely.
- Experience in the leisure industry is preferable but not essential.
Skills and Competencies
- Leadership & Influence: Ability to engage at Board level and effectively lead a team of senior finance professionals.
- Strategic Thinking: Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess financial performance and provide strategic insights.
- Stakeholder Management: Ability to build relationships across multiple functions and influence key decision-makers.
- Process Improvement: Proven ability to drive continuous improvement in financial planning and reporting processes.
- Communication & Presentation: Ability to articulate financial insights in a clear, visually impactful, and engaging manner for senior stakeholders.
- Adaptability: Energised by a fast-moving, growth-oriented business with a passion for the industry.
Leadership Behaviours
Soulfully Curious
- Leaders who seek out new knowledge, explore a diverse range of perspectives, and show a genuine interest in learning about complex issues.
- Leaders who ask questions with positive intent, show a willingness to learn and remain open to new ideas.
Results Focused
- Leaders who set clear goals, prioritise tasks, regularly evaluate progress, and course correct in pursuit to achieve desired outcomes.
- Leaders who take accountability, learn from both successes and failures, and demonstrate a commitment to meeting or exceeding targets.
Extraordinary Teammate
- Leaders who proactively collaborate, share knowledge, offer assistance and support a wider community of peers across the organisation.
- Leaders who communicate clearly and respectfully, celebrate others’ successes, and contribute to team performance and culture at an enterprise level.
Develops People
- Leaders who positively support the growth and advancement of others, provide and seek out regular constructive feed forward.
- Leaders who coach their teams, create opportunities for skill development, nurture talent and take a genuine interest in the personal growth of others.
Benefits
We’re growing fast and alongside a fun and friendly environment, we offer a fabulous package and amazing prospects – ideal if you’re already fantastic and want to become even better (our magic can help here). Benefits include Pension, Life Assurance, discretionary company bonus, 25 days’ holiday and, of course, a Merlin Magic Pass which gives you and your friends and family free admission to all of our attractions worldwide, as well as 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants and 40% discount on LEGO.
Pay Range
Competitive
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