Senior Finance Manager

We’re looking for an experienced and commercially minded Senior Finance Manager to join a Large FMCG business based in London. It will be a 18-month FTC, 3 days in office. This is an exciting opportunity to drive strategic financial performance, operational excellence, and business growth in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. You’ll act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, delivering valuable financial insight, influencing key decisions.

As Senior Finance Manager you will be partnering with senior stakeholders in driving financial planning, performance insight, and strong governance. The role will translate strategy into financial outcomes, support investment decisions, and lead a high-performing team while embedding continuous improvement and commercial discipline across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Business Partnering & Financial Leadership

• Partner proactively with senior business stakeholders to provide financial insight, commercial recommendations, and strategic support.
• Translate business plans into detailed financial plans and forecasts aligned with overall business strategy.
• Lead bottom-up planning and forecasting exercises in line with business priorities.
• Deliver financial performance analysis, identifying risks and opportunities, and escalating emerging issues where appropriate.
• Drive investment appraisals for new initiatives and capital expenditure proposals.
• Challenge existing ways of working and introduce finance-led improvements to business decision-making.

Financial Planning & Governance

• Ensure execution of business plans with strong financial rigor and governance.
• Support monthly reporting and planning cycles by providing high-quality financial inputs.
• Partner with Procurement during contract renewals and new supplier negotiations.
• Oversee balance sheet forecasting to support cashflow targets.
• Ensure accurate and timely recharge processes, including breakeven models where applicable.
• Maintain compliance with governance requirements including delegation of authority, internal controls, audit processes, capitalization, and impairment reviews.

Continuous Improvement & Change

• Drive productivity initiatives to ensure delivery of financial commitments.
• Promote continuous improvement by identifying process enhancements and embedding best practices.
• Support and participate in transformation and ad hoc business projects.
• Foster a culture of spend governance, efficiency, and accountability across leadership teams.

Skills & Experience

Essential Experience

• 7+ years’ finance experience ideally within a global FMCG or similarly dynamic environment.
• Proven leadership experience managing and developing diverse teams.
• Strong track record of driving business value through financial insight, process improvement, or people leadership.
• Experience operating in ambiguous environments and managing change effectively.

Technical & Leadership Skills

• Strong storytelling and communication skills with the ability to present data-driven insights clearly.
• Ability to simplify complex financial and commercial situations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building capabilities.
• Strong project planning and execution skills.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and comfortable making decisions in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while delivering high-quality outputs under pressure.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint skills.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Finance, Accounting, or Business Management, and/or
• Professional qualification such as ACCA, CIMA, CA, CFA, or equivalent.

Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates