Hybrid Head of Group FP&A (46294) bei British Council

We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries.

We connect. We inspire.

Contract Type: Indefinite
Location: London
Right to Work Requirements: Right to Work in the UK. The British Council is not able to support or sponsor work visa applications.
Closing Date: advert will close on Sunday, August 3, 2025 at 23:59.
Benefits Include, but are not limited to:

• 32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
• 3 days volunteering leave
• Career average defined benefit pension scheme

Role Purpose
The Head of Group Financial Planning and Analysis plays a pivotal leadership role in enabling Group reporting, continuous improvement. This is a high-impact position that sits at the heart of the Group and Global Finance, with visibility across senior leadership team (SLT) and the wider finance community.
You will be responsible for:

• Leading Group management information and reporting. 
• Setting the framework and assumptions for planning and forecasting across the organisation.
• Overseeing cash and balance sheet forecasting of the group and subsidiaries.
• Ensuring accurate and timely reporting to our key external stakeholder, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), including compliance with all financial loan covenants.

As the Group’s expert in Finance Planning and Reporting, you will report into Director of FP&A and collaborate closely with colleagues across Shared Service Centre, Centres of Excellence, and regional financial planning teams to ensure that financial strategies are aligned with our organisational objectives. 
The role requires a proactive, commercially minded, and strategically focused finance professional who will build trusted relationships and influence across global, matrixed organisation. You will bring on board a broad base of finance experience, including international exposure and experience working with multi-location operational teams. 
You’ll also play a central role in shaping and embedding a unified finance culture and service model, Contributing to the delivery of new planning tool and processes as part of the Finance Transformation Programme.

Main accountabilities but not limited to the following

• Lead a comprehensive Group Financial Planning and Management Reporting service to identified recipients of financial information including to key stakeholders at the FCDO. 
• Ensure accurate reporting against all financial loan covenants.
• Ensure that Group FP&A processes are consistent with the British Council’s strategy, objectives, and operating environment. 
• They will drive continuous improvement and leverage technology to achieve best practice in Group FP&A processes. Act as a champion for compliance, organising monitoring compliance and ensuring that non-compliance is addressed. 
• Provide high quality, insightful management information (MI) for the Group, making improvements where possible; continue to develop and improve balance sheet and cash forecasting for the group to meet the needs of internal stakeholders and His Majesty's Government (HMG).
• Develop Group forecasting of I&E and cash for all subsidiaries and that this feeds into the broader work on cash management and provides an important data set for decision making.
• Long Term Finance Planning - Support Director FP&A in co-ordinating and delivering 5yr financial plans (3 statements), establishing guidance/targets and core assumptions. Ensure all feeder plans/scenarios are aligned and have been considered in context of wider model. Provide analysis and insights as required. Ensure that year 1 of the plan aligns with the budget. 
• Support treasury in the forecasting of trapped and restricted cash forecasts.
• Provide guidance to the FP&A community, role model British Council values and EDI in day-to-day interactions with colleagues at all levels. Ensure high levels of professionalism are demonstrated by Group FP&A team, and that client and customer needs are reflected in ways of working. 
• Develop strong partnerships and working relationships with key stakeholders in the UK and globally, to ensure that Group FP&A activities support the delivery of business strategy. Build strong relations with the Shared Service Centre (SSC) /Centres of Excellence and Managed Service Provider (MSP) as required.  
• Work closely with the Director FP&A, the Corporate Planning team, Global Networks Group and Strategic Business Units to align and develop annual planning targets and guidance. 
• Provide high quality, concise analysis to SLT/Finance Committee and Board of Trustees to improve the making of business decisions and the achievement of business strategy.  
• Complete ad hoc requirements and analysis as required.
• Champion the development of leaner and more effective financial planning and forecasting processes. Ensure professional financial processes, tools and disciplines are in place which support growth and professional delivery of the business strategy.  
• Drive a step change in cash and balance sheet forecasting at a group and entity level.
• Champion the development and implementation of Global Finance Planning and Analysis (FP&A) Processes and Reporting Tools, ensuring all Group requirements are fully met.

Requirements of the role

• Operating in international and multi-cultural organisations  
• Strong commercial finance experience gained in an organisation undergoing change and driving for growth. 
• Leadership of change projects/initiatives  
• Managing and developing teams 
• Financial Planning & monitoring including management information reporting.
• Qualified accountant with significant post qualification experience in relevant senior finance roles.

Additional Information

• Office Working. This role is required to work at the office as per British Council guidance.

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all sections of the community as we believe that a diverse workforce gives added depth to our work. The British Council is a Disability Confident Employer. The Disability Confident scheme helps challenge attitudes, increase understanding of disability and ensure staff are drawn from the widest possible pool of talent. We guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum role requirements. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

Safeguarding Statement
The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with. We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989. Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you experience any difficulties with submitting your application, please email [email protected]