Commercial Finance Manager (Contracts/Bid Support) senior level

Job Introduction

Sodexo Justice Services has been operating in the United Kingdom since 1993. We operate five prisons in the UK and have a reputation for operating excellent, ethical, innovative and rehabilitative services. Our vision is to become a strategic partner of our clients by designing, managing and delivering quality of life services which make a meaningful difference to offenders by changing lives for the better.

A newly scoped role within our fast growing Justice Service segment, you’ll support the Finance Director in this is a highly commercial role that will lead a Bid team and therefore requires excellent leadership skills alongside proven influencing capability.

An excellent opportunity to showcase your technical and commercial skill set (ACA qualified with relevant PQ experience) including financial modeling and ideally operational bid support expertise.

SJS (Sodexo Justice Services context:

Circa £135m turnover, well established and highly regarded business service with core client, Ministry of Justice.  Growth this year of 25% revenue through acquisition of major contract.  Further growth aspirations being pursued.

Role Responsibility

You will provide a critical role in developing the strategy for bids / other new work / projects. This will be achieved through provision of financial and commercial insight, which is used to support, inform, influence and challenge development of proposed business models in order to achieve competitive, innovative and profitable bids.

• Ensure that the link between the business development / operational and Finance teams is clear and co-ordinated at all times
• Develop an excellent understanding of business and opportunities in order to fulfil the purpose of the role
• Supporting the SJS Finance Director in strategy-setting, decision making and all matters related to the commercial side of our business development approach
• Developing and maintaining a strong, positive yet challenging relationship with the broader business development / operational teams.  Able to actively input into non-financial decision making and strategy setting discussions. Acts as the conscience of project teams on all matters, not just financially related
• Coordinate and lead on meetings with operations / mobilisation / other business development team members, to inform, drive and influence successful mobilisations and contracts
• Design and lead implementation of finance operating models and processes for large scale contracts, consulting with a range of stakeholders and coordinating support for implementation

• Deliver excellent financial modelling design and build, for projects / bids as required.  Provide coaching in modelling expertise to other team members
• Deliver outputs for internal governance, that are of excellent quality and high financial and commercial integrity
• Work with other departments (for example HR, IT, Marketing, Central Operations, Labour specialists, Legal) to plan and then deliver important change projects in the business.
• Complete post-investment reviews for new contracts and significant investments and ensure we learn the lessons from them.
• Lead, coach and manage finance teams reporting to you, which will vary in shape and size depending on pipeline and will include some contractors.  Provide development opportunities for team members, and act as a role model in leadership and influencing skills

The Ideal Candidate

Experience:

• Qualified Accountant with comprehensive post qualification experience
• Trained in audit or large blue chip
• Held previous commercial finance roles
• Preferably worked in contract management / bidding environment / possibly worked in roles that are more commercial than finance

Personal

• Strong influencer
• Strong challenger of status quo
• Ability to debate, influence thinking of stakeholders and customers
• Great team player, also authentic leader
• Leads by example
• Excellent communicator, verbal and written
• Good eye for detail as well as big picture
• Ability to navigate through complex situations and matrix organisation structure, to deliver results in a multi stakeholder and consultative culture
• Excellent conceptual thinker

Technical and business:

• Qualified accountant
• Education – 2:1 degree and / or at least two As at A level Excellent financial modelling
• Strong all round finance (technical, commercial etc)
• A degree in Mathematics will be highly advantageous as this role deals heavily with bid management and statistics.

Package Description

£Highly competitive plsu excellent benefits

About the Company

Sodexo UK & Ireland employs around 36,000 people and delivers On-site Service Solutions to clients at over 2,300 locations including offices, hospitals, schools, defence sites, prisons, sporting events and visitor attractions.  Sodexo is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. All roles will require applicants to undergo screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Criminal Records Bureau (UK) and/ or Disclosure Scotland (Scotland)