Head of FP&A and Business Partnering - UK Retail

Job Type:

Build a brilliant future with Hiscox

Hiscox UK

Hiscox UK is a leading brand in the insurance market, recognized as setting the standards others try to emulate. We consistently deliver strong growth and exceptional returns, recruiting only the very best and empowering them to deliver. We are known for insuring the homes of the rich and famous through to the most innovative technology companies. Our customers are diverse and unique and are only united by our ability to provide specialist insurance tailored to their needs.

The Role:

The Head of FP&A and Business Partnering will be a credible and trusted advisor, providing support and financial analysis to the CFO, UK Leadership Team (UKLT), Finance Leadership Team (FLT), Business Unit Senior Leaders, Underwriters and Internal Networks.

The role will lead and develop a team of Business Partners and FP&A Analysts to: understand and forecast the performance of the different channels and products; provide timely insight on financial performance ; provide transparency and understanding of the numbers; drive resolution of financial issues and support production of business proposals. The successful candidate will be expected to lead projects, present to the UKLT, represent the CFO in committees, and delegate for them on occasion.

This is a senior, critical role within the UK business unit reporting to the UK Retail CFO. The role holder must be commercially aware, calm and confident and have the ability to build strong stakeholder relationships whilst demonstrating their experience and credibility .

Key responsibilities:

• Produce regular financial performance analysis to give highly quality insight into the performance of the business

• Proactively seek insights from key stakeholders and the internal/external environment to understand and anticipate the financial dynamics of the business

• Capture, address and communicate key issues impacting the end-to-end financial environment

• Work collaboratively with other Business Units, legal entities and FP&A teams to deliver the Retail result

• Manage the Finance aspects of the UK’s contribution to the Group’s 2030 strategy including Growth and Fit for 10x initiatives

• Collaborate with Groupwide Finance teams to identify and achieve common efficiency and data objectives

• Provide the CFO with regular and ad hoc updates on business performance and the status of any related issues

• Own the UK planning and forecasting process; deliver a critically assessed financial plan to reflect each channels business strategy

• Own the management expense budget/forecast process, including headcount, liaising with the Group and providing critical challenge to central allocations

• Deliver business performance analysis and insights to stakeholders that facilitate informed decisions

• Support the UKLT in understanding the financial performance and in the production and presentation of Quarterly Business Reviews, Elevator Pitches etc

• Support business proposals and the assessment of new growth and change opportunities

• Lead and develop the team of eight UK Business Partners and FP&A Analysts, with a focus on inclusivity and engagement as well as individual development

• Be the owner of the Business Unit inputs to the Group Planning and Forecasting processes

• Work collaboratively with the UK Financial Reporting and Control team to ensure aligned understanding of business performance, a strong control environment and clarity in all forms of reporting

• Have an awareness of market insights and the risks and opportunities to Hiscox. Identify solutions where appropriate

Person Specification:

• A senior finance professional, with demonstrable commercial exposure

• Strong communication, stakeholder management and organisational skills

• A track record of operating with, and influencing, senior executives and leadership teams

• Experience in forecasting, planning and analysis

• Good technical aptitude with curiosity and desire to explore root cause analysis

• Independent structured thinker, with critical analytical skills and ability to challenge

• Experience of developing insight through data analytics models

• Good knowledge of the insurance industry

• Experience of leading, engaging and developing direct and virtual teams

• Demonstrate a business partner mindset

• Relevant professional qualification (ACA, CIMA, ACCA)

• Professional curiosity to ask the “so what” type question

• Structured and ordered with an ability to analyse and draw insights from numerical data to tell the underlying story

• Ability to communicate complex financial problems to a number of different audiences

• Shows initiative, drive and ownership, strong determination to ‘get things right’

• Creative, proactive and innovative - does not accept the status quo

• Able to think and act strategically and to translate thinking into tangible plans

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills

• Intellectual agility; comfortable with complexity and ambiguity

• Instant credibility and gravitas; someone who would quickly gain the respect of senior executives

• Agility to adapt to change / able to drive improvements and inspire others

Diversity and flexible working at Hiscox

At Hiscox we care about our people. We hire the best people for the job and we’re committed to diversity and creating a truly inclusive culture, which we believe drives success. We also understand that working life doesn’t always have to be ‘nine to five’ and we support flexible working wherever we can. No promises, but please chat to our resourcing team about the flexibility we could offer for this role.

Work with amazing people and be part of a unique culture