Finance Manager - Rates & Government Accounting; Defence

Finance Manager - Rates & Government Accounting (Defence)

Job Title:

Finance Manager - Rates & Government Accounting (Defence). Function: FINANCE. Duration:
Permanent.

Hours:

Full time, 37 hrs. Location(s):
Harlow (Essex) or Glenrothes (Scotland) with hybrid working minimum 2 days a week on site. Security Clearance: SC Eligible. Company:
Raytheon UK.

• Own Long Range Plan (LRP) and Annual Operating Plan (AOP) rates (absorption costing) cycles.
• Develop and calculate, for all rate decks:
  • Estimated and actual costing and pricing overhead and G&A rates used to price bids and be charged to backlog contracts.
  • Estimated and actual average labour rates used to price bids and be charged to backlog contracts.
• Drive collaboration with Business Programme Finance (BPF) to maximise recoverability of R&D and bid costs through rates.
• Provide effective problem solving and investigation skills for unstructured challenges such as new ways to perform strategic pricing.

• Be the single point of contact for rates analysis, reporting, and queries; develop key relationships to deliver outcomes.
• Provide BPF and FP&A with recovery forecasts/budgets and R&Os, supporting pre‑close, close, and AOP/LRP planning cycles:
  • Calculate under/over forecasts for all rate decks, incorporating business, functional, and Central Finance inputs.
  • Own the consolidated R&Os register for rates.
• Regular partnering with Mission Area Leads / BPF to ensure recovery analysis is understood, including briefing Marketing & Selling recharge and disallowables recharge.
• Own ad‑hoc rates exercises (e.g., mid‑year reforecasts) and manage net recovery what‑if scenarios.
• Create Leadership Team ops reporting for rates.
• Own control tower submissions and create speaker notes for LT Ops.
• Own rates Power
  
  BI dashboard and ensure it is maintained, reconciled to source systems and continually improved.
• Maintain COGNOS rates model and collaborate with DT to ensure availability and up‑to‑date rate deck structure.
• Own system roll‑out of new rates (e.g., SAP, PMX, COGNOS implications).
• Support implementation of new Finance Systems and associated processes as they relate to functional forecasting and rates.

• Ensure RSL's financial compliance with Defence Reform Act (DRA) and Federal Acquisition Requirements (FAR) throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Own RSL’s relationship with CAAS (UK MOD Auditors), SSRO, and DCMA.
• Manage, review and submit all reporting to these bodies, including rates reporting, programme reporting, and supplier reporting.
• Coordinate programme reporting and audit activity with MOD.
• Ensure Finance and Commercial teams are fully trained in compliance issues.
• Be the RSL SME for all DRA, FAR and reporting queries.
• Attend industry groups (e.g., DSAG) to stay up‑to‑date with regulatory changes and represent RSL interests.
• Ensure all estimated and actual pricing rates are negotiated and approved timely.
• Respond to queries from internal and external auditors.

• Plan repeatable and ad‑hoc rates, capex and change activities within Ops Finance team.
• Act as liaison between Ops Finance and BPF, FP&A & Central Finance, ensuring alignment of monthly, AOP, and LRP rates with wider finance/business calendar.
• Plan and draft Ops Finance communications aligned to calendar requirements.

• Qualified CIMA/ACCA/ACA Finance Manager with defence background and relevant experience in a similar role.
• Excellent people manager—direct and indirect influencing skills; experience managing teams.
• Excellent presentational skills; comfortable with data and high‑level messaging; experienced presenting to senior audiences.
• Ability to work on concurrent issues with multiple senior stakeholders under time pressure; prioritise effectively; agile mindset.
• Strong communicator and networker, able to extract insights and think differently; experience dealing with senior and external stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including explaining financial concepts to non‑financial staff.
• Experience working in a programme environment and accounting for long‑term contracts.
• Knowledge of the DRA and FAR.
• Experience with proposal processes such as RLPM/IPDS.
• Knowledge of MoD procurement methodologies & DEFCONs.
• Experience working in a matrix organisation.
• Understanding of project reporting including EACs & EVMS.

• Negotiation experience and effective influencing.
• Ability to own issues and deliver effective outcomes.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Creative and entrepreneurial, providing innovative solutions that drive value.
• Excellent systems skills, including SAP and Microsoft Office.
• Excellent planning skills.