Head of Commercial Finance

Not every commercial finance leadership role is created equal. Some roles focus on producing the numbers. Others focus on explaining the numbers. This opportunity is about influencing what happens next. Gifford & Partners are partnering with a highly successful, rapidly expanding organisation that continues to invest significantly in its people, systems and infrastructure. Operating within a fast-paced, service-led environment, the business has established a market-leading reputation and is entering an exciting period of continued growth and transformation.

As a result, an outstanding opportunity has arisen for an ambitious and commercially astute finance leader to join the organisation as Head of Commercial Finance. This is a highly visible position where you will sit at the heart of strategic decision-making, partnering with senior stakeholders to improve performance, influence commercial outcomes and drive the financial strategy of a complex and evolving business.

About the role Leading a high-performing commercial finance function, you will provide meaningful insight and challenge to the senior leadership team, translating financial data into actionable recommendations that support growth, profitability and operational excellence. You will lead, coach and develop a team of 40 commercially focused finance professionals, creating a culture of curiosity, accountability and continuous improvement. This is a broad leadership role combining commercial finance, business partnering, performance analysis and strategic influence, with the opportunity to play a significant role in shaping the future direction of the organisation.

Key responsibilities will include:
Acting as a strategic business partner to senior operational and executive stakeholders Providing robust commercial insight around revenue, margin, performance drivers and strategic initiatives Leading budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning activities Delivering insightful KPI reporting, trend analysis and recommendations to improve business performance Supporting commercial decision-making, investment appraisals and growth initiatives Driving improvements in reporting, systems, processes and the use of data and technology Supporting wider business strategy and organisational transformation What you can expect in return: A genuine opportunity to influence business strategy and commercial direction High levels of visibility and exposure to senior leadership The chance to join a successful and ambitious organisation with significant growth plans A broad and impactful role offering long-term career progression A collaborative, supportive and forward-thinking leadership team Hybrid working environment About you We are keen to speak with qualified accountants (ACA, ACCA, ACMA or equivalent) who can demonstrate a combination of strong commercial acumen, analytical capability and the ability to influence at senior levels.

You will likely bring: A proven background in commercial finance, FP&A or strategic business partnering Experience leading and developing finance teams Strong capability in budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling and performance analysis The ability to convert complex financial information into clear commercial recommendations Experience influencing senior stakeholders and challenging decision-making constructively A track record of driving performance improvement and identifying commercial opportunities Experience operating within a fast-paced, multi-site, service-led or complex organisation Candidates currently operating as Head of Commercial Finance, Head of FP&A, Senior Finance Business Partner, Commercial Finance Director, Commercial Finance Manager, Head of Business Partnering or a commercially focused Head of Finance are likely to be of particular interest.