Finance Business Partner - Product

Purpose of the Role:

Reporting to the Finance Business Partner Manager – FP&A and supporting them with providing a best in class financial service to McLaren Applied, this role will focus on the supporting the CTO and Product Line Managers with the performance of products both in development and available for sale. This role is pivotal to providing insight and, supportive challenge and consistency to the business, safeguarding the company’s assets by maximising value for money 

Role Dimensions:

40 hours per week

Principal Accountabilities:

The post holder will for all entities in McLaren Applied be accountable for:

  • Ownership of the product performance reporting - standard cost, variances on standard cost, profitability, trends.
  • Reporting on the R&D spend vs Budget and operational milestones, with a focus on the impact on the Business’ Strategic Business Plan.
  • Completion of the standard cost calculations - ensure that they reflect the Business Structure and operations. Complete the reviews and comparisons year on year, ensuring that the CTO and production and Ops Managers fully understand the impact of decisions made.
  • Impairment reviews by platform and asset - ensure that CTO has the insight required to be effectively engaged in factors that improve or protect the Business Plan
  • Pro-activeness in analysing the efficiency of spend, and product performance and opportunities for improvement. 
  • Assist and advice in cost centre reporting to ensure that costs are correctly allocated, ensuring the accuracy of product performance reporting
  • Support Programme Managers on their Business Cases’ by providing supportive financial challenge, rigor and drive profitability.
  • Produce and own templates to support Strategic Business Planning and provide analysis into the best use of the company’s capital
  • Provide concise and understandable translation of financial requirements into policy, action and business decisions that non-finance colleagues can understand and appreciate.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • ACA, CIMA or ACCA qualified;
  • Experience of product / manufacturing accounting
  • Desire to be a strong Business Partner and offer valuable insight to key stakeholders
  • Proven record working in a team;
  • Strong IT skills including Microsoft Excel;
  • Strong at questioning and spotting irregularities.
  • Evidence of self challenge, review and attention to detail.

Key Competencies

  • Analytical Thinking
  • The ability to think clearly, logically and objectively
  • To analyse work-related problems in an effective way
  • To come to conclusions which are balanced, systematic and rational

Building Relationships

  • Recognising key relationships and making conscious effort to build rapport in order to enable smooth running of department or service
  • Establishing positive relations quickly with stakeholders irrelevant of status
  • Demonstrating tact and diplomacy in all professional relationships

Commercial Judgement

  • The ability to handle the business in a commercial and financially-driven way
  • The inclination to maximise revenues, profits and working capital
  • To minimise costs and constantly improve business efficiency

Results Focus and Initiative

  • The drive, determination and commitment to get things done
  • To move things forward, achieve, get results and do things better

Planning and Organising

  • Ability to set achievable goals and deadlines
  • Capacity to multi-task over several on-going projects, and able to define priorities
  • Ability to assess work done against future goal and monitor progress
  • Able to adopt systematic and pro-active approach that will ensure task completion
  • Confidence to recognise and deal with arising problems