Job Description

Please note: As part of our executive search process, all applications and responses will be forwarded to our appointed Search Firm, Global Accounting Network, for review and assessment. Global Accounting Network will support us throughout the selection process.

This is a pivotal leadership role at the heart of SmartestEnergy Business Limited (SEBL), with the opportunity to shape the financial direction, resilience and long-term value of a growing energy business.

As SEBL’s statutory Finance Director and enterprise CFO, you will sit on the SEBL Board and Executive Leadership Team, sharing collective accountability for the company’s strategy, performance and sustainable value creation. You will set the financial strategy and performance architecture that underpin the business, while playing a defining role in major commercial, capital and risk decisions.

Crucially, you will bring the independence, judgement and influence needed to provide trusted assurance to the SEBL Board and Group balancing commercial ambition with financial discipline, resilience and effective governance.

How will I spend my time in this role?

Enterprise leadership, strategy and governance

• Act as SEBL’s statutory Finance Director and a key enterprise leader, sharing accountability with the CEO and Board for strategy, performance, resilience and sustainable value creation.
• Jointly shape SEBL’s three-to-five-year strategy and determine its financial strategy, performance framework and resource-allocation priorities within Group parameters.
• Provide independent Board assurance over financial performance, resilience, reporting integrity and the control environment, including material accounting, valuation and control judgements.

Performance and value creation

• Own the integrated long-term plan, annual budget, forecasts and performance narrative, translating strategy into value, capital, cash and risk outcomes.
• Set the economic framework for customer, product, channel and investment decisions, including lifetime value, cash, risk-adjusted return and capital consumption.
• Advise the Board on regulatory, market, customer and competitive developments through robust scenarios and sensitivities.

Financial control and reporting

• Responsible for SEBL’s financial-control and reporting framework and hold the Financial Controller and process owners accountable for its operation.
• Maintain executive oversight of reporting integrity and control effectiveness while delegating the ledger, close, reconciliations and process controls.
• Assure the quality of Board information and ensure material control failures are contained, remediated and reflected in executive decisions.

Commercial decision accountability

• Jointly own with the relevant executive the outcomes of material pricing, proposition, customer, channel and broker decisions.
• Set the financial, cash, return and risk criteria for material commercial decisions.
• Review business cases and commercial proposals and recommend decisions to the Exco/ Board.

Capital, liquidity and resilience

• Own SEBL’s capital, liquidity, cash and balance-sheet strategy, aligned with Group return expectations / standards.
• Advise the Board on going concern, resilience, downside capacity and severe but plausible scenarios.
• Shape financial risk appetite and ensure growth, credit, commodity and investment decisions remain within it.

Data, technology and transformation

• Determine SEBL’s reporting architecture, including KPIs, management information and data required for Board and executive decisions.
• Establish governance over critical revenue, margin, industry-cost, bad-debt, forecasting and customer-profitability models / valuation inputs.
• Set the Finance technology, data, automation and systems roadmap within the Group platform strategy.

Organisational leadership and capability

• Lead an appropriately layered matrix Finance organisation through senior leaders accountable for Financial Control, FP&A and transactional delivery.
• Act as an enterprise leader beyond Finance, shaping priorities, behaviours and accountability across the SEBL executive team.
• Determine the Finance organisation, senior appointments, succession and capability strategy within Group parameters.

What skills/experience do I need to be successful?

· Successful statutory Finance Director, entity CFO or enterprise Finance leadership experience with material accountability for strategy, performance and governance.

· Track record of leading a complete, multi-layered Finance function through senior leaders.

· Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent recognised international qualification) with substantial post-qualification experience.

· Deep knowledge of UK energy retail economics and business-model drivers, including customer volumes, pricing, commodity costs, industry charges, lifetime value, billing, collections and bad debt.

Strong technical understanding of financial reporting, accounting estimates, controls, audit, statutory governance, capital, liquidity and financial resilience

Please note: As part of our executive search process, all applications and responses will be forwarded to our appointed Search Firm, Global Accounting Network, for review and assessment. Global Accounting Network will support us throughout the selection process.

What sets us apart?

• Global Impact: With offices in the UK, US, Spain and Australia, and plans for further expansion, you'll be part of a dynamic, globally-minded team, with opportunities to explore new markets and make a difference on a global scale.
• Flexible Working: Embrace the freedom to work from anywhere in the world for up to 30 days a year. We prioritize work-life balance, recognizing that your well-being matters. Find out more here.
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: We celebrate our diverse culture and value individuals irrespective of background, disability, religion, gender identity, sexuality, or ethnicity. Join a team where diversity is not just welcomed but celebrated as a key driver of growth and innovation.

What does hybrid working mean to us?

Hybrid working typically means 2 days in the office location listed on this advert and 3 days working at home each week. Some occasional travel to our other offices may be required.

We're committed to making the application process easy and comfortable. Let us know how we can help you with any reasonable adjustments that can be tailored to your needs. At the bottom of each of our adverts you can find one of our recruitment teams' contact details. Please reach out so we can discuss with you further.

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