Job Description

Dyson Farming is a family-owned business, with a vision to benefit future generations through a commitment to commercially viable and environmentally sustainable food production at scale. We strive to be industry leaders in efficient, carbon-neutral, high-technology agriculture, employing highly skilled, pioneering people and supported by research and development in an ever-closer partnership with our sister company, Dyson. We see the future of agriculture as an exciting opportunity to improve the nation's food security, health, and economic growth.


The Head of Business Finance is a senior leadership role, serving as a crucial business partner to the DFL organisation and is a key member of the Finance Leadership Team for DFL. This role will play a key role in steering the successful performance of the business by partnering with internal and external stakeholders along the growth journey, focused on creating value in support of our strategy and goals.

Requirements

Key responsibilities:

Develop Culture of Financial Business Partnering with Business Unit Owners

Lead business finance activities, including developing a high-performing business partnering function. The Business Finance team will act as business partners to key internal stakeholders to help them analyse and understand the performance of the business and, ultimately, make smart decisions that will enable our business to grow while delivering excellent products and services to our customers Foster strong, collaborative relationships with business unit (BU) owners, serving as a trusted financial advisor and strategic partner. Work closely with BUs to understand their financial needs, objectives, and challenges Provide in depth BP capability to the BU owners to drive DFL towards a performance based culture Provide ongoing support and guidance to BUs in the budgeting & forecasting process, ensuring efficient and accurate submission of financial plans. Develop and maintain positive working relationships across the wider business. Deliver BP services in line with Category Approach (prioritised and based on materiality) Lead the monthly BPR meetings with BU owners

Tracking of business goals and translating into day to day performance delivery

Translate business goals into actionable financial plans, driving growth and profitability across the organisation. Consolidate and analyse financial data from BUs, identifying trends, opportunities, and areas for cost optimisation. Lead the Business Finance team to provide detailed financial analysis, including business case analysis, to support decision-making processes across the business, identifying key drivers of revenue, cost, and profitability. Analyse and evaluate unit economics to identify opportunities for cost reduction and revenue enhancement. Work closely with BU owners to enhance profitability and operational efficiency Ownership of KPIs, assuring the data quality and pertinence of metrics used, and using a combination of financial and non-financial data to provide quality insight that can be acted upon.

Support and Challenge Decision Making - Investment and Business Choices

Utilise financial modelling and analysis techniques to assess the financial implications of business unit initiatives. Lead the evaluation of investment proposals submitted by BUs, assessing financial viability, return on investment, and alignment with strategic goals. Work collaboratively with BUs and the FP&A to develop robust financial models and analyses to support investment decisions. Partner with BUs to develop and evaluate investment proposals, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and financial viability

Reporting structure and Approach Development

Responsible for maintaining the integrity of financials and key performance indicators (KPIs). In charge of creating BPR packs each month that include important insights, trends, and next steps, offering insightful information to boost business performance. Aiming to ensure the accuracy of every KPI, and key drivers for each business unit Continuously improve on the BPR packs across all categories as the process is embedded and rolled out to the business Confident to challenge current ways of working across all areas in terms of how financials have been previously reported and viewed, to reposition as a more effective way of reporting and enabling quality conversations on performance focused delivery Develop new and different reports as required to meet business partnering requirements Present detailed financial performance reports to the Leadership team and BU owners, providing recommendations and commentary based on highlighted trends, opportunities, and potential risks.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

Act as a trusted partner to the CFO, senior leadership, and business unit heads, providing financial insights and recommendations. Collaborate with the FP&A and Controlling teams, as well as business unit owners to ensure alignment during the budget and forecasting processes. Collaborate with the FP&A to provide accurate and timely financial forecasts, budgets, and variance analyses to support business unit planning and decision-making. Support non-finance stakeholders in managing their cost budgets, offering guidance to improve financial outcomes as required. Effectively communicate financial information to all levels of the organisation, including BUs, senior management, and the CFO.

Process Improvement & Systems Optimisation

Identify and implement process improvements to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of financial reporting requirements This includes front loading of financial processes which, historically may have been left to the year end - ensuring that plans and processes are in place to deliver those effectively but with the appropriate positive impact on culture and performance delivery Evaluate, implement, and optimise tools and systems to improve financial analytics, reporting, and business intelligence. Recommendations and implementation of process and reporting improvements through automation solutions and standardisation across the business. Stay abreast of industry trends and best practices in financial management, ensuring the implementation of innovative and data-driven approaches.

Team Leadership & Development

Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Business Finance team, fostering a culture of professionalism and continuous improvement Manage and motivate the team by setting and communicating aims, objectives and priorities Hold regular one-to-one meetings to provide feedback to direct reports. Mentor and guide members of the finance team, fostering professional growth and high-quality outputs. Promote a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence within the Finance functio

Person Specification

Technical Skills

Essential

Qualified Accountant - CIMA/ACCA/ACA Degree in Accounting and Finance or related field Experience working with senior leaders and non-finance stakeholders to influence decision-making and optimise financial performance. Demonstrable experience in commercial finance, with a pro growth mindset Significant experience in a commercial finance role for at least 8 years or more Highly skilled in the use of MS Excel & Power Point

Desirable but not essential

Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, NetSuite, Sage Intacct) and financial planning tools (e.g., Adaptive Insights, Anaplan, Planful). Familiarity with data visualisation tools like Power BI or Tableau. Food/Agriculture industry experience

Other skills

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with meticulous attention to detail. Embraces change and enjoys the challenge of working in a fast paced environment Critical ability to be able to cut through complexity and simplify principles & approaches Professionalism and integrity with impact and presence and flexible approach to work Willing to take responsibility and ownership for tasks, able to work as part of a multifunctional team Critical thinking, inquisitive and prepared to challenge the norm. Demonstrates leadership capability and the ability to influence others Excellent communication skills; visual, written and verbal. Proactive, results-driven mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and meeting deadlines. Intellectually curious, creative and critical thinker, focussed on continuous improvement

Benefits

24 days holiday plus bank holidays Life assurance; Pension scheme; Enhanced family friendly policies; Charitable Giving via payroll (Give as You Earn); Cycle to work scheme; Free annual flu jab; Free eye test; Employee Assistant Programme; Access to product discounts; Organised social events; * Free parking.