Job Description

Overview
Role: Interim Head of Finance Transformation and Strategic Projects - Fixed Term Appointment
Location: Leamington Spa, UK - hybrid
Role ID: 2025-3103
Our vision is to create a safe and sustainable world.
Ricardo plc is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company. With over 100 years of engineering excellence and employing close to 3,000 employees in more than 20 countries, we provide exceptional levels of expertise in delivering leading-edge and innovative cross-sector sustainable products and solutions. Every day, we enable our customers to solve the most complex and dynamic challenges to help achieve a safe and sustainable world.
The Role
The Head of Finance Transformation & Strategic Projects will lead the modernisation and future development of the finance function, combining strategic vision with hands-on delivery. The role focuses on building a scalable operating model, streamlining systems and processes, and preparing the function for growth and strategic change. Key responsibilities include driving transformation projects, leading readiness activities, and producing robust financial models and projections. The successful candidate will bring strong technical and operational finance expertise, proven experience in complex transformations, advanced financial modelling skills, and the ability to engage stakeholders effectively within a lean team. **This is an interim appointment for an estimated period of 12 months and an immediate requirement**
Key Responsibilities
Finance Strategy and Target Operating Model

• Partner with finance leadership to define the long-term vision for the finance function, aligned with business strategy
• Design and implement a scalable Target Operating Model (TOM) covering structure, processes, systems, policies, and controls
• Develop clear roadmaps and business cases for transformation investments

Finance Transformation Programme Management & Implementation

• Lead finance change initiatives spanning ERP optimisation, reporting, data and analytics strategy, process redesign, and organisational development
• Establish robust governance, tracking, and reporting for change programmes to ensure delivery on time and within budget
• Drive adoption of automation, standardisation, and best practices to improve efficiency and control across the finance organisation

Strategic Projects & Readiness

• Ensure the finance function is prepared for major organisational changes such as business growth and investment, integrations and operating model transitions
• Identify and manage critical dependencies between finance and other functions, and develop readiness plans and reporting frameworks to support seamless change execution
• Lead finance readiness initiatives to ensure the organisation can provide timely and accurate information to relevant parties, identifying and closing gaps in reporting, processes, or data quality
• Build advanced financial models to support scenario planning, growth strategies, and long-term planning
• Develop financial projections and valuation models to support capital allocation, investment decisions, and external presentations
• Work closely with senior stakeholders to create clear, data-driven narratives for internal and external stakeholders

Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, providing clarity on complex change and strategic issues
• Engage and influence stakeholders across finance, operations, IT and executive leadership
• Build capability within the finance team, embedding new skills, processes, and ways of working

Key Competencies and Experience

• Professional qualification, ACA or equivalent, with strong post-qualification experience in senior finance leadership roles
• Proven track record in finance transformation, including TOM design, ERP delivery, and cross-functional programme management
• Hands-on experience in leading and supporting large-scale business changes such as integrations, restructuring or operating model transitions
• Strong understanding of finance operating models, controls, reporting, and ERP systems and finance technologies as a driver of transformation
• M&A experience such as carve-outs, integrations and due diligence
• Well-developed understanding of IFRS and statutory reporting requirements
• Advanced financial modelling experience, including valuations, scenario planning, and investment case development, with the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights
• Experience preparing high-quality external finance materials for senior audiences such as executives, investors, banks and auditors
• Senior finance experience within a manufacturing organisation or engineering company
• International exposure and experience with multi-entity, multi-currency environments
• Demonstrated ability to operate both strategically and hands-on in a lean finance environment
• Experience of working in a plc environment
• Working knowledge and experience of Infor LN

Working here
You will be warmly welcomed into our workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, coming together to create a culture of inclusion. We will support you to find your place.
We will encourage you to use your passion and expertise to make a positive impact through the projects you work on. Your knowledge and desire to bring about change will be invaluable in helping deliver innovative solutions that support communities across the globe in becoming safer and more sustainable.
Work life balance
We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that is working from home, being in the office, or as a hybrid worker. We're happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential.
Benefits
We want you to know how much you are valued. Your remuneration and benefits package will reflect that. You will receive a range of benefits which include support for your physical and mental health.
Our core benefits include 25 days' annual leave, plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance and professional subscriptions reimbursement. We also offer a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle.
Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion statement
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person's potential, and we'll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach as explained here. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can. As part of our commitment to engage positively and pro-actively with all our employees and to ensure an inclusive culture, we are a recognised as a 'disability confident' employer.
Next steps
Once you have submitted your application a member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch. Please be aware that the timing can vary dependent on the volume of applications that we receive for each role and in some cases, we may start to review applications prior to the closing date.
Ricardo is a Disability confident employer please advise the recruitment team via if you require any adjustments to support you throughout the recruitment process.
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Skills Required