Finance Director

Make a Home at Taylor Wimpey

At Taylor Wimpey, we don’t just build houses; we build futures. Not just for the people who live in our homes, but for our own people too. When we bring our collective skills together, we make amazing things happen - for ourselves, for each other and for our customers. There are incredible opportunities on your doorstep, and we want you to discover them all. 

With 22 regional offices across the UK and operations in Spain, we bring our vision to life locally. Here, you’ll be given the tools to develop your skills and the freedom to explore new avenues. Share your ideas, experience a no-blame culture, and shape your work around your life.

Every single one of us plays a vital role in bringing to life incredible places and spaces, where anyone can thrive. We believe in making a positive difference to our planet, as well as to people. 

Home to work that matters, and you can be a part of it.

Job summary/Purpose

The Finance Director for Supply Chain is a new role, providing additional leadership, guidance and strategic direction across the 3 business areas of Group Procurement, TW Logistics (supply chain business providing build-packs for regional Business Units) and TW Manufacturing (timber frame manufacturing facility). The Finance Director will be a key member of the Supply Chain leadership team acting in a business-wide role to work alongside the Supply Chain Director (SCD) to drive business performance and achieve financial objectives. The Finance Director will have a deep level of operational knowledge, and a practical continuous improvement skill set, utilising industry best practice tools and techniques learned in relevant industries to enable critical review and challenge of key decisions and information across all functional disciplines within the 3 business areas.

The role leads the finance function and financial capability for the 3 business areas (Procurement, Logistics and Manufacturing), providing business and performance insight and challenge. The Finance Director is a steward for the business with an eye to promoting governance and provides a business and financial control ethos. However, importantly, the Finance Director is a catalyst for accelerating value optimisation on behalf of the shareholders, through proactive leadership in cost management and driving enhancements in profitability and return on capital.

The Finance Director reports to the Supply Chain Director, with a dotted reporting line to the TW Group Financial Controller. The role will act alongside Finance Directors in our 22 operating Business Units to optimise the results in both the 3 business areas under their responsibility, as well as driving efficiency and value improvement for the operating Business Units across the TW Group. The Finance Director will work with the TW Group Financial Controller, communicating regularly, and providing accurate and timely information for use by Group Finance. 

Primary Responsibilities

The Finance Director role covers four broad elements:

Catalysing optimal business performance

• Provide analysis, insight, challenge and direction on business and operational decisions, working closely alongside fellow members of the Senior Management team. Provide financial oversight and final recommendations that consider all key business aspects, to the SCD and Business Directors
• Lead the business planning process. Review and challenge operational assumptions with the Business Directors before critical decisions are taken, and for inclusion in plans and forecasts. Provide accurate and insightful financial information to support the creation and articulation of business plans.
• Work with fellow Finance Directors in the Business Units to optimise value across Procurement, Logistics and Manufacturing delivering in line with budget and forecast commitments whilst maintaining the Group’s customer centric ethos.
• Drive value improvement, partnering with the three business directors through a continuous improvement mindset.

A business strategist

• Together with the SCD and the Business Directors, lead the development and deployment of the strategy for the 3 business areas, in conjunction with the wider Senior Management team, providing rigorous financial analysis and insight to drive operational decision-making.

A financial steward

• Work to protect the assets of the business, ensure compliance with financial regulation and ensure appropriate care and diligence is taken in the corporate governance of the 3 business areas.
• Provide critical oversight of the core finance outputs and processes operated by the Finance Manager and team.
• Provide an overview to ensure robust financial processes and controls are consistently maintained.
• Work with the Business Directors to actively identify business risks, driving possible mitigating solutions well in advance of potential risks crystallising and identify cost saving and operational efficiencies.

An expert finance operator

• Create a team of suitably qualified and experienced finance staff and develop both technical and soft skills in the team.
• Drive the attraction and retention of key talent within the Finance function through a positive and engaging approach.

Business Leadership Responsibilities

• Partnering the SCD and Business Director’s on all aspects of the three separate elements of the business (Procurement, TWL & TWM).
• Provide guidance and leadership on key financial and operational decisions, having considered options and cash flows, timescales, tax and accounting implications, as well as technical, commercial and sales aspects.
• A strong cross functional collaborator working equally well both within the 3 business areas as well as across the 22 TW Business Units
• Support the Procurement Director in the delivery of the Supply Chain ESG Strategy and plan

Key accountabilities and responsibilities

• Drive discussion at the Senior Management team, by presenting analysis, insight and interpretation of performance against business plan. Draw out the operational deliverables needed to allow the business areas to meet targets and optimise value, with a key focus on cost management, profitability analysis and market competitiveness.
• Specify both business performance and financial measures, aimed at monitoring the drivers of performance. Interpret data and identify trends, making recommendations that aim to deliver an improved result. Lead frequent Senior Management discussions, incorporating recommendations for action to be taken.
• Lead a rigorous discussion with the Senior Managers on operational and strategic risks and opportunities facing the business areas.
• Lead the forecasting process for the business areas including the SIOP process (Sales, Inventory & Operational Planning), through continuous engagement with the Senior Management team. Review the operational assumptions, ensuring decisions drive optimal business value and are realistic.
• Ad hoc analysis to support future performance, such as analysis of supply and demand in the timber frame factory, build pack optimisation and pricing, optimal stockholding to balance profitability against returns, the cost and benefit of innovative technologies, etc.
• Provide oversight to ensure the timely and accurate reporting of monthly management information, budgets and forecasts, tax submissions and annual statutory accounts (as required), which are prepared by the Finance Manager.
• Review cash forecasts before submission to the Group Treasury function, for accuracy and best use of the Group’s cash
• resources.
• Ensure accounting is in line with the Group accounting policies outlined in the finance manual. Maintain the financial control procedures outlined by the Operating Framework and Finance Manual and manage the Controls Self-Assessment certification.
• Proactively promotes awareness of corporate governance and directors’ responsibilities.

Other

• Functional line manager for the Finance Managers, supporting their development, learning and advancement.
• Responsible for actively promoting HR policies, standards and procedures. Provide support through the use of technology (including the use of CoPilot and Power BI) 
• Maintain IT security standards and adherence to the Group’s Computer Guidelines.
• Liaise with IT director regarding business IT requirements.

Experience, Qualifications, Technical Requirements

• Qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA 
• Considerable post-qualified experience gained from both business finance/performance roles and accounting & financial control roles. 
• Experience must include: Financial accounting and leading month end close, building or operating in a control framework, evidence of responding to and working with external auditors, providing analysis, forecasting and planning, supporting and challenging businesses to make optimal operational and performance decisions. High proficiency in excel and data analysis, as well as presenting information in a clear and concise way, both verbal and written.
• Preferred experience: Experience of working in a financial leadership role in supply chain and/or manufacturing (in housebuilding or other industry) is preferred, including an understanding of relevant software systems (ERP & WMS systems) as well as best practice Procurement strategies.
• Experience may include: Business risk management, external audit, systems implementations. 
• Experience of successfully leading and developing a team 

What we offer at Taylor Wimpey

At Taylor Wimpey, we are committed to enabling you to make a home with us. Our work is not just about building homes; it's about doing work that matters, making a positive impact on the lives of our customers and the communities we serve.

We enjoy many benefits as standard, including excellent retail discounts, company funded life insurance and private healthcare, and access to a quality pension scheme with company contributions.  We also offer our discounted house purchase scheme, car leasing scheme and share plans, as well as the opportunity to tailor your benefit package to suit your needs with options such as buying extra annual leave or adding dependants to your benefit cover.  Our total reward offer works perfectly with our culture, we are a welcoming community where everyone can feel at home.    

We create a home to your future by providing opportunities for growth and development. We offer industry leading professional training and development, which supports you to unlock your potential and fulfil your career and personal goals in a variety of opportunities and environments. We look to develop our people in the skills and areas they are most interested in, leveraging your qualities and appreciating your unique competencies, skills and expertise that, when we come together, make this a great place to work.

If you want to do work that matters and build a career that lasts, make a home at Taylor Wimpey. 

Inclusivity Statement

As a proud Disability Confident Employer, Taylor Wimpey is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. We actively collaborate with individuals who have disabilities and long-term health conditions which have an effect on their ability to do normal daily activities, ensuring that barriers are eliminated when it comes to employment opportunities. In line with our commitment, we guarantee an interview to applicants who declare to us during the application process that they have a disability and meet the minimum requirements for the role. Join us in building a truly diverse and empowered team.

Internal Applicants:

Please inform your line manager if you wish to apply for this role.