FP&A CoE Manager (Group) at British Council

Role Purpose

• Reporting to the CoE Head of Central Services, the FP&A CoE Manager - Group will be responsible for driving reporting excellence and process efficiency for Group FP&A by delivering standardised reports and ensuring high data quality.
• This role will also be responsible for the initiation of planning, budgeting, and forecasting, providing the first-pass narrative and high-quality foundational analysis required to drive strategic decision-making.
• This role will work in close alignment with Group FP&A and the CoE Central Services team, which includes Network Indirects.
• They will help the British Council by embedding best-practice processes that connect the Centre of Excellence with Business Decision Support (BDS).

Role Accountabilities
Group FP&A Partnership & Delivery:

• Initiate the delivery of core Group FP&A processes, including consolidation support, monthly performance reporting, and budgeting/forecasting cycles.
• Act as the central point for initiating plans and reforecasts, ensuring all data and reports are ready for Group-wide deployment.
• Provide insightful variance analysis and “first-pass” commentary that bridges the gap between raw data and executive decision-making.
• Maintain close relationships and serve as a partner for the Group FP&A team to align on deliverable timelines, expectations, and evolving business requirements.

Data Integrity & Reporting Excellence:

• Create and maintain the suite of standard reports, ensuring they reflect the business needs of the Group FP&A team.
• Execute rigorous data quality checks and error monitoring to ensure completeness and accuracy before data reaches Group stakeholders.
• Partner with the Process Excellence team to drive process standardisation, automation, and simplification, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and consistency across Group and Professional Services CoE activities.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement:

• Use and champion the use of Anaplan to enhance analytical depth and delivery speed to key stakeholders in the organisation.
• Work alongside Anaplan Product Development and Support teams to ensure Group FP&A capabilities are being met by the Anaplan tool and identify improvements based on feedback.
• Identify opportunities to expand CoE scope and deliver additional value to the Group FP&A organisation.

Knowledge & Experience
Education:
Essential:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
• Professional finance qualifications such as ACCA, CIMA, CPA, or equivalent. 
• Training or certification in Agile methodologies (Scrum Master, Product Owner)

Desirable:

• Professional qualifications such as CA, CMA, CPA, or MBA Finance

Experience:
Essential:

• Strong demonstrable experience of operating in international and multi-cultural organisations
• Experience of providing comprehensive finance and business partner support to senior stakeholders
• Commercial finance experience gained in an organisation undergoing change and driving for growth
• Report writing and presentation skills

Desirable:

• Experience working with global finance transformation programmes
• Expertise in financial systems (e.g., SAP, Anaplan, Hyperion)

Important Information:

• Right to Work Requirements: You must have the legal right to work in the location in which the role is based
• Languages: The British Council systems and global processes operate in English. Written and verbal proficiency in English is required.