Finance Business Planning Manager

Role: Finance Business Planning Manager

Location: Coventry (office-based at least 3 days per week)
Pay Rate: £690–£780 per day (inside IR35)
Duration: up to 6 months initially

Morson are recruiting for a Finance Business Planning Manager to join the Financial Performance team of a leading regulated organisation.

This is a key role connecting financial, operational and regulatory planning across short, medium and long-term planning cycles. You will provide analysis and insight to support AMP8 delivery, identify risks and opportunities, and help shape the organisation’s longer-term strategy and PR29/AMP9 plans.

Working closely with Finance, Operations, Asset Planning, Strategy and Regulation, you will provide clear financial and regulatory insight to support investment decisions, efficiency improvements and long-term value.

Key Accountabilities of the Finance Business Planning Manager

• Lead the integration of financial, operational and regulatory plans across annual budgeting, forecasting and longer-term business planning.
• Assess actual and forecast performance against the AMP8 business plan, identifying risks, opportunities and dependencies.
• Develop financial and regulatory scenarios to support strategic decisions, investment prioritisation and uncertainty management.
• Coordinate key planning assumptions and modelling inputs across Finance, Operations, Asset Planning, Strategy and Regulation.
• Support the development of the PR29 business plan and AMP9 strategy, including financial modelling, benchmarking and evidence development.
• Assess affordability, finance ability and deliverability of proposed plans and investments.
• Provide clear, evidence-based recommendations and constructive challenge to senior stakeholders.
• Support regulatory submissions, enhancement cases and strategic investment decisions.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and performance, ensuring benefits are measurable and reflected in plans and forecasts.
• Maintain strong governance, controls, assumptions and audit trails across business planning models.
• Provide analysis to support monthly performance reporting and other key business decisions.
• Build effective relationships across Finance, Operations, Strategy, Regulation and Asset Planning.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience leading or coordinating complex business planning within a large or regulated organisation.
• Strong understanding of the water-sector regulatory environment, including price review delivery and regulatory periods.
• Experience of integrated financial, operational and regulatory planning.
• Strong financial modelling, scenario analysis and analytical skills.
• Ability to work with complex data and maintain robust assumptions, controls and data quality.
• Experience supporting strategic decision-making through clear analysis and recommendations.
• Strong commercial judgement, balancing financial, operational, customer and regulatory considerations.
• Experience working within structured planning, governance and assurance processes.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and build relationships across different functions.
• Confident challenging assumptions and providing constructive challenge.
• Relevant accounting, finance, economics or analytical qualification is desirable.

Key Skills

• Business planning
• Financial modelling
• Scenario analysis
• Regulatory planning
• AMP8 / PR29 / AMP9
• Financial performance
• Strategic analysis
• Commercial judgement
• Stakeholder management
• Governance and assurance
• Data analysis
• Senior-level influencing

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Business Planning Manager or senior finance/planning professional to take a strategic role within a major regulated organisation, with significant exposure to senior leadership and the development of future business and regulatory plans.

To be considered for this fantastic opportunity, APPLY NOW, making sure to attach your up-to-date CV.

*Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an initial telephone interview. If selected from the shortlist, a formal interview process will then begin.