Finance Lead - London

FDM is a global business and technology consultancy seeking a Finance Lead to work for our client within the public sector. This is initially a 6-month contract with the potential to extend and will be a hybrid role based in London.

Our client is seeking a Finance Lead who will take ownership of all financial elements associated with implementing their new global Operating Model across designated Divisions or Business Units. You’ll provide strategic financial guidance, manage performance, and enable effective decision-making through detailed analysis and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the finance workstream across the programme lifecycle, ensuring accurate validation, tracking, and reporting in line with the client’s methodologies and compliance standards
• Deliver robust financial analysis to underpin business cases, investment appraisals, and benefit realisation strategies
• Drive the realisation of financial benefits aligned with the client’s long-term objectives
• Execute hands-on finance activities including budgeting, forecasting, cost modelling, and variance analysis
• Build robust cost models that reflect the impact of new ways of working, organisational changes, and system implementations
• Identify and escalate financial risks and issues with clear mitigation plans to senior stakeholders and governance bodies such as the SteerCo
• Monitor programme budgets, track actuals vs forecasts, and support reforecasting activities as scope evolves
• Champion financial discipline across workstreams, coaching non-finance stakeholders on budgeting and forecasting best practices

Requirements

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience leading finance workstreams within large-scale (£5m+) strategic transformation or technology programmes – ideally within a global or matrix organisation
• A track record of engaging and influencing senior leadership, including C-suite executives
• Exceptional analytical capability with an ability to manage complexity and provide actionable insights
• Strong technical finance knowledge, including budgeting, forecasting, cost modelling, and investment appraisal
• Strong understanding of financial governance, risk management, and internal controls
• Track record of delivering measurable financial benefits and value through transformation initiatives
• Proactive and adaptable approach, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Professional finance qualifications (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA) are desirable, but not essential

Why join us

• Career coaching, mentoring and access to upskilling throughout your entire FDM career
• Assignments with global companies and opportunities to work abroad
• Opportunity to re-skill and up-skill into new areas, develop non-linear career paths and build a skillset within your field
• Annual leave, work-place pension and BAYE share scheme

About FDM

We are a business and technology consultancy and one of the UK's leading employers, recruiting the brightest talent to become the innovators of tomorrow. We have centres across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, and a global workforce of over 3,500 Consultants. FDM has shown exponential growth throughout the years, firmly establishing itself as an award-winning employer and is listed on the FTSE4Good Index.

Diversity and Inclusion

FDM Group is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other status protected by federal, provincial or local laws.