Senior FP&A Costs Manager (FTC Mat Cover)

Job Title: Senior FP&A Costs Manager Location: London/Hybrid (Typically 2/3 days in the office) Type: Full time – Fixed Term, 12 months (If you are a job share partnership, work reduced hours, or any other way of working flexibly, please do still get in touch) At Ardonagh Specialty, we provide much more than just a workplace. We are dedicated to fostering skill development and knowledge within a team that is passionate about their work, values their Employees, and truly celebrates diversity. Working at Ardonagh Specialty means you’ll be part of The Ardonagh Group. We are proud of our innovative environment offering many opportunities for growth across the wider group. Employees regularly move between our united teams, and we encourage you to make your role your own. Our offices are lively and exciting places to be, but we understand that life needs flexibility, and offer a genuinely flexible approach to working. If you are looking to join a thriving, energetic business with exciting plans, this role could be an ideal fit for you. What We Can Offer We offer much more than just an inclusive culture with apprenticeships, study support, participation in our annual Spotlight Awards, Community Trust, Sports Teams, office socials, events and so much more. All of this with a supportive management team as well as working alongside some of the industry’s top talent. You’ll have access to wellbeing programs, fantastic discounts across many big-name businesses including supermarkets, gym memberships, restaurants, and healthcare cash plans etc. Further Perks Of Working With Us (Fixed Benefits) • Employer pension contribution of 10% (providing you, the Employee provides 5%). • Good work life balance - flexibility to suit you. • Competitive salary. • Life Assurance at X4 of your base salary. • Group Income Protection. • Generous Annual Leave entitlement. • Private Medical Insurance. • Group annual bonus scheme. Manager Says The Senior FP&A Costs Manager is a strategic and operational finance leader responsible for managing and optimising costs across the organisation. Acting as a key business partner to functional leaders - particularly the COO and CTO - this role provides deep financial insight, drives cost efficiency, and supports investment decisions that enhance equity value in a private equity-backed environment. The role combines high-level stakeholder engagement with hands-on financial rigour, supporting both strategic planning and day-to-day execution Key Role Accountabilities • Business Partnering: Build strong relationships with senior functional leaders (COO, CTO, HR, etc.) to support cost management, investment cases, and strategic decision-making. • FP&A Leadership: Own the budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes for central functions, ensuring accuracy, insight, and alignment with business priorities. • Cost Analysis & Optimisation: Identify and deliver cost-saving opportunities across shared services, challenging spend and driving efficiency. • Investment Case Support: Develop and evaluate business cases for strategic initiatives, ensuring robust financial modelling and alignment with equity value creation. • KPI Development & Tracking: Define and monitor key performance indicators for shared services, linking operational metrics to financial outcomes. • Hands-On Execution: Operate at both strategic and tactical levels—comfortable diving into data, resolving system limitations, and improving reporting processes. • Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate extensively with the CFO, wider Finance team, and senior leadership to ensure financial transparency and accountability. • Process & Systems Improvement: Drive enhancements in financial systems, reporting tools, and data quality to support scalable FP&A processes. Qualifications & Capabilities Education: Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field. Professional qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA) strongly preferred. Experience • Significant experience in FP&A or cost management roles within complex, multi-entity organisations. • Exposure to private equity environments, with a strong understanding of value creation levers. • Proven track record of partnering with senior stakeholders and influencing strategic decisions. Technical Skills • Advanced Excel and financial modelling capabilities. • Experience with ERP and FP&A systems (e.g., Oracle, SAP, Anaplan, Adaptive). • Familiarity with BI tools (e.g., Power BI) and data visualisation. Soft Skills • Strong commercial acumen and strategic thinking. • Excellent communication and stakeholder management. • Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable with ambiguity and change. Person Specification • Strategic & Tactical: Able to operate at a senior level while remaining hands-on and execution-focused. • Commercially Driven: Understands the drivers of equity value and how cost management contributes to business performance. • Analytical & Insightful: Brings clarity to complex data and translates it into actionable insight. • Influential: Builds trust and credibility with senior stakeholders, challenging constructively and driving alignment. • Proactive & Resilient: Takes ownership, drives outcomes, and thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment. Think you don’t meet every requirement? We are dedicated to creating a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can thrive . If you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t perfectly match what we are looking for, please apply anyway. You might just be the right fit for the job, or other opportunities we may have within the wider Group. Interview Process At Ardonagh Specialty, we have a straightforward interview process to ensure the best fit for both you and the company: • Submit your application with your CV, emphasising your skills and experience related to the job. • Our Talent Acquisition team will then arrange a call where they can tell you more about the role and the team. We want to learn about your motivation and goals, what you can bring to Ardonagh Specialty, and answer any immediate questions. • If successful, you will generally be invited to engage in a 1-hour interview with the Hiring Manager and selected team members, via teams or in person. We will discuss our technologies, key skills, and team dynamics and provide further opportunity to ask any questions. This is your chance to voice your thoughts on the role and we will outline our expectations and ensure this role aligns with your ambitions for the future. • Depending on the role, you may be invited to attend a second stage interview with further members of the team. If successful or unsuccessful, we always try and move quickly in presenting an offer or providing feedback. We truly value the diversity of our teams and as a Group, we are committed to supporting and welcoming individuals from all backgrounds, as we appreciate every perspective is a significant part of our success. Should you require any reasonable adjustment throughout the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let a member of the Talent team know. #AS