Regional Head of Financial Planning and Analysis

Description

Head of Financial Planning and Analysis- India

Purpose of Role

• The organisation is looking for a Head of Financial Planning & Analysis – India, reporting to the Finance Director - India.
• This position is responsible for all aspects of the region's FP&A work including developing financial models and analysis to support strategic initiatives, analyzing financial data and trends, providing consolidated management and business performance reporting for the region.
• The individual will be responsible for the coordination, consolidation, review and challenge of management and business performance reporting, for the schools in the region, to ensure clear understanding of actual performance to targets.

Key Stakeholders

India Managing Director, School Principals, School Finance teams, School Marketing & Admission teams,

Divisional CEO and CFO, Group Head of FP&A.

ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding and Health & Safety issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Budgeting, forecasting & Management Reporting

• Drive and coordinate Annual Budget, medium term and long-term plans for the region and biannually P&L forecasting process for the region, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the underlying assumptions.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the assumptions used to produce the School/Regional budgets and forecasts and track them against actual results to drive an understanding of the financial performance of the schools.
• Ensure school Finance teams provide monthly accurate management reporting and KPI information is submitted in accordance with internal deadlines.
• Produce a robust monthly management reporting pack, with insightful analysis and interpretation of variances, against budget expectations.
• Conduct investigation and business analysis to ensure a full understanding of key underlying drivers of performance.
• Provide support to identify and evaluate actions to mitigate deviations from targets.
• Conduct monthly calls with school, regional and group management on performance, to drive accountability and understanding of performance across the organisation.
• Manage and report monthly KPI data for enrolment and headcount.
• Work with regional functional heads to ensure that data used to track and monitor performance is robust, accurate and able to be produced on a timely basis

Commercial Support

• Develop a business partnering approach, providing guidance and analysis to the school and regional management, to support the growth of the region.
• Conduct review meetings or calls with the school and regional management to drive financial understanding and accountability of business performance.
• Provide analysis and support to evaluate strategic, tactical and operational initiatives, to drive sound business decisions.
• Support the schools and region in putting together annual pricing exercises, collating data and preparing submissions for discussion and review with senior management.
• Assist in the completion of Capex investment papers, providing financial and analytical input.
• Conduct regular review of actual expenditure for capital projects versus approved budget spend and highlight deviations.
• Evaluate business and financial risks and opportunities and report any possible impact to the delivery of targets.
• Provide analysis on the business profitability namely by department and activity and identify areas for improvement.

Systems

• Assist in the adoption of the ISP core accounting platform, NetSuite and its management reporting tool PBCS, to facilitate efficient and consistent production of timely management information.
• Provide feedback, suggestions and input from the region, to help develop the systems and facilitate efficient and consistent reporting across the region.

Onboarding

• Work closely with the ISP Group Finance Team to ensure that acquired schools are integrated into ISP processes and ISP reporting in a timely manner.

Team Leadership

• A key finance representative for ISP in the region
• Manage the network of School Finance Managers and support financial planning processes. Help organize common processes and guide a team to perform according to deadlines.
• Develop a partnering approach to the school team, providing guidance, training and support, to drive understanding and accountability for target delivery.
• Ensure that financial planning and analysis capability in the region and schools is continually improved.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

• Qualified CA / MBA Finance from A grade business schools with demonstrable experience years) in financial planning and analysis and business partnering in a commercial environment.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Comfortable in giving direction and influencing others in the achievement of objectives.
• Strong understanding of financial planning and analysis best practice for a multi-location, dispersed organisation.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships at senior levels of the organisation and influence key stakeholders.
• Strong people skills and emotional intelligence

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years' employment history.

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.