Unit Finance Manager

Location/s: London, Croydon, Brighton; UK
Recruiter contact: Erinda Hazizi

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. 

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the business unit  The Energy unit delivers services to clients globally across several sectors including hydropower, nuclear, waste, renewable generation and transmission & distribution networks. Together we provide integrated engineering and project management services across the project lifecycle – from concept and design to construction and operations, to decommissioning or repowering and life extension. Together with our clients, we’re helping to deliver the energy transition globally.

Overview of the role

We are seeking an experienced Unit Finance Manager (UFM) to join our Europe, UK, and North Asia (EUNA) region. This is a senior finance leadership role, partnering closely with the Unit General Manager and leadership team to drive strong financial performance, robust governance, and commercially sound decision-making across a complex, multi-jurisdictional portfolio.

The role plays a critical part in shaping strategy, supporting the winning and delivery of work, and ensuring projects are set up and managed to deliver sustainable profitability, strong cashflow, and controlled risk. It offers the opportunity to operate at the heart of the business, influencing outcomes across projects, people, and performance.

Key responsibilities and duties include:

Strategic Leadership & Business Partnering

• Act as a core member of the Unit leadership team, providing trusted financial leadership, insight, and constructive challenge.
• Partner with the Unit General Manager and management team in the development, evaluation, and delivery of Business Plans.
• Translate strategy into clear financial plans, identifying opportunities to improve performance, productivity, and risk management.
• Proactively identify financial risks and opportunities, escalating issues appropriately and supporting informed decision-making.
• Present clear, compelling financial narratives to Executive and Management Boards, including recommendations and actions.

Financial Management, Reporting & Governance

• Lead and interpret monthly management accounts, driving improvements in profitability, utilisation, overhead control, and working capital.
• Prepare, or oversee the preparation of, forecasts, budgets, and Business Plan financial sections, supported by clear performance commentary.
• Maintain a strong financial control environment, including ownership of the annual Controls Matrix.
• Work closely with Territory Managers and local teams to ensure statutory, tax, and regulatory compliance across EUNA entities.
• Collaborate with Group Finance, audit, tax, treasury, legal, and shared service teams to ensure consistent, compliant financial delivery.

Project & Commercial Management

• Provide proactive finance support across the full project lifecycle, from bid through delivery and close-out.
• Play a key role in the WIN process, including:
  • Review and challenge of pricing strategies and commercial assumptions
  • Assessment of contract terms, risk, contingency, inflation, currency, and entity usage
  • Cost modelling, budget profiling, benchmarking, and working capital assessment
• Participate in WIN governance, including yellow and gold reviews, ensuring robust financial input and challenge.
• Review project financial performance, challenging variances, profit erosion, billing issues, and forecast accuracy.
• Support corrective actions, claims for additional fees, and resourcing changes where required.
• Attend or support Monthly Project Control Meetings for major, high-risk, or sensitive projects.
• Lead working capital management, optimising invoicing, collections, cashflow, and remittances.
• Develop and implement appropriate foreign exchange (FOREX) risk mitigation strategies where relevant.

Business Development & Commercial Excellence

• Support the winning of work through innovative, commercially robust pricing and cost-effectiveness strategies.
• Apply financial modelling and scenario analysis to assess options, mitigate risk, and improve commercial outcomes.
• Provide high-quality, timely financial advice to senior stakeholders, project teams, and partners.

Leadership, People & Capability Development

• Lead, manage, and develop the Unit finance team, including project accountants and finance officers, potentially across multiple locations.
• Set clear objectives and KPIs, embedding accountability and a strong performance culture.
• Build strong relationships across the Unit and wider business, promoting collaboration, consistency, and shared best practice.
• Role-model the highest standards of professional integrity, leadership, and ethical behaviour.
• Support continuous professional development (CPD) for self and team members, ensuring capability remains aligned to business needs.
• Identify development and succession needs, working with Learning & Development to build long-term resilience.

Professional Excellence, Quality & Risk

• Ensure finance outputs meet professional standards, Group Directives, and legislative requirements.
• Promote continual improvement, challenging existing ways of working to deliver better outcomes for clients and the business.
• Maintain robust project control systems, including accurate budgeting, forecasting, and revenue recognition.
• Ensure all work is undertaken with appropriate consideration of health, safety, and wellbeing.

Candidate specification

Essential:

• Degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline.
• Professionally qualified accountant (e.g. ACA, CA, ACCA, CIMA ).
• Significant experience in a senior finance or business-partnering role, ideally within a project-based or professional services environment.
• Strong understanding of project finance, commercial risk, and working capital management.
• Proven experience leading and developing finance teams, potentially across multiple geographies.

Skills  & Attributes:

• Strong strategic thinking and analytical capability.
• Confident communicator, able to influence and challenge senior stakeholders.
• High level of commercial awareness and sound judgement.
• Ability to produce clear, concise written reports and presentations.
• Collaborative leadership style, encouraging teamwork, innovation, and knowledge sharing.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and professional excellence.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role within the EUNA region, working at the intersection of strategy, commercial decision-making, and project delivery. You will have the chance to influence outcomes at scale, develop high-performing teams, and contribute to the long-term success of a complex and dynamic business.

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. 

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working  

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion 

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

AI Usage

At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people-first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.

Accessibility

We want you to feel supported and able to perform at your best throughout our recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing with us more accessible, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

 Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
• We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.