FP&A Manager, Southwest, London, Wellness & Leisure, £100,000

Company Overview:

We are working with a wellness and fitness club that offers a holistic approach to health, wellness, and leisure. With a focus on providing an exceptional member experience, our client blends fitness, health, and relaxation in a luxurious setting.

Position Overview:
The FP&A Manager will play a pivotal role in transforming the FP&A function into a well-oiled, value-adding machine. This position is perfect for a self-starter who thrives on taking initiative, making decisions, and delivering results with minimal supervision. Reporting to the CFO, with a dotted line to the COO, the FP&A Manager will oversee financial planning and analysis, lead strategic projects, and ensure the company is equipped with the insights needed to drive growth and profitability.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Financial Planning & Reporting

• Build and maintain a groupwide 5-year financial plan and KPIs, including monthly updates for actuals, balance sheet, and cash flow.
• Provide accurate and timely short- and long-term forecasts to support business-critical decision-making.
• Lead the preparation, analysis, and management of the company's annual budget and periodic forecasts, including the Head Office budget.
• Perform "what-if" scenario analysis and drive EBITDA growth through strategic initiatives.
• Build and maintain an investor memorandum presentation for use with external stakeholders.

Operational Leadership

• Play a key role in building out the FP&A department into an efficient, value-adding function.
• Partner with department heads and senior leadership to ensure financial strategies align with company objectives and operational efficiencies.
• Manage all payroll-related activities for Head Office staff, liaising with payroll agencies, insurance providers, and pension partners.
• Co-ordinate the annual budgeting process, ensuring alignment across departments.

Systems & Process Integration

• Scope, select, and implement a forecasting tool (e.g., Vena, Datarails, or in-house) to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of forecasting and scenario analysis.
• Lead the integration of new club acquisitions, aligning systems, processes, and financial reporting frameworks.
• Oversee all Unit4 Financials system updates, including CODA to Cloud migration, and manage communication with third-party service providers.
• Act as the primary contact for technical and end-user financial system queries, ensuring seamless functionality and resolution of issues.

Project Leadership

• Build the financial presentation pack to support the refinancing A&E proposal, including financial models, bridges, and commentary in collaboration with the CFO.
• Actively contribute to the IT/Finance Steering Committee, leading financial inputs for system upgrades and long-term technology strategies.
• Lead the modelling for new club acquisitions and project/capex selection, ensuring strategic alignment and ROI analysis.

Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a small finance team, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Required Skills & Experience:

• A professional qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent.
• First-hand experience in building FP&A function from scratch.
• At least 4-5 years of experience in FP&A or related finance roles, preferably in the wellness, leisure, or hospitality sector.
• Strong financial modelling, budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis proficiency.
• Advanced Excel skills, and experience with Power BI and other financial reporting tools.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to translate financial data into actionable insights for non-financial stakeholders.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and able to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.