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 l