Global Head of Business Performance (Finance)

Standard Life Aberdeen plc is one of the world’s largest investment companies, created in 2017 from the merger of Standard Life plc and Aberdeen Asset Management PLC. Operating under the brand Aberdeen Standard Investments, it is the largest active manager in the UK and the second largest in Europe. Aberdeen Standard Investments is now a truly global Asset Manager with 46 offices and investment centres in 24 locations.

The newly formed Standard Life Aberdeen plc has a published ambition as follows:

“We are driven to be world class in everything we do, whether it’s looking after our clients’ investments, offering our employees a rewarding career path, or fulfilling our responsibilities to our shareholders.”

Following two back to back Class A transactions the opportunity now exists to review the overall structures and capabilities across the organisation with a view to creating a world-class finance function across the plc – one which reflects this vision statement, and which can help shape the future success of the business.

Under new leadership, and a new finance structure aimed at creating one finance function across Standard Life Aberdeen plc, there is now a requirement to add a Global Head of Business Performance to the business, which is one of three newly created roles.  This will be a senior, strategic and influential role within the business, reporting to the Head of Finance, who in turn reports to the Chief Financial Officer of Standard Life Aberdeen plc.

This role will have global responsibility for business performance across Standard Life Aberdeen.

As a member of the senior finance leadership team you will take responsibility for the delivery of the finance strategy, integration and future development and success of SLA finance.   This role requires significant senior leadership experience and influencing skills to ensure the finance function can help shape the future of the business.

Key Responsibilities:

The role holder will be responsible for influencing the strategic decisions and direction of the organisation through the provision of objective and commercially relevant insight and information.

• Play a key leadership role in the Finance function, contributing to the future direction and key activities of the function.  On a personal level be a role model to demonstrate the key behaviours expected in the function
• As part of the Finance leadership team, lead, direct and motivate a team of finance professionals to ensure clarity of purpose and work towards common goals
• Lead the production of Standard Life Aberdeen’s monthly performance and KPI reporting to the Executive Team and Board
• Develop the monthly MI suite to be continually enhancing focus on key aspects of performance and commercial levers for success
• Play a key role in the preparation of the annual Business Plan and budget, in particular operationalising the outcomes in an appropriate manner to support the objectives and commercial success of the business
• Provide proactive insight, information and analysis for SLA that informs the Board and senior management team on the progress of the business and highlights key issues covering: MI packs, AUM and flow reporting, profitability analysis, benchmarking, industry and competitor analysis, presentations (analyst, investor and management), strategic report and board papers
• Develop existing disciplines of performance review within finance and the wider business, analysing and interpreting financial information, and advising/challenging and supporting on overall business and financial performance
• Build trusted advisor relationships with Boards, functions and regions to further enhance the commercial management of the business
• Work collaboratively with other teams in Finance to share insights and maximise efficiencies and credibility with business customers
• Manage and evolve the business performance team to ensure immediate and future high-quality support for the growth and development of Standard Life Aberdeen
• Use advanced communication skills to highlight implications from financial key performance indicators to focus messaging on enhancements required, and drive changes in behaviour required

For further information, to request a full candidate brochure or a confidential conversation please contact:

Michael Dickson at michael@fwbparkbrown.com

Alternatively, you can contact us by phone on 0131 539 7087

To apply please enquire or send your CV to enquiries@fwbparkbrown.com