Finance Unit Lead Full Time NEW

This person can be based in our Bath office on a hybrid working model.

We are looking for a Finance Unit Lead to join our UK+ Finance team on a 12-month fixed-term basis. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role within a well-established and collaborative finance function, supporting our Advisory and Projects Units.

As a Finance Unit Lead, you will sit at the heart of project and commercial decision-making, owning financial performance, driving insight, and partnering with senior stakeholders to deliver value across a diverse and dynamic portfolio.

About The Role

As part of a global, multidisciplinary consultancy, our work spans complex, high-profile projects that shape the built environment and drive sustainable outcomes. The Finance Unit Lead plays a critical role in enabling this impact, working at the intersection of finance, operations and project delivery.

You’ll gain exposure to a diverse portfolio of work, partnering with senior leaders to influence strategic decisions, improve financial performance and ensure our projects are commercially successful. This role offers a unique opportunity to combine technical expertise with real business influence in a collaborative and forward-thinking environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the end-to-end production of management accounts for Advisory and Projects Units.
• Owning project financial reporting, ensuring accurate revenue and cost recognition.
• Producing budgets and quarterly forecasts, supporting forward planning.
• Delivering monthly reporting packs and consolidated results for senior leadership.
• Providing commercial insight, identifying risks and opportunities across the project portfolio.
• Partnering closely with Unit leaders, Project Directors and Project Operations teams.
• Presenting financial analysis and KPIs at leadership meetings.
• Supporting and coordinating a small finance team, fostering collaboration and high performance.
• Driving continuous improvement across financial processes and reporting.
• Ensuring compliance with financial policies and governance standards.

What We Are Looking For:

We are seeking a commercially minded, proactive finance professional who thrives in a fast-paced, project-based environment.

You’ll bring:

• Experience in management accounting, project accounting, or business partnering.
• A track record of supporting senior stakeholders and contributing to decision-making.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• The confidence to challenge and influence outcomes constructively.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Advanced Excel capability and strong financial systems awareness.
• The ability to prioritise and deliver to tight deadlines.

Experience of the following would be advantageous:

• Engineering, consultancy, or construction environments
• Systems such as Agresso or Deltek Vantagepoint

Qualifications:

• Fully qualified (or finalist) CIMA, ACCA or ACA

Why Join Buro Happold?

At Buro Happold, we believe in creating a better, more sustainable world. You’ll be part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and excellence. We offer a supportive environment where your contributions make a real difference

What We Offer You

Bring your knowledge and expertise to one of the world’s most respected consultancies.

• Hybrid working arrangements
• Attractive salary
• Discretionary bonus
• Holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum (exclusive of bank holidays) and flexible holiday arrangements
• Generous company pension scheme, life assurance and income protection
• Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts
• Enhanced parenthood leave policies
• A strong commitment to continuous development. Whatever stage in your career, we have a learning and development programme that will enable and empower you
• Entitlement to two memberships to professional bodies or subscriptions
• A commitment to your wellbeing through a comprehensive employee assistance programme and wellbeing activities
• An opportunity to support your local community and those in society that are most in need, wherever they are located in the world through our Share Our Skills (SOS) programme
• A supportive and inclusive environment that will welcome you through social and outreach activities from the Young Employees Forum to mentoring
• An international culture that wherever your career takes you at Buro Happold, you won’t be far from exceptional.

Apply now and be where exceptional is everywhere.

A place for everyone

Technology is the beating heart of our work and intrinsic to our culture. We innovate. We think smart. We use digital solutions to constantly push forward. Employees choose to join Buro Happold because technology enables them to ‘be their best self’, multiplied but never replaced. This is how we are spearheading the digital transformation of the built environment. We are therefore looking for candidates with a digital mindset who embrace new technologies with ease and enthusiasm.

Buro Happold values an individual’s flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of the way you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.