Head of FP&A
Location: Hurn
Hours: Full-time 37 hours | Permanent
Draken believes in fair reward and recognition for our employees. As such, we offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including up to 12% matching pension contributions, bonus incentives, discounted PMI, electric car scheme, tech vouchers, wellbeing programmes and much more.
The Role
We’re looking for a Head of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) to join Draken at a pivotal stage of growth. This is a senior leadership role, responsible for managing a team of 6 Finance Business Partners and 1 FP&A Analyst and driving robust financial planning to support strategic decision-making across the organisation.
Acting as a trusted partner to the Programmes team and senior leadership, you’ll provide insightful, forward-looking financial analysis across complex, long-term contracts. This role plays a key part in shaping commercial decisions, assessing risk, and ensuring strong financial performance.
You’ll also support the VP Finance in enhancing forecasting processes and building a high-performing FP&A function, with clear succession planning and capability development.
Key Responsibilities
Commercial Finance & Business Partnering
- Act as a trusted finance partner to senior operational leaders across Draken
- Provide financial insight and challenge on contract performance, changes, and negotiations
- Clearly communicate financial risks, opportunities and sensitivities to leadership
FP&A, Modelling & Forecasting
- Lead budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning processes
- Develop and maintain complex financial models (covering contracts, cash flow, profitability and scenario analysis)
- Ensure forecasts reflect key drivers such as contract structures, milestones, inflation and performance obligations
- Translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insight
Long-Term Contract Accounting
- Provide oversight of long-term defence contracts, ensuring appropriate revenue recognition and margin management (e.g. IFRS 15)
- Align commercial forecasts with financial reporting and statutory results
- Monitor contract performance, identifying emerging risks and recommending corrective actions
Leadership & Continuous Improvement
- Lead and develop a team of Finance Business Partners and FP&A analysts
- Coach and mentor team members, building strong commercial finance capability
- Strengthen governance across financial models and forecasting processes
- Drive continuous improvement in tools, reporting and processes
- Act as a key member of the finance leadership team and deputise for the VP Finance where required
Experience / skills / qualifications
Essential
- Proven experience within the defence sector
- Strong background in long-term contract accounting (including revenue recognition, margin and cash flow)
- Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with a minimum of 5 years' post-qualification experience
- Extensive experience in financial modelling (advanced Excel skills)
- Experience leading and developing high-performing teams
- Strong commercial judgement with the confidence to challenge senior stakeholders
- Excellent communication skills – able to simplify complex financial concepts
Desirable
- Experience supporting bid and pricing activities
- Background in aerospace or long-term contract environments
- Experience in investor-backed or private equity organisations
- Exposure to multi-entity or international operations
About You
- Commercially focused with strong analytical skills
- Able to balance detail with strategic thinking
- Comfortable operating in a senior, high-accountability role
- Pragmatic, resilient and solutions-oriented
- A collaborative leader who invests in developing others
Why Join Draken?
- Play a key role in shaping financial strategy within a growing, complex organisation
- Work closely with senior leadership on high-impact decisions
- Lead and develop a high-performing FP&A function
- Be part of a dynamic, mission-driven business in the defence and aerospace sector
Our employee values
Draken is committed to eliminating unlawful and unfair discrimination and we celebrate the differences that a diverse workforce brings. A range of perspective and talent supports our values and drives our success, with a mix of voices generating better discussions, business decisions and outcomes for all.
At all our sites internationally, every member of the Draken team is accountable to ensure that we are all treated fairly and with respect.
We are also an Armed Forces friendly organisation, and as part of our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, welcome applications from veterans and services spouses and partners who met the criteria in our job specifications.
In line with our Disability Confident Commitments, we provide reasonable adjustments to facilitate our interview process, please liaise with us if any reasonable adjustments are required.
