Financial Operations Manager

Manager – Financial Operations Management Level F EQ Retirement Solutions is transforming the retirement and pensions markets with leading administration and technology solutions. With over 1200 employees globally, 189 years of knowledge and 11 million pension scheme members and policyholders, we are here to help people plan for a confident financial future by delivering innovative, reliable and customer-focused retirement services. Our teams are driven by a shared commitment to excellence, collaboration and making a real impact to the lives of our clients and customers. Role Overview Manager – Financial Operations The Manager, Financial Operations is responsible for the effective delivery, governance, and continuous improvement of all finance activities processed through the organisation's Workday/ERP platform. The role acts as the global process owner for Procure-to-Pay (PTP), Record-to-Report (RTR), Fixed Assets, and direct oversight of UK Payroll processes, ensuring accurate transaction processing, timely financial reporting, strong controls, and optimal use of Workday/ERP capabilities. The successful candidate will be a strong people leader with the ability to develop high-performing teams, build organisational capability, and drive a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and customer focus. Core Duties/Responsibilities The successful candidate will be responsible for the following: Operational Leadership & Process Ownership Lead the delivery of finance operations across Procure-to-Pay (PTP), Record-to-Report (RTR), Fixed Assets, and Payroll processes. Own operational performance, ensuring delivery against SLAs, KPIs, quality standards, and customer expectations. Ensure standardised, efficient, and well-controlled end-to-end finance processes. Serve as the primary escalation point for operational issues and process exceptions. People Management Lead, develop, and motivate a high-performing Finance Operations team. Provide coaching, mentoring, and career development opportunities to enhance capability and engagement. Drive talent management, succession planning, and skills development to ensure long-term organisational resilience. Accounts Payable Operations Oversee invoice processing, payment execution, employee expenses, and supplier account management. Ensure timely supplier payments and effective resolution of payment-related issues. Maintain strong AP controls, compliance, and governance standards. Act as the functional owner for Workday Accounts Payable processes and enhancements. Record-to-Report Operations Ensure timely and accurate journal processing and financial accounting activities. Oversee fixed asset accounting, capitalisation, depreciation, and asset lifecycle management. Manage balance sheet reconciliations, bank reconciliations, and prepayment accounting. Support statutory, audit, and compliance requirements. Drive continuous improvements across RTR processes to improve efficiency, control, and reporting quality. Procurement Operations Manage Purchase Order (PO) support processes. Oversee supplier onboarding activities and vendor master governance. Support procurement compliance and policy adherence. Partner with stakeholders to drive efficient purchasing processes. Support supplier negotiations and process optimisation initiatives. Payroll Operations (UK) Oversee UK payroll processing, validation, reconciliations, and payroll accounting activities. Ensure payroll operations are delivered accurately, compliantly, and on time. Review payroll journals, controls, and exception management processes. Ensure timely resolution of payroll queries and exceptions. Partner with HR and external providers to maintain a high-quality payroll service. Workday/ERP Governance & Optimisation Act as the Finance SME for Workday/ERP processes and functionality. Drive maximum utilisation of system capabilities through automation and process standardisation. Partner with Technology and Business teams on system enhancements and process changes. Performance Management & Reporting Develop and maintain KPI dashboards and operational reporting. Monitor productivity, service levels, quality, and control metrics. Analyse performance trends and recommend corrective actions. Provide regular management information to Finance leadership. Continuous Improvement Lead process improvement and automation initiatives. Simplify workflows to improve efficiency, accuracy, and customer experience. Drive a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement. Support Finance transformation and change initiatives. Skills, Knowledge & Experience The successful candidate will demonstrate the following experience skills and behaviours: EXPERIENCE: Strong experience across Finance Operations, Shared Services, or Financial Accounting environments. End-to-end knowledge of Procure-to-Pay, Record-to-Report, Fixed Assets, and UK Payroll processes. Experience of operating and optimising ERP platforms, preferably Workday. Strong understanding of Month-End and year-end financial close processes. Experience delivering operational excellence, automation, and process transformation initiatives. Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across multiple functions and levels. Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities. Ability to lead change and deliver results in a fast-paced environment. EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS: MBA (Finance) or Postgraduate qualification in Finance, Accounting, or Business Management or CA \ CMA inter or equivalent Professional accounting qualification (CA, CMA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA) or equivalent SKILLS: Fluent English: written and spoken. Proven Leadership abilities and team working Excellent organizational, communication and planning skills Professional, credible individual with an ability to influence peers, superiors and subordinates Adaptable with an ability to change direction and priorities if required Achievement orientation: Driven by goals and deadlines Ability to work well with people across the organisation. Ability to understand the detail behind processes. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. Please note any offer of employment is subject to satisfactory pre-employment screening checks. Experience Level Mid Level