Head of Commercial Finance

• Hybrid working - our approach is to be in the office a minimum of 2 days per week. 
• Location: London (or Melbourn, UK with commutable access to London). Global remit
• Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

Role Overview

As Director of Commercial Finance, you will lead PA Consulting’s global Commercial Finance function and act as a strategic partner to the C-suite and senior leadership teams. This is a high-impact role responsible for shaping commercial strategy, driving revenue and profitability, and ensuring compliance with global commercial and financial requirements. You will serve as a formal delegate for the CFO on critical finance responsibilities and play a pivotal role in enabling PA’s continued growth.

You will have direct accountability for the Commercial Finance Manager, Project Administrator and Credit Control teams (c55 heads in total) and their remit, ensuring they deliver real-time financial insight, strategic guidance, and commercial support to PA’s Consulting business. This includes oversight of financial planning, reporting, risk management, and commercial governance across the full lifecycle of service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Business Partnering
  • Partner with the Exec-team and Go-To-Market Leadership teams to influence strategic decisions across diverse consulting markets.
  • Drive commercial strategy, pricing, and bid support for complex, high-value engagements.
  • Provide leadership and direction to Commercial Finance Managers, ensuring alignment with corporate priorities and operational goals.
• Financial Operations & Transformation
  • Lead a global finance team (c. 55 FTEs) across multiple geographies, ensuring operational excellence and scalability.
  • Own and optimise financial models (Bid Model and Strategic Pricing Model) to support project performance and cash flow management.
  • Oversee delivery of weekly, monthly, and quarterly performance reporting, variance analysis, and actionable insights.
  • Ensure robust forecasting and sensitivity modelling across business units.
• Compliance & Governance
  • Ensure full compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and open-book accounting requirements.
  • Oversee contract audits, rate negotiations, and compliance submissions for key clients.
  • Maintain and evolve assignment and business policy manuals e.g. PAAAS and PABM maintaining as interactive digital platforms.
  • Drive audit readiness and external audit coordination, ensuring IFRS compliance and SOX controls integrity.
• Risk Management & High-Risk Engagements
  • Serve on the High-Risk Assignment Steering Committee, mitigating financial and operational risks.
  • Provide rapid intervention and remediation plans for underperforming engagements.
  • Oversee Commercial Finance Managers’ risk management activities, including open-book reporting and high-risk assignment reviews.
• Leadership & Development
  • Coach and mentor senior finance leaders and partners globally.
  • Deliver training to enhance commercial acumen and profitability awareness across the Partner team.
  • Build capability within the Commercial Finance Manager population through workshops, coaching, and structured development plans.