Head of Finance – UK

Company Description

UTAC is a market-leading international group in digital & sustainable mobility, customisable testing solutions, customisable testing systems, vehicle engineering, homologation, regulatory advice & expertise, certification, training, corporate events and classic & sportscars festivals.

The Group provides services and systems to customers in the various sectors: mobility, transport, tyre, petrochemical, agriculture and defence industries. UTAC operates test centres and laboratories in France (including the official Euro NCAP facility), the UK, USA, Finland, Morocco, and Germany; it has subsidiaries in China, Korea and Japan. UTAC employs around 1300 people across its various locations.

As a group we share a strong and clear vision to deliver safe and efficient solutions and systems to our customers. We are proud and confident in our heritage, our capabilities and our people and believe that by creating a culture where individuals feel they can make a difference and enjoy coming to work, we can deliver the best possible service to our customers.

Our core values of Expertise, Innovation and Integrity provide a clear daily guide to how we work together safely, as one team, helping each other to succeed.

Our undergraduate placements, lasting 54 weeks, are an exciting opportunity to put your academic knowledge into practice on real-life, commercial projects, providing you with the opportunity to work alongside our world-class engineers and technicians in one of our operational departments.  You’ll also interface with a range of Customers to experience how UTAC’s capabilities helps to solve some of their biggest challenges:

Job Description

Purpose

UTAC is seeking a dynamic and commercially focused Head of Finance to lead its

UK finance operations. Based at our Millbrook site, this role is critical in partnering

with the UK Country Head to drive strategic decision-making, ensure financial

accuracy, and manage key internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate

will combine strong technical accounting expertise with a proactive, business-oriented

mindset. The head of finance will be responsible for the management and development of the

UK Finance Team (team of 6).

Responsibilities

• Business Partnering & Strategic Support.
• Act as a (strategic) advisor to the UK Country Head and senior leadership team.
• Provide financial insights and analysis to support business decisions and growth initiatives.
• Collaborate across departments to align financial goals with operational performance and copilot the delivery of expected results.
• Defining and implementing change in processes across the business to drive efficiency.

Financial Planning & Forecasting

• Support the budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes with a focus on precision and relevance.
• Develop and maintain financial models to support scenario planning and performance tracking.
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of financial results and forecasts.

Accounting & Compliance

• Oversee all UK accounting operations, ensuring compliance with UK GAAP and UTAC group policies.
• Manage month-end and year-end close processes, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Maintain strong internal controls and drive process improvements.
• Ongoing Balance Sheet control and review.
•  In charge of consolidated accounts for Millbrook entities and statutory accounts for UK entities.

Audit & External Relations

• Manage relationships with external auditors and ensure successful audit outcomes.
• Push back constructively when necessary to safeguard UTAC’s financial integrity and interests.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

Systems & Tools

• Utilise Oracle ERP systems to enhance reporting, data accuracy, and financial efficiency.
• Champion automation and digitalisation of finance processes where improvements are appropriate.

Stakeholder Management

• Communicate effectively with internal stakeholders, including group finance, operations, and HR.
• Represent UK finance in global forums and contribute to group-wide initiatives.
• Act in accordance with the behaviours for UTAC staff at all times.

Qualifications

ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified with a strong technical accounting foundation.

Experience

• Experience managing external audits and dealing with auditors.
• Proven experience in a senior finance leadership role, ideally within a mid-sized or multinational organisation.
• Proficiency in Oracle or similar ERP systems.

Skills

• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong understanding of financial planning, analysis, and reporting.

Personal Behaviours

• Demonstrated success in business partnering and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Builds effective working relationships across departments.

Other

• Flexibility to travel as and when required
• Full UK driving licence
• Willing to undergo a Criminal Disclosure check

Additional Information

For you, as a potential UTAC team member, we believe that the international and diverse nature of our business combined with the passion, energy and friendliness of our people create a great place to work. UTAC is proud to be an equal opportunities employer, valuing inclusion and supporting our people to be themselves and at their very best.

By joining us you will gain access to a broad range of learning relevant to your role and personal development, as well as exposure to leading technologies and expertise.

Our reward and benefit programmes are designed to support our people with competitive and locally tailored packages combined with support for individual health and wellbeing both inside and outside of work.

In the UK this includes ;

• Life Cover
• Access to a wide range of discounts and offers via the Perkz reward scheme
• Recognition awards linked to our UTAC values of Expertise, Innovation and Integrity.
• Healthcare cashback plans
• Generous holiday benefits
• Contributory pension schemes
• Attractive family friendly policies; maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, flexible working.
• Access to a variety of employee assistance support services.

Learn more about UTAC and what and how we do what we do at www.utac.com

Candidates for positions at UTAC must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the country the role is based in. Immigration visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Note to Recruitment Agencies :

UTAC do not accept speculative applications from agencies for our open positions and any submissions made will not be accepted and no fees will be accepted or paid in respect of speculative CVs received.