Director Finance Operations

The Finance Operations team is a global team which delivers accurate, efficient and well-controlled purchase-to-pay and fund recharge services for Man Group. Its purpose is to ensure that purchases and payments are processed reliably, costs are allocated and recharged appropriately, and the business receives responsive operational support.

The team works closely with business stakeholders, data procurement specialists, and the wider global finance function to combine efficient service delivery with effective financial control.

The role

The Director, Finance Operations will lead purchase-to-pay operations, cost allocation and fund recharge delivery. The role will establish clear accountabilities, maintain strong internal controls and improve scalability, ensuring consistently high standards of accuracy, timeliness and efficiency, e.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who combines operational finance expertise with change leadership and a strong service mindset. The Director will partner with the business to resolve issues and improve processes, leveraging AI and automation capabilities, while working closely with the remainder of the finance team to ensure accurate and timely financial reporting.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Service Delivery

• Review and refine the function’s operating model, priorities, service standards and ways of working, establishing clear responsibilities and escalation routes.
• Lead and develop an international team with diverse operational and technical skills, building a culture of accountability, service and continuous improvement; provide coaching and succession planning for key roles.
• Maintain operational effectiveness and resilience, managing capacity, key risks and performance indicators across purchase-to-pay and fund recharges.
• Contribute to wider finance initiatives and provide operational expertise on cross-functional projects.

Purchase-to-Pay Operations

• Own operational purchase-to-pay delivery, including purchasing workflows, supplier master-data controls, invoice processing, approvals, payment execution and resolution of exceptions.
• Ensure transactions are complete, accurate, appropriately authorised and processed on time, with effective segregation of duties and controls to prevent duplicate, erroneous or unauthorised payments.
• Ensure compliance with applicable payment commitments, including obligations under the Prompt Payment Code, while managing payment timing and working capital effectively within agreed policies.
• Work with the central procurement function and data sourcing teams to identify end-to-end procure-to-pay requirements and implement clear hand-offs from sourcing and contract management to purchasing and payment.

Fund Recharges & Cost Allocation

• Oversee the cost allocation and fund recharge function, ensuring that methodologies, processes and systems remain scalable, transparent and fit for purpose.
• Ensure allocations and recharges are calculated, reviewed, recorded and settled accurately and on time, in line with agreed methodologies, relevant fund documentation and applicable requirements.
• Maintain clear supporting records, reconciliations and audit trails; resolve discrepancies and ensure appropriate review and approval of methodology changes with relevant stakeholders.
• Partner with the business and relevant fund and finance teams to explain charges, resolve queries and ensure consistent application of agreed allocation principles.

Financial Control & Month-End Delivery

• Own and maintain robust controls across operational processes, regularly assessing their design and effectiveness and addressing control gaps promptly.
• Support month-end close and reporting through timely transaction processing, reconciliations, operational accrual inputs and recharge entries, working to agreed finance timetables.
• Work with the wider finance team on cost accruals: provide operational data and ensure agreed entries are processed accurately within the relevant close responsibilities.
• Monitor outstanding items, exceptions and ageing balances; maintain audit-ready documentation and support internal and external assurance activity.

Business Partnership & Process Improvement

• Build effective relationships with business users and suppliers, providing clear guidance on purchasing, invoicing, payment and recharge processes and resolving escalated issues.
• Use KPIs and stakeholder feedback to improve service quality, turnaround times, accuracy and control effectiveness.
• Lead process standardisation, automation and responsible use of AI to reduce manual intervention and improve scalability without weakening financial control.
• Agree priorities and hand-offs with the Commercial Finance team, ensuring procurement decisions and business requirements translate into effective operational delivery.

Technical Competencies

Essential

• Significant experience leading finance operations, including purchase-to-pay delivery, financial controls and month-end support within a complex organisation.
• Strong understanding of cost allocation and recharge processes, with the ability to oversee accurate calculations, reconciliations and supporting records.
• Proven experience leading and developing sizeable teams with diverse skill sets and maintaining high standards of service delivery.
• Sound judgement in balancing risk management, accuracy and compliance with efficiency and working capital considerations.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including the ability to explain operational finance matters and resolve issues constructively.

Desirable

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), or an equivalent relevant professional qualification.
• Asset management or broader financial services experience, particularly direct experience of fund recharges and multi-entity or cross-border cost allocations.
• Experience implementing purchase-to-pay, ERP or workflow systems and applying AI or automation in a controlled finance environment.