Senior Finance Business Partner

About Planet

Planet is a global provider of integrated technology and payments solutions for retail and hospitality customers.

We create great experiences for the millions of people who use our payments, software, and tax-free solutions every minute of every day.

Planet empowers its customers to deliver great customer experiences by combining payments and software in ways that drive greater loyalty, increase revenue and save time.

Founded over 35 years ago and with our headquarters in London, today we have more than 2,500 employees located across six continents serving our customers in more than 120 markets.

Role Overview

This is a critical Finance Director role within Planet's Finance organisation, supporting one or more corporate cost functions. The role will act as a trusted advisor to ELT members and their leadership teams, providing financial insight, challenge, and decision support to optimise operating expenditure, investment spend, and resource allocation.

The successful candidate will help drive financial performance through robust planning, forecasting, business case evaluation, and expense management. They will partner closely with stakeholders to ensure investments deliver measurable business value while maintaining strong financial governance and cost discipline.

This role requires a commercially minded finance professional who can translate complex financial data into actionable insights, influence senior stakeholders, and support strategic decision-making in a fast-paced, technology-led environment.

What you will do

Strategic Business Partnering

- Act as the primary finance partner to designated business functions and ELT stakeholders.
- Provide financial insight, challenge, and support to drive informed decision-making and resource prioritisation.
- Influence senior leaders on investment choices, workforce planning, organisational design, and cost optimisation opportunities.

Financial Planning & Analysis

- Lead the annual budgeting, quarterly forecasting, and long-range planning processes for supported functions.
- Develop accurate financial forecasts and identify risks, opportunities, and mitigation plans.
- Support delivery of financial targets through proactive performance management.

Cost Management & Performance Reporting

- Monitor expenditure across Opex, Capex, headcount, contractors, and strategic initiatives.
- Deliver insightful monthly reporting and variance analysis highlighting key business drivers.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity, and return on investment.

Investment Governance & Business Cases

- Partner with stakeholders to develop, evaluate, and challenge business cases for strategic initiatives, technology investments, transformation programmes, and operational improvements.
- Ensure proposals are financially robust and aligned to business strategy and performance objectives.
- Track post-investment benefits and support accountability for value realisation.

Workforce & Resource Planning

- Partner with functional leaders on headcount planning, hiring decisions, organisational changes, and workforce investment strategies.
- Evaluate resource requirements and ensure alignment with approved budgets and strategic priorities.

Data, Reporting & Automation

- Drive continuous improvement in financial reporting, planning, and forecasting processes.
- Leverage modern FP&A tools, data analytics, and AI-driven solutions to improve efficiency and decision quality.
- Champion self-service reporting and improved access to financial insights across the business.

Governance & Controls

- Ensure adherence to financial policies, approval frameworks, and governance requirements.
- Support month-end, forecasting, and planning activities with a strong focus on accuracy and control.
- Maintain high standards of financial stewardship across supported functions.

Stakeholder Management

- Build strong relationships across the various functions across the business.
- Present financial insights confidently to senior leadership and executive audiences.
- Influence outcomes without direct authority through clear communication and credible financial analysis.

Who you are

Qualifications

- Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Economics, or related discipline.

Experience

- Significant experience in Finance Business Partnering, FP&A, or Commercial Finance roles.
- Proven ability to partner effectively with senior stakeholders and leadership teams.
- Experience developing business cases, investment appraisals, and financial models.

Technical & Analytical Skills

- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- Advanced Excel modelling skills and experience with FP&A and ERP platforms, Workday & Pigment preferred
- Understanding of AI-enabled finance processes and automation opportunities is advantageous.

Business Partnering Skills

- Strong commercial mindset with the ability to balance financial discipline and business growth.
- Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to simplify complex financial concepts for non-financial audiences.
- Demonstrated ability to challenge constructively and drive accountability.

Personal Attributes

- Curious, proactive, and solution-oriented.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on delivering measurable business value.

Why Planet:

Planet is an equal opportunity employer where diversity is valued, and all employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

Come and grow your career in the most exciting, fast paced technology market, with a business that delivers feel-good connected commerce.

We would love to hear from you – Apply now .

At Planet, we embrace a hybrid work model, with three days a week in the office.

Reasonable accommodations may be made in order to allow for an individual to perform the essential functions of this role successfully.