Finance Analyst

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - GBP 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering company in the UK is seeking a skilled Finance Analyst to join their hybrid team. The role includes monitoring financial expenditure for new product innovations and providing analytics support for strategic business development. Ideal candidates will possess relevant financial qualifications, demonstrated experience in a manufacturing context, and strong analytical skills. Benefits include a competitive salary, flexible working arrangements, and a supportive corporate culture focused on inclusion and sustainability.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Flexible working arrangements

Generous holiday allowance

Paid volunteering leave

Support through Group Inclusion Plan

Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing environments reporting on P&L and balance sheets.
• Experience with projects involving multiple experts.
• Ability to plan and organize tasks efficiently under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and record Group NPI expenditure accurately.
• Support factory financial controllers with NPI activity.
• Complete monthly financial close activities.

Skills

Financial qualification

Analytical problem-solving

Proficient in MS Office

Effective communicator

Education

Relevant professional financial qualification

Tools

Power BI

ERP systems

Job description

Job Title: Finance Analyst
Location: Watson Marlow - Cardrew Industrial Estate
Location Type: Hybrid
Website: https://www.wmfts.com/en/
Group: https://www.spiraxgroup.com/

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions is part of SpiraxGroup, a FTSE100 and FTSE4Good multi‑national industrial engineering Group with expertise in the control and management of steam, electric thermalsolutions, peristaltic pumping and associated fluid technologies. When you join us, you will be integrated into a cooperative and encouraging team, participate in challenging yet critical work, and experience ongoing growth opportunities to help you achieve your full potential. Visit our website to learn more.

Job Summary

We are seeking a talented and motivated Finance Analyst to join our dynamic team. The SBD Finance Analyst is responsible for supporting the WMFTS Strategic Business Development team and constructively challenging their use of resources across functions including New Product Innovation (NPI), Marketing and the Customer & Markets Division. The role covers operating expenditure, capital investment and development projects, as well as ad‑hoc integration activities. A logical and thorough approach to all tasks is essential to ensure data accuracy, supported by strong organisational skills and a willingness to engage with stakeholders across the wider business. The role requires a problem solving mindset, commitment to continuous improvement, and a desire to adopt new and more efficient ways of working.

Key Responsibilities

Supporting New Product Innovation

• Ensure that the annual Group NPI expenditure (>£6m) is monitored and recorded accurately on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
• Support and challenge FCs in factories where they account for their own NPI activity, to understand individual cost drivers and variances, and ensure clear accountability.
• Prepare the management accounts and supporting files for our largest NPI site.
• Provide support and guidance with project queries.
• Complete quarterly reviews of projects to validate capex carrying value and forecast impact on amortisation and depreciation during budgeting processes.
• Prepare support information for taxes such as annual R&D claims.
• Review current accounting procedures for the projects and drive process changes for efficiency.
• Support in the development of NPI process control and ensure the completeness of standard operating procedure (SOP) documents. Where efficiencies have been made, update and maintain these documents.
• Work with the SBD Finance Partner to develop SOPs for all NPI operating sites, ensuring consistency and best practice across the group.

Supporting Strategic Business Development

• Work with departmental managers to control and coordinate the annual budgeting process and quarterly LE process for all SBD expense budgets (c£5.5m) including WM Architect, Regulation & Validation, Customer & Markets Division and Digital.
• Complete monthly financial close activities including submission of Watson Marlow Ltd SBD management accounts while overseeing the submission of SBD group returns.
• Manage pre‑payments and accruals for WMFTS SBD.
• Ensure key financial reporting, forecasts and budget deadlines are met to the highest level of accuracy and reliability, with supporting analysis and commentary where appropriate.
• Interrogate data to understand monthly/quarterly variances and drive actions to bring back to Plan/LE.
• Partner with the SBD department heads to provide financial support and insight, to aid strategic decision making.
• Partner with Operating Companies (Opcos) in the region to ensure monthly management reporting requirements are met in a timely manner, reviewing and verifying submissions as appropriate.
• Support & assist with the development of financial procedures and processes.
• Drive continuous improvement within the role and Group.

Ad hoc responsibilities

• Ensure appropriate financial control is in place across all aspects of SBD.
• Provide ad‑hoc support where required by the SBD Finance Partner, the broader finance team and project management.
• Act as a key finance contact within SBD for colleague queries.

Skills / Experience

• Relevant professional financial qualification desirable.
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment reporting on P&L, balance sheet and KPI's, with a proven track record in providing insight, delivering process improvements and benefits to the business.
• Experience working on projects with multiple subject matter experts.
• Pro‑active, can‑do attitude and driver of continuous improvement.
• Ability to plan, organise tasks efficiently, with attention to detail and accuracy, flexible under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Proficient to work independently or as part of a team.
• Analytical problem solver, good with numbers and handling statistics.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Power BI, etc.) and ERP systems.
• Experience with TM1/IBM group reporting systems desirable but not essential.
• Effective communicator, comfortable developing and maintaining close working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinker who can lead and drive results through commercial‑driven teams.
• Honest, with high sense of personal integrity.

Benefits

• A competitive salary
• Flexible working arrangements
• A generous holiday allowance
• Three days’ paid volunteering leave
• Additional support and benefits through our Everyone is Included Group Inclusion Plan

Everyone is Included at Spirax Group

We are passionate about creating inclusive and equitable working cultures where everyone can be themselves and achieve their full potential. We value supportive teams and strong relationships where everyone’s contribution is valued across social and cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, genders, gender identities, abilities, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and everything that makes us human. We consider requests for flexible working. We provide additional benefits through our Group Inclusion Commitments including gender‑neutral parental leave, 15 days of extra paid caregiver leave, paid time off and support for anyone experiencing pregnancy loss or domestic abuse, and menopause‑friendly workplace principles.

We are also a Disability Confident Committed Employer. If you would like to apply using this scheme, please select this option in our application form. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. If you require accommodations during the application process, please let us know.

Company Overview

At Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions, part of Spirax Group, we are driven by innovation and dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is empowered to make a difference.

As a world leader in manufacturing peristaltic pumps and associated fluid path technologies for the life sciences and process industries, we offer a broad range of products including tubing, specialised filling systems and solutions for single‑use applications.

Our purpose is to create sustainable value for all stakeholders as we engineer a more efficient, safer and sustainable world. Our technologies play an essential role in critical industrial processes across diverse industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, power generation, semiconductors and healthcare. With customers in 116 countries, we provide the solutions that underpin many items used in daily life. Our inclusive culture and values unite us, guide our decisions and inspire us throughout.