Lead the finance and commercial strategy of a new investment management company

Northern LGPS is entering a significant new phase of its development, establishing a new FCA authorised investment management company to manage around £70bn of assets on behalf of three Local Government Pension Scheme funds. As Finance Director, you'll provide strategic leadership across finance, regulatory reporting and commercial operations, helping to establish the financial foundations of a modern, well-governed investment management business.

Reporting into the Chief Financial and Operations Officer (CFOO), you'll oversee financial reporting, regulatory compliance, statutory accounts, tax and audit, while providing commercial leadership across procurement, supplier oversight and value optimisation. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape a new organisation from the outset and play a key role in its long-term success.

About Northern LGPS

Northern LGPS is a c£70bn pooled investment partnership for the Local Government Pension Scheme, bringing together the investments of Greater Manchester Pension Fund, Merseyside Pension Fund and West Yorkshire Pension Fund.

Building on the foundations of its collaboration over several years, Northern LGPS is now entering the next phase of its development. This phase focuses on establishing an FCA authorised investment management company with a dedicated senior leadership team, strengthening governance and creating a clear operating model to support long-term investment outcomes.

For those joining at this stage, the opportunity is exceptional. These roles offer the chance to shape strategy, set standards and build leadership capability for the long term, working closely with the partner funds, who are both shareholders and clients, Boards and regulators to ensure Northern LGPS continues to evolve as a well-governed, resilient investment organisation.

Our culture

As Northern LGPS continues to evolve, we are building a collaborative, open and trusting organisation where people can do their best work.

We believe strong outcomes come from working together, sharing knowledge and supporting one another. Our flexible and hybrid working arrangements give colleagues greater flexibility in how they manage their time, while supporting collaboration and colleague wellbeing.

We are developing a supportive learning culture where people are encouraged to grow, contribute ideas and help shape how the organisation works. Our ambition is to build a resilient and sustainable organisation that delivers for its Partner Funds over the long term.

Main responsibilities

You'll:

• Lead the finance and commercial function, providing strategic oversight across financial reporting, regulatory compliance and commercial activity.
• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of management accounts, statutory accounts and Board reporting produced through the outsourced finance provider.
• Oversee the statutory accounts process, external audit and accounting policies to ensure compliance with relevant standards.
• Lead tax compliance across corporation tax, VAT, FATCA, Common Reporting Standard (CRS) and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (SDRT), maintaining effective engagement with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
• Oversee regulatory financial reporting, including MIFIDPRU returns and financial contributions to the Internal Capital Adequacy and Risk Assessment (ICARA) process.
• Develop and lead the budgeting and forecasting framework, supporting effective financial planning and regulatory capital management.
• Provide strategic leadership across procurement, contract management, supplier oversight and commercial governance to deliver value for money.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary finance and commercial team, driving operational efficiency and strong governance.
• Act as the intelligent client for outsourced finance and commercial services, ensuring all outputs are accurate, timely and fit for purpose before submission to the CFOO, Board or Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, regulators, auditors and external partners to support effective decision-making and organisational success.

What we're looking for

You'll bring significant senior finance leadership experience together with the commercial insight and strategic thinking to support a regulated investment management business.

We're particularly interested in professionals who can demonstrate experience of:

• Financial leadership within complex or regulated organisations.
• Financial reporting, statutory accounts and external audit.
• Regulatory reporting and financial governance.
• Budgeting, forecasting and financial planning.
• Tax compliance and financial controls.
• Commercial strategy, procurement and supplier oversight.
• Leading multidisciplinary teams and developing high-performing functions.
• Building trusted relationships with Boards, regulators and senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

Must have:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with substantial (10+ years) post-qualification experience in an FCA-regulated investment firm.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a sufficient volume of suitable applications.

Equal opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive. If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process to support your application, please let us know, and we will work with you to meet your needs.