Location: Hybrid (2 days per week in office) Belfast, Country Antrim, UK

At Pearson, we believe learning opens up opportunities, creating fulfilling careers and better lives. We’re looking for a dynamic and experienced FP&A Senior Manager to join our Higher Education division, supporting our Central Functions team. This is a key leadership role within Pearson Finance Services, responsible for driving financial performance, strategic insight, and operational excellence across our global support functions.

About the Role

As FP&A Senior Manager, you will lead financial planning and analysis for Pearson’s Central Functions, including Finance, Technology, Legal, HR, Marketing, and Property. You’ll manage a high-performing team of 20 finance professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

You’ll be responsible for:

Team Leadership: Managing, coaching, and developing a diverse team of 20 FTEs, ensuring alignment and cohesion across deliverables.Financial Planning & Analysis: Leading month-end close, planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes. Reviewing inputs and delivering high-quality analysis for senior stakeholder review.Strategic Insight: Providing complex analysis and data storytelling to support decision-making and communicate performance to senior leaders.Project Finance: Overseeing CIP spend tracking, hosting costs, capitalization schedules, and partnering with cross-functional teams for accurate forecasting.Audit & Governance: Managing audit responses and ensuring compliance with financial controls.Change Leadership: Supporting transformational change across Pearson’s finance operations, driving efficiency and quality improvements.

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, matrixed environment and is passionate about leading teams through change. You’ll need:

Skills & Competencies

Strong leadership and team management capabilitiesExcellent communication skills, with the ability to translate financial concepts for non-finance audiencesHigh accountability and ownership, with a focus on outcomes and continuous improvementProven ability to collaborate across functions and geographiesChange management experience and the ability to lead others through transformationStrong prioritization and time management skills

Qualifications & Experience

Extensive experience in Finance Management or BPM rolesRecognised professional accountancy qualificationStrong accounting knowledge and understanding of financial control and performance managementExperience with finance ERP systems (Oracle preferred)Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, v-lookups, sum-ifs)Proven people management experienceHigh attention to detail and commitment to qualityExperience working in a multinational, matrixed organizationExposure to shared services or delivery centre environmentsUnderstanding of specialist finance areas (e.g. tax, treasury, M&A, compliance)