Head of Financial Planning & Analysis

Job Introduction

Head of Financial Planning & Analysis  

Salary £90,000 to £110,000 depending on experience   

Permanent

Hybrid Home & Folkestone 

Saga Travel is entering an exciting period of transformation, bringing the financial operations of our travel brands together into one clear, connected operating model. As our newly created Head of Financial Planning & Analysis, you’ll have the opportunity to shape how financial insight supports commercial decision-making across a £500m+ turnover business.

Reporting into, and working closely with, senior leaders including the CFO and CEO of Saga Travel, you’ll play a pivotal role in strengthening financial performance, shaping commercial strategy and supporting long-term value creation.

This is a high-impact leadership role with end-to-end FP&A accountability, including ownership of the five-year plan, budgets, forecasts, KPI governance and Board/Executive reporting. You’ll turn complex financial data into clear, compelling insight that helps guide critical business decisions.

Leading a team of five across Business Partnering and FP&A, you’ll bring strategic judgement, commercial curiosity and the confidence to challenge, influence and guide teams through transformation and growth.

This role is hybrid, with 3–4 days per week based in Folkestone, reflecting the close partnership you’ll build across Travel Operations, Marketing and senior leadership.

Role Responsibility

Strategic Finance Leadership

•    Travel-wide accountability for financial planning integrity, P&L accuracy, and a cohesive financial narrative to underpin business decision making.

•    Owns Travel financial performance & planning, sets standards for forecasting, KPI framework and Exec reporting

•    Drives cross‑functional alignment across business functions, ensuring Finance strategically shapes commercial decisions.

Financial Planning & Forecasting (FP&A)

•    End-to-end ownership of the P&L with financial accountability for revenue, gross profit, marketing and overhead costs, ensuring accuracy, transparency and Exec insight. 

•    Lead Five-Year Plan, budgeting and forecasting, owning the planning cycle across multiple business functions

•    Lead a high performing FP&A team with standardised best practice processes with accountability and ownership 

•    Own planning systems and models, driving automation and data integrity 

•    Lead month end P&L with robust analytical review 

Business Partnering & Commercial Finance

•    Lead business partnering across multi functions including commercial, operations, product and marketing teams, challenge and create value added

•    Drive performance management with product economic insight and operational levers influencing the P&L.

•    Own commercial performance narrative, synthesising commercial, operational and financial outcomes into clear insight that informs Exec Board‑level understanding.

•    Deliver commercial modelling and decision analysis.

•    Provide key business partner support for Travel marketing including commercial risk / return assessments ensuring insights provide tangible results

•    Ownership of Travel overheads

The Ideal Candidate

You will already be a credible finance leader who can step into this Head of FP&A role for a FTSE 250. Ideally you will have some knowledge of the Travel Industry or have been working for a large business operation that is customer facing. You will need to demonstrate the following skills and experience;   

•    Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) with experience operating at senior leadership level across FP&A and Commercial Finance. 

•    Proven owner of planning and performance, including budgeting, forecasting and full P&L accountability. 

•    Advanced commercial insight & modelling capability, understanding of customer, product & pricing, operational and market drivers. 

•    Exceptional senior stakeholder influence, able to engage, challenge and shape decision making at c-suite and Board level.

•    Have a track record leading high performing finance teams, embedding scalable, insight driven planning and performance disciplines. 

•    High proficiency in planning, analytics and MI tools (e.g., Workday, advanced Excel) including automation, systems enhancement and reporting transformation

Saga Values: Make it Happen, Do the Right Thing, Customer First, Excellence Every Day, Our People Make Us Special

Package Description

At Saga, we recognise that our people make us special. We believe our colleagues deserve rewards for the excellence they demonstrate every single day, that's why we have put together an amazing benefits package for all colleagues.  

BENEFITS AVAILABLE FOR THIS ROLE: 

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Option to purchase additional leave - 5 extra days
• Pension scheme matched up to 10%
• Company performance related annual bonus - Up to 15%
• Car allowance £4,800 per annum
• Private medical insurance after 1 years’ service
• Life assurance policy on joining us, 4 x salary
• Wellbeing programme
• Colleague discounts including family discounts on cruises, holidays and insurance
• Range of reductions and offers from leading retailers, travel groups and entertainment companies
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Grandparents leave
• Income protection
• Access to Saga Academy, our bespoke learning platform

About the Company

Over the past 75 years we have become the UK's specialist provider of products and services to people aged over 50 in the UK. We’re the most trusted brand amongst UK consumers in this demographic, recognised for high-quality products and exceptional standards of service. Our product portfolio includes cruises, holidays, insurance, personal finance products and our Saga Magazine. 

Our focus on delivering exceptional products and service empowers our colleagues to create moments that are personal and special for our customers and for each other and our values underpin our approach and help guide us to deliver our purpose. 

We’re committed to making sure that colleagues can be their best, be themselves and make a difference – more than anywhere else. We have done this by creating a truly inclusive culture, where all colleagues can bring their full and authentic selves to work and be treated with dignity and respect in an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. 

Thanks to our people, Saga was awarded with a Gold for Best Customer Centric Culture in 2025. This is testament to the great culture we’ve built together. This award belongs to all our colleagues who collectively make Saga a fantastic place to work. 

We are champions of age inclusivity and signatories of the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, we are proud of our multigenerational teams we have in place. We’re also a committed Disability Confident employer and ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. Your application will have fair consideration, and you’ll receive personal communication throughout your applicant journey when you apply to join Saga. 

Saga does not accept agency CVs unless specifically engaged on the role by the Talent Acquisition Team. Please do not forward CVs to our recruiters, employees or any other company location. Saga will not be responsible for any fees related to CVs received in this unsolicited manner.

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Saga Group