Finance Director - Service

Smiths Group

London, UKhybridPosted Aug 21, 2026
Posting intelligenceActively listed

Skills

excelsap

About the role

Company Description

Every minute of every day, Smiths Detection’s threat detection and security screening technology helps to protect people and infrastructure, making the world a safer place.

Smiths Detection is a global leader in the development, manufacture and management of security and detection solutions designed to make the world a safer place. Our technology provides threat detection and screening solutions for customers in our key markets: aviation, ports and borders, defence, and urban security.

Our expertise spans 21 global offices, seven manufacturing sites and five R&D centres, with a global network of 3,500 dedicated colleagues contributing towards over 40 years at the frontline of advances in safety and security.

This results in careers built on variety and the opportunity to work on a range of state-of-the-art solutions, where you can develop your knowledge and experience every day.

Job Description

Smiths Detection is seeking a commercially focused Finance Director to partner our Global Service organisation, a business area representing approximately 50% of the company's activity. Reporting directly to the Senior Finance Director, Group FP&A & Business Partnering this is a highly visible leadership role supporting the VP of Service and Global Service Leadership Team.

This is not a traditional Finance Director position. We're looking for someone who combines strong commercial finance, business partnering, FP&A and operational finance expertise, while also helping drive transformation, automation and value creation initiatives across a global business.

Key Responsibilities

Act as lead finance partner to the Global Service Leadership Team.

Lead budgeting, forecasting and monthly performance reporting.

Drive financial insight, challenge and decision support.

Support strategic initiatives, transformation projects and value creation programmes.

Deliver process improvements, automation and enhanced reporting capability.

Lead and develop a team of finance professionals.

Partner with stakeholders across Operations, Supply Chain, HR and Commercial functions globally.

Experience & Skills

We are looking for a commercially minded finance leader who can operate strategically whilst remaining hands-on when required.

You'll bring:

Strong Commercial Finance and Business Partnering experience.

FP&A, budgeting and forecasting expertise.

Experience supporting operational, engineering or service-led organisations.

Leadership experience within finance.

Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.

Experience driving transformation, process improvement or automation initiatives.

Advanced Excel and strong financial systems capability, with SAP and Power BI experience advantageous.

Ideal Background

We're particularly interested in candidates from businesses with large operational or field-based workforces, including:

Engineering Services

Field Service Organisations

Utilities

Energy & Oil & Gas

Facilities Management

Infrastructure Maintenance

Technical Services Organisations

Qualifications

Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA or equivalent).

Degree educated or equivalent professional experience.

Significant post-qualified finance experience within a complex business environment

Additional Information

Join us and we’ll help build your career, with excellent training and opportunities for career growth across the business, both locally and globally. You’ll experience an inclusive environment, with strong leadership and a focus on safety and wellbeing. You’ll also have the flexibility to choose from a wide range of benefits to suit your lifestyle, offering you and your family support from a health and wellbeing, financial and lifestyle perspective.

Join us and work for a world-leader, with the benefits and training to reward your dedication and skills. Be part of a team where we are making the world a safer place.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Detection, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website.

Questions about this role

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