Head of Finance Irish Life Health & Group Finance Business Partnering Lead

Role Overview

Insurance & Financial Solutions (IFS) is looking to recruit for a senior role that encompasses the position of Head of Finance (PCF‑11) for Irish Life Health (ILH) and Finance Business Partner to Group Finance. This is a key leadership role, responsible for leading a team of Finance professionals and playing an active part in senior leadership team decisions on financial performance and strategy execution.

We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences who can demonstrate strong leadership, collaboration and technical finance capabilities.

The role offers a broad mix of senior finance responsibilities, combining the duties of being Head of Finance for ILH with being an integral member of the wider IFS Finance team:

• ILH Head of Finance is a pivotal position in the management of one of Irish Life’s major businesses. The role involves financial reporting and analysis, business planning and advising the ILH Senior Leadership Team on key commercial decisions from a financial perspective. In addition, this role is responsible for the delivery of HIA regulatory returns.
• Finance Business Partner to Group Finance, leading the Finance Business Partner interaction with Group Finance in relation to insurance KPIs and overseeing and facilitating the flow of information and data between the business units and Group Finance. This will include aggregating performance metrics and investment / restructuring business case submissions.

The role will report to the ILH CEO, and will also have a dotted reporting line to the IFS CFO, as well as a key connection to the ILG CFO. In relation to PCF responsibilities with ILH, the Head of Finance ILH will report to the ILH Board Audit Committee and have direct access to the Chair of the ILH Audit Committee and other personnel and records as necessary to carry out the role.

What you will help us to achieve

Financial Reporting and Performance Management

• Deliver forward‑looking financial insights that inform and influence business decisions for ILH and ILG.
• Ensure timely and accurate delivery of ILH’s financial statements, internal reporting and Group financial reporting, including clear and accessible analysis of results and key drivers.

ILH Regulatory and Risk Equalisation Reporting

• Ensure delivery of HIA regulatory returns and Risk Equalisation claims and payments.
• Ensure delivery of ILH Solvency II regulatory returns, working collaboratively with the Actuarial Function and the Irish Life Group’s Finance Centre of Excellence.

Financial and Commercial Leadership

• Lead the development of the Health Business Plan, playing a key role in ILH’s business planning and strategic development. Provide balanced financial insights to support and constructively challenge commercial opportunities, and work with other functions to manage ILH’s financial risk profile. This includes clearly allocating roles and responsibilities to ensure a strategic approach with diverse input from the business.
• Actively contribute to ILH committees, including the Executive Committee, Product & Pricing Committee, Management Risk Forum and Compliance and Operational Risk Committees.
• Partner with the ILH Senior Leadership Team to produce appropriately stretching and deliverable business plans that enable the organisation to achieve its ambitions.
• Undertake cashflow and capital management projections, and execute dividend plans, providing oversight of ILH’s banking arrangements and investment strategy.
• Ensure the Business Partner team has the data and support required to generate insights that inform Solutions Units’ decision‑making and delivery of strategic objectives

Governance and Culture

• Maintain strong financial governance and controls to ensure the accuracy and integrity of ILH’s financial and regulatory reporting, and compliance with all relevant requirements.

Expense Planning and Management

• Work closely with Business Partners to the Solutions Units (Advice Solutions, Employer Solutions, Customer Solutions, IFS) and other stakeholders to manage ILH’s and ILA’s costs within agreed targets, identifying efficiency opportunities and tracking delivery.
• Lead the delivery of the annual cost and sales planning process and the quarterly forecasting cycle, partnering with Business Partners, Group Finance and the Solutions Units.

Technology, Data and Transformation

• Establish a Management Information Hub for cost and sales data, enabling efficient sharing and use of this data across ILG, with a strong focus on aligning solutions with other ILG data hubs.
• Champion increased use of technology to enhance accounting and reporting processes, in line with similar initiatives across ILG.
• Work with the Business Partner team to provide clear direction and support to the Solutions Units in preparing cost‑benefit analyses for business cases, particularly for initiatives targeted at long‑term operational transformation.
• Collaborate with Group Finance teams to achieve the objectives of Intelligent Process Optimisation.

Talent Development

• Lead, mentor and motivate the team, setting clear expectations and providing regular, constructive feedback.
• Implement personal development plans and other supports to upskill team members and build robust succession plans.
• Create and maintain a positive, inclusive work culture that encourages collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Develop open and effective relationships with Solutions areas, ILG Finance teams, external auditors, the Board of Directors and external regulators.
• Promote continuous improvement of finance processes and governance.
• Foster a culture of financial awareness and positively influence the strengthening of controls across the organisation where needed.

What you will need to be successful in the role

• A relevant accountancy qualification (ACA, CIMA, ACCA) with significant post‑qualification experience, including experience at senior management level.
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to derive insights that inform and influence commercial decisions.
• Experience in financial controls and financial reporting processes and technology.
• A background in insurance company financial reporting (or similar) would be an advantage.
• Excellent problem‑solving and sound decision‑making ability.
• A strong track record of driving continuous improvement and automation in finance processes.
• The ability to challenge constructively at Board and Executive level.
• Proven ability to organise and prioritise work to deliver to agreed deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain complex issues clearly and concisely to a wide range of stakeholders, both in writing and verbally.
• Strong influencing skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across functions and levels.
• Demonstrated leadership capability and experience in developing and coaching talent.