Strategic Cost Manager in Birmingham

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If you’re looking for a career that will unlock new opportunities, join HSBC and experience the possibilities. Whether you want a role that could take you to the top, or simply take you in an exciting new direction, HSBC offers opportunities, support and rewards that will take you further.

Global Finance is integral to HSBC’s purpose and strategy, playing a valued role in managing costs and deploying capital in the most effective way. Our global team of finance professionals partner with the business to provide trusted insights and forward looking analysis, accuracy, efficiency, and control to frame and influence business decisions.

As an HSBC employee in the UK, you will have access to tailored professional development opportunities and a competitive pay and benefits package. This includes private healthcare for all UK-based employees, enhanced maternity and adoption pay and support when you return to work, and a contributory pension scheme with a generous employer contribution.

We are currently seeking a high calibre professional to join our team as Strategic Cost Centre Manager

Job summary:

The Strategic Cost Manager role forms part of the Cost Management team within the UK WPB Business Finance team. 

The primary purpose of the Strategic Cost Manager role is to provide insight and analysis to enable the identification of sustainable cost savings and drive delivery to achieve both in-year and 5-year horizon cost objectives for UK WPB. The role holder will drive action plans to deliver cost efficiency improvements through operating model and other strategic change, working collaboratively across Global WPB and HBUK.

The scope includes multiple brands including HSBC, first direct and M&S. UK WPB has a total cost base of c.$2.6bn covering c.12k Full time employees (FTEs).

Responsibilities include:

• Accountability for managing the achievement of cost objectives across the UK WPB portfolio and working collaboratively to drive cost reduction actions to support the achievement of annual cost targets.
• Managing and coordinating insight and analysis on the monthly actuals for key stakeholders, including the monthly UK WPB CMU meeting.
• Managing and coordinating the 24 month forecast and FRP for UK WPB Cost and FTE.
• Accountability for proposing and delivering actions to mitigate in-year cost plan risks and to create a cost buffer for any future unknown cost headwinds.
• Leading plans and proposals to identify and deliver sustainable cost saves for the business.
• Owning the 5 year cost efficiency plan to achieve the desired Cost Efficiency Ratio objectives and driving plans to achieve through senior executives and heads of functions. Aligning the 5 year FTE plan to the future organisational shape and impact of the strategic change agenda.
• Facilitating teams to enable the development of proposals to drive more efficient business operating models and driving through to realisation of savings.
• The role holder will balance achievement of cost reduction goals with commercial, customer, regulatory requirements and other stakeholder priorities to support a balanced performance across all strategic priorities.
• Assisting in the review and continuous improvement of Business Risk Controls Plan for the Cost Management team.
• Management of senior executive stakeholders.
• Being able to re-prioritise own deliverables as required in an agile fashion.

Minimum criteria:

• Experience working in relevant environment/s, i.e. Knowledge of WPB organisation, processes and strategies and engaging with senior stakeholders                            
• Experience working in relevant context, i.e. Organisational, financial planning, strategic, interpersonal, management, negotiation, consultative                                
• Past working experience in a relevant cost management role with experience of leading sustainable cost reduction activity
• Financial/accounting qualification is essential

Essential criteria: 

• Experience working in a relevant function; i.e. Chief Operating Office, Business Performance or Finance is desirable but not essential                         
• Role relevant qualifications, i.e. Financial/Accounting and Change Management is essential      
• A track record of delivering change which improves business effectiveness in sustainable ways                      
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills; an ability to communicate with impact, ensuring complex information is articulated in a meaningful way to wide and senior audience
• Ability to lead discussions with senior stakeholders to ensure cost reduction commitments are met

You’ll achieve more when you join HSBC.

HSBC is committed to being an inclusive employer and providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all. We will provide reasonable adjustments to remove any disadvantage to you being considered for this role. We are proud members of the Disability Confident Scheme, and will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the role. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or would like us to do anything differently to help you apply for our roles, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk:

Email: hsbc.recruitment@hsbc.com
Telephone: +44 2078328500.

Within the workplace you will have access to various employee resource groups which aim to promote and achieve a healthy work / life balance and support our diversity ambitions. HSBC has processes in place to avoid nepotism.  This means we will avoid circumstances in which the appearance or possibility of conflicts of interest may exist within the hiring process.