Ryan Downie
Dartford,United Kingdom
Summary
Strategic, commercially astute and team-orientated CIMA qualified finance professional, adept at creating clear and comprehensive financial reports to present to senior management.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work history
Senior Finance Manager
Laing O'Rourke
Dartford, Kent
2025.01 - Current
- Produce and present monthly management accounts (with R&Os) to Portfolio 2 Delivery Director, Commercial Director and Finance Leader
- Produce and present quarterly finance pack to Portfolio 2 Delivery Director, Commercial Director and Finance Leader
- Implemented and chair monthly P&L signoff sessions with Commercial Directors and Project site teams to ensure accurate, aligned reporting between Delivery and STBGs
- Deputise for Portfolio 2 Finance Leader on Fridays/annual leave covering tasks such as: Work Day 4 P&L signoff, PEM and Contract Reviews
Financial Controller
Skanska UK
Watford, Hertfordshire
2021.01 - 2025.01
- P&L ownership for projects generating revenues in excess of £400m per year.
- Business partnering directly with internal and external senior stakeholders (both clients and Joint Venture partners).
- Lead a resilient and conscientious team (4 direct reports and 6 indirect reports).
Interim Divisional Finance Director
Skanska UK
Watford
2023.05 - 2024.05
- Part of the operating unit leadership team, providing: strategic insight into financial forecasts, scenario planning analysis on pipeline opportunities and commentary for monthly results.
- Collated and presented a 5 year business plan to the Executive Management Team, highlighting key business risks and opportunities over that period.
- Reported directly to the CFO on ensuring legal compliance and financial rigour were applied within the operating unit.
Commercial Finance Business Partner
Camelot Group
Watford, Hertfordshire
2019.05 - 2020.12
- Acted as a key business partner to the Leadership Team, providing value-add decision support and insight.
- Supported the business strategy and delivered clear insight into progress towards achieving business and financial targets.
- Lead the month-end, budgeting and forecasting of Sales to Gross Margin ensuring these areas were effectively challenged and understood by senior stakeholders to ascertain accountability.
Senior Accountant
Skanska UK
Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
2018.07 - 2019.05
- Operated as the senior accountant within the infrastructure operating unit, line managing 2 direct and 2 indirect line reports.
- Direct ownership of the consolidation process for the entire quarterly forecast within the operating unit (P&L, balance sheet, order bookings & backlog and headcount).
- Implemented a variety of process improvements including, but not limited to, overhead timesheet under/over recovery by employee, cash to profit reconciliations and monthly balance sheet reconciliations highlighting key risks and opportunities per general ledger code.
Senior Project Accountant
Skanska UK
Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
2018.01 - 2018.07
- Finance lead on the rail and energy sectors, overseeing 9 projects with a combined turnover in excess of £750m over their life cycle.
- Business partnered with operations and sector commercial directors at forecast and reporting meetings to effectively challenge & communicate financial information to non-financial personnel.
- Responsible for all month-end requirements for the aforementioned sectors with a main focus on: P&L, variance analysis, cash, WIP and balance sheets.
Project Accountant
Skanska UK
Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
2016.09 - 2018.01
- Integral part of the quarterly forecast process consolidating all P&L's, cashflows and balance sheets to compile a view of the entire OU's financial performance and position.
- Along with the finance business partner, presented to the senior management team the quarterly forecast movements and highlighted areas of potential risk and opportunity both within the P&L and in upcoming projects.
- Improved accuracy of the project forecasting process through production of a detailed cashflow & a detailed analysis of risks and opportunities.
- Conducted all month-end requirements for the water sector with a main focus on: P&L, cash, WIP and balance sheet reconciliations.
Accountant
Skanska UK
Rickmansworth , Hertfordshire
2015.10 - 2016.09
- Led quarterly forecasting process for all overhead departments where I met with each department lead to challenge on forecast movements and ascertain accountability.
- Consolidated all forecasts and implemented a process of variance analysis explaining key movements between forecasts, highlighting the main driver per department per year and presented these results to the senior reporting accountant and finance business partner.
- Carried out all month-end requirements for all 12 overhead departments with a main focus on: variance analysis where I implemented a new process of detailed actuals vs forecast per cost centre.
- Trained 3 new employees on accounting principles and company procedures.
Project Accountant
Bibby Offshore
Aberdeen, Grampian
2012.09 - 2015.09
- Operated as a project accountant managing a team of 3 accounts assistants ensuring they met their necessary invoicing targets each month.
- Improved communication within the business unit through implementing and chairing weekly cost control meetings.
- Improved business unit managers' financial awareness through identifying the main cost drivers to the operating unit and how to effectively monitor and manage these drivers.
- Carried out all month-end requirements and effectively communicated findings to business unit manager for discussion with the board at monthly leadership team meetings.
Education
ACMA, CGMA - Accounting & Finance
CIMA
Global2018-09
Bachelor of Science - Sports Studies
University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen, United Kingdom2009
Skills
- Successfully lead the finance team of a £400m Operating Unit through an ERP implementation programme
- Collation and presentation of 5 year business plan to an Executive Management Team, highlighting key business risks and opportunities over that period
- Implemented and chaired month-end sign-off sessions with Commercial Directors and project teams to ensure robust reporting and accountability between business areas
- Created a dynamic work-winning scenario planning tool to aid strategic decision making, which was rolled out across the business as best practice
- Built and led large teams of finance professionals (direct and indirect reports)
- Preparation and presentation of quarterly forecasts to Senior Management Teams, highlighting key risks and opportunities to P&L and cash
References
References available upon request
Timeline
Senior Finance Manager
Laing O'Rourke
2025.01 - Current
Interim Divisional Finance Director
Skanska UK
2023.05 - 2024.05
Financial Controller
Skanska UK
2021.01 - 2025.01
Commercial Finance Business Partner
Camelot Group
2019.05 - 2020.12
Senior Accountant
Skanska UK
2018.07 - 2019.05
Senior Project Accountant
Skanska UK
2018.01 - 2018.07
Project Accountant
Skanska UK
2016.09 - 2018.01
Accountant
Skanska UK
2015.10 - 2016.09
Project Accountant
Bibby Offshore
2012.09 - 2015.09
Bachelor of Science - Sports Studies
University of Aberdeen
ACMA, CGMA - Accounting & Finance
CIMA