Stewart Warrilow
Wolverhampton,United Kingdom
Summary
Accomplished accounting professional with extensive experience in high-performance environments. Demonstrated success in process improvement, systems implementation, and financial modelling. Expertise in developing effective reporting suites that enhance decision-making and operational efficiency.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work history
Project Accountant
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Birmingham, West Midlands
01.2024 - 12.2025
- Used MS Excel power Query and Power Pivot to create interactive dashboards for revenue reporting and purchase invoice processing.
- Improved accrual & prepayment process reducing lead time by 4 days; automated credit card reconciliation.
- Finance lead on Target Operating Model realising an 11 months' payback.
- Identified and resolved significant error in revenue reporting
- Implemented correct reporting for IFRS 16, and investments.
- Provided cover across Finance during absence and reorganisation.
Project Accountant
Baker Hicks
Warwick, Warwickshire
09.2022 - 12.2023
- Supported Deltek project management, finance and HR systems implementation in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
- Successfully transformed and migrated all master data and up to five years of detailed transactional data resulting in a seamless data transition.
- Worked collaboratively and flexibly to ensure all deadlines were met. This included working weekends and bank holidays at short notice.
- Increased operational transparency with standardised efficiency reporting.
Project Accountant
Moog Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton, West Midlands
05.2019 - 11.2021
- Responsible for multi-currency long term project reporting, Corporation Tax, monthly management reporting, forecasting, statutory reporting.
- Set up the process for comprehensive Corporation Tax filing and realised substantial R&D Expenditure and Patent Box credits and other tax savings
- Implemented streamlined journal process to reduce reporting cycle by one day and reduce adverse risk
- Overhauled management reporting pack and project sign off to meet business needs
- Supported successful implementation of SAP general ledger, AR, AP, VAT and project accounting
Finance Manager – Material Cost
Jaguar Land Rover
Wolverhampton & Coventry, West Midlands
01.2018 - 02.2019
- Responsible for material cost budget/forecast, actual, compliant cost reporting, and variance analysis for Slovakia plant (one staff member). Inherited a failing SAP implementation and led a cross functional team to deliver product costing and material cost management, enabling precise cost and inventory reduction.
- Engaged with non-Finance departments to establish vehicle material cost budget and forecast, and defined the variance analysis methodology
- Collaborated with engineering, operations, procurement, and IT to progress over 200 Slovakia material cost issues to resolution, reporting out to senior management weekly
- Worked with purchasing, external vendor and IT to identify and transact £4M of retrospective price adjustments relating to Austria plant when SAP delivery was delayed
- Applied learning from Slovakia to solve material cost reporting issues in Brazil
- Implemented controls on consignment stock avoiding a £1.7M overpayment
Business Analyst & SAP R2R Subject Matter Expert
Jaguar Land Rover
Wolverhampton & Coventry, West Midlands
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Worked with operations to define and implement both operational and finance process controls to reduce waste and risk and support SOx. Delivered exceptional support in the development of corporate product cost policy. Aligned core processes and contractual principles related to finance, HR, design, and environment between JLR UK and JLR Slovakia.
- Key Contributions:
- Introduced end-to-end risk analysis controls and tools for operational and finance processes resolving £4M reporting error, £0.8M revenue increase, projected £2M inventory reduction.
- Oversaw three SAP deployments from requirements through to UAT at new engine facility.
- Delivered key clauses to JLR UK and JLR Slovakia contract structure which will generate in excess of £50M pa through tax efficiencies.
- Assisted and collaborated in the design and implementation of the SAP compatible corporate standard cost policy to be rolled out across the wider business.
Business Partner
Business Partner (£700M T/O Engine plant)
Wolverhampton, West Midlands
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Business Partner role focused on cost reduction and cash maximisation and compliance. Developed management expense and inventory reports, prepared monthly accounts, and executed product costing. Reported out to Senior Leadership team and shop floor. Led financial business plan, annual budget, and monthly forecast process. Conducted monthly cost reviews with operations, and financial appraisal of capital and expense initiatives.
- Key Contributions:
- Saved £7M from spend budget through creation and realisation of detailed operational plans and reporting of actual costs.
- Acknowledged as a founding member of the plant finance department.
- Rolled out weekly/monthly management cost reporting, and product costing for the decision-making process.
- Recognised for bolstering inventory accuracy from 73% to more than 99% within six months.
- Delivered tooling management improvements generating £80k in the first month with a forecasted return of £1M.
- Identified £3M of erroneous vendor payments all of which was recouped.
- Key Finance User for the first plant wide SAP implementation in JLR.
Finance Manager, Divisional Finance Controller
Epwin Ltd – £110M T/O Multi-site extrusions
Telford/Crewe/Rhymney
01.2008 - 01.2013
- Headed a team of six staff members responsible for both management and statutory reporting, administering the complete accounting cycle including VAT and Intrastat, managed cash flows, led the budget and forecasting processes and executed product costing. Worked with the management team to identify and maximise key profit drivers through margin analysis, cost sensitivity, and cost reduction.
- Key Contributions:
- Conducted rigorous analysis promoting the merger of two sites resulting in £700k profit improvement.
- Reduced admin headcount by 4% through introduction of a cost saving initiative.
- Improved efficiency by 10% across foiling plant through overall equipment effectiveness reporting.
- Merged all accounting offices into single unit, reducing finance staff by one third.
- Worked with sales and operations to develop a strategy to double Foil sales while maintaining margin
- Provided waste reporting resulting in a 1% gross margin improvement.
- Mentored two staff through to AAT and CIMA certification
Education
Bachelor of Science - Mathematics
Chartered Management Accountant -
6 Sigma Master Black Belt - DMAIC
Skills
- Cost & Revenue Optimisation
- Systems implementations
- Financial Reporting
- Budgeting & Forecasting
- Statutory reporting, VAT, CT
- Team Leadership & Coaching
- 6 Sigma and Lean process optimisation
- Cash Flow Management
- Advanced Excel
- Data analytics
- Financial modelling
Custom
Additional experience as Master 6 Sigma Black Belt, Finance Manager, and Management Accountant at Caterpillar, as Financial Controller at Brown & Sharpe Ltd, and as Management Accountant at Lloyds British
Timeline
Project Accountant
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
01.2024 - 12.2025
Project Accountant
Baker Hicks
09.2022 - 12.2023
Project Accountant
Moog Wolverhampton
05.2019 - 11.2021
Finance Manager – Material Cost
Jaguar Land Rover
01.2018 - 02.2019
Business Analyst & SAP R2R Subject Matter Expert
Jaguar Land Rover
01.2016 - 01.2018
Business Partner
Business Partner (£700M T/O Engine plant)
01.2013 - 01.2016
Finance Manager, Divisional Finance Controller
Epwin Ltd – £110M T/O Multi-site extrusions
01.2008 - 01.2013