Finance Analyst

Location: Derby, UK

About Us

Rolls‑Royce SMR is here to transform how nuclear energy is delivered—cleaner, faster and at global scale. Our teams are developing one of the world’s most advanced small modular reactors, helping secure affordable, low‑carbon energy for generations to come.

We’re doing something that’s never been done before. We’re revolutionising an industry. That’s a once-in-a-career opportunity for those excited by such a challenge. This is more than just a job; this is a legacy.

Role Purpose

As a Finance Analyst – Projects, you will support the financial reporting, forecasting, and control activities for long-term customer contracts within SMR. Supporting the project’s Finance Business Partner and project teams, you will provide accurate financial analysis, maintain project reports, complete month-end activities, monitor performance against budget and forecast, and support effective decision-making. The role will independently deliver defined project finance activities within established policies and processes, escalating more complex matters where appropriate.

What we’ll need you to do

• Support the preparation and maintenance of project forecasts, budgets, and Estimates at Completion (EACs), ensuring financial data is accurate, timely, and underpinned by clear assumptions.
• Analyse project costs, cash flow, and performance variances, identifying key trends, risks, and opportunities for review by finance business partners and project teams to support decision-making.
• Assist with monthly project reporting and financial control activities, including data validation, journal preparation, accruals, month-end processes, settlements, and reconciliations.
• Support customer contract and project finance activities, including invoice preparation, cost analysis, change control processes, and responses to financial information requests.
• Use financial data to provide insight into project profitability, performance, and key operational metrics, helping to drive informed business decisions.
• Assist in maintaining robust financial controls and governance processes, ensuring compliance with internal policies and project requirements.
• Accurate and timely completion of monthly project finance deliverables
• Quality of analysis, reconciliations and supporting financial information
• Effective support to the finance business partner and project stakeholders
• Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.
• Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch, we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.

What we’re looking for

• Experience supporting project financial reporting, forecasting or cost control activities.
• Awareness of project accounting principles and willingness to develop knowledge of revenue recognition and long-term contract reporting.
• Able to produce clear financial analysis and explain key variances, trends, and assumptions to support decision-making within the finance team.
• Comfortable working with project and operational stakeholders to gather information, maintain financial data, and support the delivery of reporting, forecasting, and control activities.
• Experience supporting the preparation of budgets, forecasts, and Estimates at Completion (EACs) through the analysis, validation, and consolidation of financial and operational data.
• Able to work with finance and project teams to collect inputs, check accuracy and maintain clear supporting assumptions.
• Understands the importance of highlighting risks, opportunities and data quality issues for review.
• Able to apply curiosity and constructive challenge to financial data and assumptions.
• Provides reliable finance support to business partners through accurate analysis and follow-through.
• Positive attitude, continuous improvement mindset.
• Integrity and persistence.
• Resourceful and problem solver.
• Safety conscious.
• Collaborative and inclusive.
• Part-qualified accountant, finance-related degree, AAT/CIMA/ACCA study pathway, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Strong MS Excel skills, with experience analysing and reconciling financial data.
• SAP, planning tool or project reporting experience would be an advantage.

Location & Ways of Working

This role can be based in Derby, with flexibility to work between home and the office depending on business needs. There may be some travel required on an ad hoc basis.

What’s in It for You

A salary between £44,550.00 - £58,450.00, £2,200 benefit allowance, 12.5% bonus opportunity, 6x pensionable life assurance, 50% income protection, 28 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, and a £250 new‑joiner payment—alongside opportunities for development and progression.

Selection Process

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a competency‑based interview and may be asked to provide evidence of document management capability. This role requires BPSS checks as part of our onboarding process.

Inclusion & Accessibility

We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued. If you meet around 75% of the criteria, we’d still love to hear from you. We’re happy to discuss reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and offer flexible or part‑time working where possible.

We are Rolls-Royce SMR

Rolls-Royce SMR is a rare employer because it blends the world-class brand of Rolls Royce with an exciting start-up that has a hugely challenging mission. We’re doing work that contributes to the survival of the planet. Because of our mission, there’s a pace and energy that is palpable, and our leaders draw you in with their passion, energy, and determination.

We’re one of a handful of employers who can genuinely say we’re a strengths-based organisation – our people are here because of what makes them great, and our job is to help them make the best contribution of their careers doing work they love.

The start-up mentality coupled with our strengths-approach to people means there are opportunities to grow in ways and jobs you probably would be barred from doing in more traditional companies.

Each Rolls-Royce SMR power station will have the capacity to generate 470MW of low carbon energy, equivalent to more than 150 onshore wind turbines and enough to power a million homes. It will provide consistent baseload generation for at least 60 years, helping to support the roll out of renewable generation and overcome intermittency issues

Pay Range

£42,000.00

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£55,125.00

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:

• A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
• Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
• A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.

Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.

Our Application Process

Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:

• Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
• Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check

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