Solution Architect - Annual Reporting & Consolidation (PLC Transformation)

IBM Cognos Controller | Planning Analytics | Oracle Finance

A major global retailer is undertaking a once-in-a-generation PLC transformation, moving from subsidiary reporting to full public company reporting standards. We're looking for an immediately available Solution Architect with deep expertise in financial consolidation, annual reporting, and period-end close to define and govern the future Group reporting landscape.

The Role:

You will lead the end-to-end architecture for the new Group consolidation and annual reporting platform, centred on IBM Cognos Controller and integrated with IBM Planning Analytics. Oracle Finance remains the system of record, and you'll also shape the selection of a close governance and compliance tool (Workiva, Sphera, BlackLine).

Your remit: deliver a PLC-grade reporting ecosystem spanning financial, non-financial, ESG, and narrative reporting-controlled, auditable, and ready for external scrutiny.

What You'll Own:

• End-to-end architecture, governance, and design assurance for consolidation and annual reporting.
• Target, transition, and integration architectures across ERP, planning, analytics, and reporting.
• Key design decisions, solution blueprint, and technology selection.
• Architectural governance across vendors, integrators, and internal teams.
• Production readiness: data integrity, controls, security, and service operations.

Key Technology Landscape:

• IBM Cognos Controller - Group consolidation
• IBM Planning Analytics (PA) - planning, analytics, performance reporting
• Oracle Finance - primary source system
• Close governance tooling - Workiva/Sphera/BlackLine
• Assessment of reuse vs new investment across the reporting estate

What You Bring:

• Strong Solution Architecture experience in finance transformation and PLC-level reporting.
• Hands-on expertise with Cognos Controller and familiarity with Planning Analytics.
• Deep understanding of consolidation, period-end close, audit, controls, and regulatory reporting.
• Experience with multi-entity consolidation, eliminations, FX, IFRS/UK GAAP, statutory reporting.
• Strong stakeholder influence, documentation, and design governance skills.
• Experience with Oracle Finance, finance data flows, reconciliation, lineage, and integration patterns.
• Exposure to ESG, non-financial, or narrative reporting (TCFD, CSRD, GRI, SASB) is highly beneficial.
• Comfortable operating in high-pressure, deadline-driven environments.

£600-£625 per day Inside IR35. 6 months rolling. Reading & 80% remote