Balaena
Finance Transformation & Integration Lead

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This is Not Your Typical Finance Role, we are Not Your Typical Business.
Finance Transformation & Integration Lead, UK based at any of our locations
If you have ever looked at a process, a report or a project plan and thought, “There must be a better way,” this could be the role for you.
We are looking for a Finance Transformation & Integration Lead to help bring financial clarity, challenge and control to a fast-moving transformation environment. This is not a routine finance role and it is not for someone who wants to sit quietly behind the numbers. It is for someone curious, commercially minded and confident enough to ask “why?” — while building trust, bringing people with them and keeping the conversation constructive.
Who are we?
With a combined workforce of over 2,000 employees and operations spanning Gibraltar, Padstow, Tyne, Birkenhead, and Falmouth, Balaena is one of the UK’s most dynamic and regionally anchored maritime groups - combining industrial agility, innovation, and community partnership to support national resilience, commercial competitiveness, and sustainability across both naval and merchant ship sectors.
The integration of Balaena’s modern facilities in Gibraltar and Padstow with APCL’s infrastructure on Tyne, Birkenhead and Falmouth create one of the world’s most capable ship repair and shipbuilding groups - with a network of 12 dry docks and strategic reach across the UK and the Mediterranean.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
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Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
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No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
We respond quickly to defence and commercial requirements and deliver consistent quality and reliability to clients worldwide.
Change is not coming here. It is already happening. We are an ambitious UK organisation with a practical, sleeves-rolled-up culture, and we need someone who can help turn ideas into evidence, plans into measurable value, and transformation activity into clear financial outcomes.
The personality matters
The right person will have a bit of grit. You will need the confidence to test assumptions, challenge weak evidence and spot where a project is spending money without delivering value. But just as importantly, you will know how to do that without switching people off.
We are not looking for a blocker, a critic from the sidelines or someone who enjoys being difficult. We are looking for someone who can be positive, direct and fair; someone who listens first, asks better questions, and helps teams make stronger decisions.
What you will be doing
- Reviewing integration and transformation projects from a financial perspective.
- Testing business cases, savings assumptions, costs, payback and value.
- Tracking benefits so we can see what has genuinely been delivered.
- Providing clear reporting for senior leaders, finance teams and project owners.
- Supporting group-level finance reporting and helping decision-makers see the real financial picture.


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What we are looking for
- Commercial curiosity and the confidence to ask “why?”
- Strong finance discipline, whether gained through qualification or relevant experience.
- The ability to work with incomplete information and still bring structure, logic and judgement.
- Clear communication skills and the credibility to influence people across finance, operations and senior leadership.
- A constructive style: resilient, positive, collaborative and able to challenge without alienating others.
Why join us?
You will be close to the decisions that matter. You will work with the Group Integration and Transformation Director, Group CFO, senior leaders and project owners on work that has real visibility and impact. This is a chance to be part of change while it is happening — not after the decisions have already been made.
If you are the kind of finance person who wants to understand the business, improve the way things work and help people make better decisions, we would like to hear from you.
Be part of one of the UK’s most ambitious organisations. Bring your judgement, your curiosity and your grit — and help us make change count.
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