Finance Systems Manager

At the heart of everything we do is our vision to change lives every day, and our mission to grow The National Lottery responsibly and champion its impact.

We are Allwyn UK, part of the Allwyn Entertainment Group – a multi-national lottery operator with a market-leading presence across the USA (Michigan and Illinois) and Europe, including Czech Republic, Austria, Greece, Cyprus and Italy.

While the main contribution of The National Lottery to society is through the funds to good causes, at Allwyn we put our purpose and values at the heart of everything we do. Join us as we embark on a once-in-a-lifetime, largescale transformation journey by creating a National Lottery that delivers more money to good causes.  

We’ll talk a bit more about us further down the page, but for now – let’s talk about the role and who we’re looking for…

A bit about the role

Reporting to the Head of Finance Gaming Systems, this role is the senior Finance-led change and delivery position supporting the end-to-end Gaming Systems roadmap. The primary focus of the role is to support the Head of Finance Gaming Systems in managing prioritization and delivery of system enhancements and change requests across the SG gaming landscape, with particular emphasis on the digital back-end (SGPAM), digital player payments and system-enabled journeys that reduce friction for digital players.

The role combines senior oversight of digital finance gaming system execution with enterprise-level finance change leadership, governing how Finance requirements are shaped, prioritised and delivered across SGPAM, ReconNet and digital payment providers. Acting as a key bridge between Finance, Technology, Product and Operations, the role ensures that innovation and pace of change are balanced with strong financial control, accounting integrity and operational readiness.

The role is intentionally positioned as a senior professional counterpart to the Finance Gaming Systems Controller. It does not hold formal Financial Controller or regulatory accountability, but provides senior Finance Systems leadership, influence and delivery assurance across complex, high-impact change.

Team/Department Description:

• The Finance department ensures the business is financially sound, has robust accounting and reporting processes, and delivers financial targets including profitability and returns to Good Causes.
• The Finance Gaming Systems team is immensely important as it oversees the regulatory adherence to the reporting and financial monitoring requirements of Licence Condition 16, Trust Deed and Regulatory Handbook
• The team supports colleagues across the Finance function, ensuring the core gaming systems, GEM Suite (retail), SGPAM (digital), IVS/FRS, ReconNET and related BI reporting from PLATO, for the Finance team are consistently maintained and developed:

o Participate in the development and then delivery of the finance systems roadmap.

o Acts as the interface between the finance function and the IT/technology teams alongside Systems colleague and specifically for SG, Elsym and ancillary gaming systems

o Managing demand for system and data changes as a support and project control function

o Driving and project managing enhancement projects across the finance systems to improve controls, efficiency, and effectiveness

• This role operates across both change delivery and business-as-usual domains, providing continuity, clarity and leadership across the gaming systems portfolio.

What you’ll be doing

• Act as the senior Finance lead supporting the Head of Finance Gaming Systems in delivery of the end-to-end Gaming Systems change roadmap.
• Own Finance leadership of SGPAM, including plaer lifecycle design, settlement models, exception handling and assurance of financial outcomes.
• Lead the design, governance and delivery of enhanced digital payment methodologies, with a focus on removing friction from the player journey and supporting continued growth into new payment platform delivery, e.g. Apple Pay and Google Pay adoption.
• Act as the key finance representative for the Finance-related change request lifecycle across SG systems, including intake, impact assessment, prioritisation and delivery oversight.
• Ensure financial, accounting, control and business-readiness impacts of system change are fully assessed and embedded into solution design.
• Support senior stakeholder management across Finance, Technology, Product, Operations and external suppliers, representing Finance interests in design forums and delivery governance.
• Provide senior Finance Systems leadership for payment service integrations and operations, supporting relationship management with Bottomline, HSBC and Worldpay.
• Lead Finance engagement for system releases, upgrades and enhancements, including UAT planning, execution, sign-off and transition into BAU.
• Maintain oversight of risks, dependencies and control impacts arising from concurrent change activity across multiple platforms.
• Fulfil a senior Finance Systems Accountant remit, ensuring reconciliation, accounting integrity, balance sheet assurance and audit readiness are designed into gaming, claims and payment flows.
• Manage stakeholder expectations while ensuring systems and processes remain efficient, effective, and aligned with operational objectives.
• Support Finance teams to ensure accurate, value adding retailer reporting is delivered and maintained within BI platforms.
• Support internal/external audit with evidence, control documentation, and walkthroughs.
• Document and prioritise Finance system enhancements and fixes.
• Liaise between Finance and Technology for requirements, testing,deployment
• Lead UAT cycles and validate new features.
• Lead UAT cycles including test planning, script creation, execution, and signoff.
• Manage defects using tools such as Jira or Azure DevOps and ensure timely resolution.
• Ensure adherence to SDLC and Agile delivery practices.
• Develop dashboards, KPIs, and reporting models using BI platform
• Contribute to assessment of new technologies and system capabilities utilizing process mapping tools e.g., Visio and Requirements capture techniques e.g. use cases, user stories

What experience we’re looking for

• ACA / ACCA / CIMA qualified, or equivalent senior experience in Finance Systems and change leadership roles.
• Extensive experience delivering Finance-led technology change within complex, regulated or high-volume transaction environments.
• Strong understanding of gaming systems, payment execution, claims processing and end-to-end financial data flows.
• Proven ability to lead through influence, governance and stakeholder management rather than direct line management.
• Experience working with multi-platform estates and third-party providers, including payment service providers and banks.
• Ability to translate complex technical and delivery topics into clear financial, operational and risk-based insights for senior stakeholders.

About us

At Allwyn, we are dedicated to changing lives and growing the National Lottery responsibly, championing its positive impact on people, places, and the planet.

• Innovation - We pride ourselves on it! We’re constantly looking for new ways to excite our customers, bringing new products to market to enjoy which is all supported by our responsible play values and making them accessible to all.

• Giving back – Did you know that playing the lottery generates around £30m a week for charities and good causes in the UK? Our aim is to have doubled this number by the end of the first 10-year license.

• Sustainability – Our aim is to become a net zero national lottery. We have 2030 targets to decarbonise our operations and energy. We’ve already transitioned to renewable energy providers, made our London and Watford offices zero gas, and ensured our fleet consists of low-emission vehicles. In addition, we’re working with our value chain partners to develop a net zero target date.

• Empowering every voice – We believe in creating a culture where everyone feels they belong, can be themselves, has access to opportunities and can thrive for the benefit of good causes. Our diverse teams are working hard to make all parts of The National Lottery inclusive – whether people play a game in a store or online, because when everyone can play, everyone wins..

An inclusive reward offering with wellbeing at the centre

At Allwyn, inclusion is built into how we care for our people. Our benefits and policies support colleagues and their families at every stage of life and career. By prioritising wellbeing and belonging, we create a workplace where everyone feels valued, rewarded, and empowered to succeed. Our people are more than colleagues - they’re winners, driving positive change and making a real difference in communities.

Benefits

• Company Bonus Scheme

• Matched pension contributions up to 8.5%

• 26 days annual leave + 2 Life Days (and bank holidays)

• Single Private Health Cover

• Complimentary Private Medical

• Income Protection

• Flexible Benefits – EV Scheme, Money Coach, Will Writing, Mortgage Advice, Dental and Eye Care Schemes.

• Enhanced Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity, Adoption)

• Wellness Allowance £500

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Discounted Health Assessments

• Volunteering Days

• Matched Funding

We are a Disability Confident Leader which means we’ve taken proactive steps to ensure our workplace is accessible and inclusive for disabled and neurodivergent colleagues and candidates. As part of this we offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential requirements of the job.

If you need any assistance or adjustments to this job description or in the application process, please contact a member of the talent team at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help.