We’re 1st Central, a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology at pace. Rapid growth has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with an excellent service. And that’s the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024 and our Glassdoor score is pretty mega too!
Join 1st Central as a Lead Finance Solutions Developer
1st Central are on the lookout for a technically strong and analytically minded Lead Finance Solutions Developer who can bridge the gap between finance, data engineering, and actuarial analytics. If you’re passionate about delivering high-quality, scalable data solutions to support business-critical decisions, and you enjoy working across multidisciplinary teams, this could be the perfect role for you. You'll play a key role in designing and maintaining data pipelines and tools that enable complex financial and actuarial modelling, reporting, and insight.
Even if your background is more analytical or engineering-focused - and you don’t meet every single requirement - we still encourage you to apply. We value diverse skill sets and are open to candidates with the right mindset and transferable skills.
We’re big on flexibility. Our teams are spread across Salford Quays, Manchester and Haywards Heath, West Sussex, but we work from home most of the time. We think collaboration is pretty great though, so we like to get together now and then - just to keep those creative sparks flying. Prefer being in the office more often? That works for us too. We’re even open to remote working - all we ask is that you join us in person about once a month to stay connected and keep those face-to-face vibes alive.
Skills you’ll need to be a great fit for the role:
Strong Stakeholder Management and Relationship Building Skills - you’ll excel at collaborating with stakeholders across Finance, Actuarial, and Data Engineering to understand requirements and deliver high-impact data solutions.
Expertise in Data Engineering and Development - you’ll be comfortable designing, building, and optimising scalable ETL/ELT pipelines using cloud-based technologies and SQL, ensuring data is accessible, accurate, and timely.
Financial and Actuarial Knowledge - you’ll bring a working understanding of finance and actuarial principles, especially those related to Solvency II, IFRS 17, or GAAP, and how they apply to modelling, reporting, and regulatory compliance.
Python Proficiency for Advanced Analytics - you’ll use Python to develop scripts for automation, data transformation, and analytics - enabling everything from reserves analysis to forecast simulations.
What’s involved:
Design, build, and optimise scalable ETL/ELT workflows for financial and actuarial datasets.
Integrate data from financial systems (e.g., Workday) and actuarial sources into centralised data platforms.
Collaborate with finance and actuarial teams to understand and support modelling assumptions and outputs.
Develop and maintain Python scripts for data transformation, automation, and analytics (e.g., reserves analysis, forecast simulations).
Create and manage relational and dimensional data models for reporting.
Ensure data quality and consistency across finance and actuarial models; implement validation controls and reconciliation processes.
Support regulatory and statutory reporting (e.g., Solvency II, IFRS 17, GAAP), ensuring timely and accurate delivery.
Build reporting tools and dashboards (using Python, Power BI, etc.) for stakeholders to analyse key financial and actuarial metrics.
Contribute to model development, testing, and production deployment.
Maintain robust documentation and version control for pipelines and models.
Ensure compliance with Company policies, the Group Code of Conduct, and relevant regulations.
Experience, Knowledge & Skills:
Degree in Actuarial Science, Finance, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related field.
Extensive experience in data development, financial modelling, or actuarial systems.
Strong SQL and data modelling skills; experience with relational databases.
Skilled in working with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, or GCP) and data lake environments.
Experience with actuarial models, principles, and data structures (e.g., Actuarial reserving techniques, cashflow projections under Solvency II and IFRS 17) life tables, claims triangles, policy reserves).
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with the Workday Financials ecosystem and integration touchpoints.
Experience working with actuarial datasets or outputs (e.g., policy data, claims data, assumptions).
Ability to analyse data to drive process improvement and ensure accuracy in models.
Strong communication skills with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
Experience facilitating workshops and managing meetings across technical and non-technical audiences.
Behaviours:
Collaborative and empathetic approach to stakeholder engagement.
Commercially aware and results-driven mindset.
Proactive and organised, with a keen eye for detail and accuracy.
Self-motivated with a flexible, can-do attitude.
Comfortable working independently and as part of a team.
Passion for continuous improvement and contributing to business success.
Takes initiative and ownership of decisions and outcomes.
Ready to Apply? We’d love to hear from you! This is a fantastic opportunity to shape the future of finance and actuarial data at the heart of 1st Central.
If you're excited by solving complex problems and building solutions that make a real impact - even if you don’t tick every box - don’t let that stop you. Whether your background leans more towards engineering, analytics, or finance, what matters most is your ability to learn, collaborate, and drive meaningful change. Hit the apply button now!
What can we do for you?
People first. Always. We’re passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so that’s what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic, inspirational, supportive. To get a taste of the advantages you’ll enjoy, take a look at all our perks in full here.
Intrigued? Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what we’re offering, so feel free to get in touch.
