Head of Commercial Finance Review
at Unipart
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Finance
Leeds
Review Submitted: April 2025
Overall Rating
4.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
4.6/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
Head of Finance - Commercial
Financial Analysis and Corporate Reporting
Contract review and optimisation
Financial solution optimisation
Leadership and strategic implementation, in alignment with Corporate Strategies
Margin review and reporting, insights and guidance on decision making
Pricing policy admin and maintenance
Developing new solution pricing and collaboration with multi-disciplinary colleagues to identify and form pricing and solution proposals.
Financial systems, monitoring, maintenance and change facilitation
Financial Analysis and Corporate Reporting
Contract review and optimisation
Financial solution optimisation
Leadership and strategic implementation, in alignment with Corporate Strategies
Margin review and reporting, insights and guidance on decision making
Pricing policy admin and maintenance
Developing new solution pricing and collaboration with multi-disciplinary colleagues to identify and form pricing and solution proposals.
Financial systems, monitoring, maintenance and change facilitation
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I find the experience very challenging, the mix of a fast paced role and the obligations of the course and apprenticeship can be a complex balance. Overall, I find this an informative learning and leadership development experience. I enjoy the relationships I have build with excellent contacts in my cohort, I have received excellent support from the business in allowing me the time to undertake this challenge and look forward to where it takes me as a business leader in the future. I am very grateful to have access to this opportunity as it is often assumed that senior leaders inherit some empirical knowledge once their titles change, but there is often little to support leaders in truly grasping the opportunities and being able to utilise the range of business models, methods and processes to truly optimise their performance and understand the best methods of focussing on outcomes and alignment to growth and strategic imperatives, this educational journey certainly closes the loop on these gaps and introduces many important and insightful academic insights and critical thinking tools for leaders on the journey.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Formalisation and re-enforcement of leadership models for business leadership and strategic alignment with the addition of several new models.
Ability to drive multi-disciplinary conversations with a more strategic focussed and outcomes based approach.
Critical challenge and avoidance of GroupThink.
Driving constructive and collaborative feedback and coaching loops within the business and also enhancing mentoring and coaching techniques.
Significant learning curve on ESG and Sustainability Goals.
Ability to drive multi-disciplinary conversations with a more strategic focussed and outcomes based approach.
Critical challenge and avoidance of GroupThink.
Driving constructive and collaborative feedback and coaching loops within the business and also enhancing mentoring and coaching techniques.
Significant learning curve on ESG and Sustainability Goals.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
It is reasonably well structured, the mass of information and services available to students is truly striking.
Some of the uni content is a little repetitive and assumes little pre-existing knowledge but that is to be expected as training of this nature cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach. In terms of the support provided this is exceptional, including regular reviews with workplace mentors, tutors and students. Also the ability to access the Uni library and other services, such as linkedin learning has been really helpful.
The programme on the whole has been brilliant, I would say additional real life examples from previous cohorts would be helpful. Having access to Moodle, and the programme plan for each module has been especially helpful, when mapped to KSB's. It can be difficult at times reconciling the apprenticeship with the Senior Leadership Qualification but equally both elements are providing excellent development experiences both in and out of the workplace, that all benefit me, my team and my business.
Some of the uni content is a little repetitive and assumes little pre-existing knowledge but that is to be expected as training of this nature cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach. In terms of the support provided this is exceptional, including regular reviews with workplace mentors, tutors and students. Also the ability to access the Uni library and other services, such as linkedin learning has been really helpful.
The programme on the whole has been brilliant, I would say additional real life examples from previous cohorts would be helpful. Having access to Moodle, and the programme plan for each module has been especially helpful, when mapped to KSB's. It can be difficult at times reconciling the apprenticeship with the Senior Leadership Qualification but equally both elements are providing excellent development experiences both in and out of the workplace, that all benefit me, my team and my business.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
My employer attends the reviews, provides guidance and support and suggested methods of achieving the KSB's. My employer allows me to take the time I need to study and also provides guidance when I am stuck or need ideas on where to develop to align business needs to personal development, in a synergistic way.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
Absolutely excellent support, from many Uni colleagues and in particular my tutor - who is kind, patient and supportive and truly goes above and beyond to support learners in the process. Equally the senior leadership and many lecturers who have been in the process have been inspiring, helpful, patient, informative and genuinely seem to care about our personal and professional development.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
The qualification helps me identify better ways of achieving goals, on focussing my improvement efforts, taking account of the macro environment, with and ethical and sustainability mindset. Focussing us on what an effective leader looks like and enabling the skills to be honed for longer term leaders. I have found that this journey helps me ensure deliverability of outcomes and improved alignment and cascade of the strategic aims of my department for the business. It also supports me in identifying improvements which the business may need to optimise performance.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
Yes, there are many although the company is spread out across the country, which means it is not always feasible to partake but the business has Leadership Summits, days out, wellbeing workshops, ability to undertake workplace health checks, summer barbecue's (with games), christmas do's. Funding for Women in Rail and Women in Transport and Logistics and participates in the Chamber of Commerce. I am sure there are many other activities across the group.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Unipart to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The business is large and international but manages to have a familial culture. The business is complex and as a result there is a lot of opportunity to solve complex puzzles, which is excellent for someone like me, having an ADHD mindset, I can flow between lots of interesting projects a day and have the opportunity to use my innovative mindset in a way of working that is designed for this (The Unipart Way).
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Unipart?
Be open to change. Be innovative and curious. Expect to engage in multi-disciplinary and collaborative problem solving and to personally contribute and support solving problems. Adopt a growth mindset. Be prepared to challenge the status quo. Learn from the experienced colleagues who have an inspiring wealth of knowledge, due to the long tenure of an average employee. Embrace learning opportunities. Take time to understand and embrace the unique nature of an evolving business.
