Job Overview

Finance business Partner – Missions & proof of Concept

£45,272 gross per annum

UKRI Band E

Full/Part Time (Min 0.8 FTE)

Polaris House, Swindon (Hybrid Working)

Closing date: 12th October 2025

Overview

Reporting to the Cross Council Cluster Directorate’s Strategic Finance Business Partner, the role is to provide a comprehensive financial business partnering service to the UKRI’s Research & Development Missions Accelerator Programme (RDMAP), and Proof-of-Concept (PoC) funding programme.

This role involves performing a range of Financial Management reporting and control functions and encompasses management and support of both Programme and Opex activities.

Key Areas of Accountability

Leadership / teamwork / collaboration

• Build & maintain good working relationships with colleagues & partners across Finance (Finance Business Partners, central Financial Planning and Reporting) and non-Finance (Strategy, Policy, Operations, HR) areas, and subsequently provide suitable input and advice in a format targeted to the relevant audience
• Support Programme Managers and Senior Leadership Teams to effectively manage their budgets through the provision of timely, accurate and complete financial information, advice, support and constructive challenge
• Understand the linkages and dependencies between the different Operating Units within UKRI by actively working with other Finance Business Partners and colleagues across UKRI to seek opportunities for improvement, change and efficiency within Finance, strengthening internal controls, financial analysis, and effective management of cross cutting programmes and promoting a culture of teamwork

Delivery / programmes / projects / process

• Perform a range of reporting and control functions, positioning Finance to work with the business and link budgets to delivery plans and business cases
• Help deliver the UKRI wide budgets for RDMAP and PoC activities, working collaboratively across internal partners and stakeholders to align with the collective targets and deliverables
• Work with the budget holders to advise on Opex budgets, delivering financial advice and support on finances during the year for those budget holders

About You

Essential Skills/Qualifications/Experience:

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting

(I) – Assessed at interview

(S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

Qualifications

• Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA), actively working towards qualification, or equivalent experience (QBE). (S)

Experience & knowledge

• Strong understanding of accounting and finance and demonstrable experience of working in delivering effective financial management & reporting (S)
• Very good IT skills, including good knowledge of Microsoft Office, in particular Excel (S)
• Experience of financial modelling & controls (I)
• Demonstrable experience of month and year-end processes - accruals and prepayment calculations, variance analyses etc (I)
• Demonstrable experience of working as part of a wider-business, consulting with senior stakeholders, utilising an in-depth understanding of business priorities and effectively working with partners to meet organisational and financial objectives (I)
• Experience in provision of high quality written and oral advice suitable for senior level decision makers (S&I)
• Proven experience in the preparation of complex budgets, forecasts and financial plans (I)
• Understanding of the role of governance, risk management and assurance in project delivery (I)

Skills & abilities

• Ability to build relationships with senior partners and influence them with impact and professional credibility
• Strong experience of developing effective working partnerships and offering challenges where necessary to senior decision-making groups
• Line management and leadership skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Personal resilience and a confident approach, willing to apply good judgement to solve issues and find solutions independently

To view the full job description please click apply and visit our careers page

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package! We are committed to supporting employees’ development and promote a culture of continuous learning! A list of benefits below;

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme
• 30 days’ annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent)
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice
• Flexible working options

Please click here for more details on the Benefits of working for UKRI – UKRI

How to Apply

Applicants are required to provide an up-to-date CV and a cover letter outlining their suitability for the role. Further information on how to apply is listed on our careers page.