Overview

The Finance Business Partner plays a pivotal role in ensuring effective financial planning, analysis, and reporting across the organisation. The role partners with senior stakeholders and budget holders, providing strategic financial advice and insight to support decision-making, manage risk, and ensure long-term sustainability.

This position requires strong relationship-building skills, technical expertise in budgeting and forecasting, and the ability to provide constructive challenge. Finance Business Partners rotate portfolios regularly (usually every two years), enabling them to develop a broad understanding of different areas of the organisation and influence financial strategy across multiple business units.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Business Partnering & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build and maintain strong working relationships with budget holders and senior stakeholders to understand their strategic and operational priorities.
  • Provide proactive financial support, insight, and solutions to manage financial risks and enable informed decision-making.
  • Act as a trusted advisor to non-finance colleagues, translating complex financial information into accessible and actionable insights.
  • Deputise for the Senior Finance Business Partner when required and lead on agreed projects or exercises.
• Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting
  • Lead and support the preparation of annual and multi-year budgets, including budget assumptions, targets, sensitivity analyses, and contingency planning.
  • Provide challenge and scrutiny to ensure forecasts are robust, achievable, and aligned with strategic plans.
  • Maintain planning templates and ensure accuracy and version control within the organisation's finance systems (e.g., ABW).
  • Work collaboratively with budget holders to ensure they understand and effectively manage their budgets, providing training where necessary.
• Financial Analysis & Insight
  • Analyse large and complex data sets to provide commercial and financial insights that reflect changing market conditions and operational challenges.
  • Develop costing, pricing, and operating models to optimise efficiency and profitability, supporting long-term planning and business cases.
  • Deliver timely and accurate monthly financial management information packs to stakeholders, including variance analysis, KPIs, aged debtors, dashboards, and insightful commentary.
  • Produce ad-hoc analysis as required, such as course costing or review of business cases, to support decision-making and strategic planning.
• Financial Control & Reporting
  • Support month-end and year-end processes, including adjustments, accruals, and prepayments.
  • Assist with the preparation of statutory accounts, ensuring compliance with regulatory and financial standards.
  • Ensure external reporting requirements are met, including information for funders and statutory returns.
  • Maintain and update coding structures within financial systems (e.g., ABW, iTrent) to meet reporting requirements.
  • Work in alignment with central finance colleagues to ensure adherence to financial regulations, policies, and timetables.
• Process Improvement & Collaboration
  • Develop and maintain business partnering networks across the organisation to improve standards of financial management and decision-making.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of financial processes and systems, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
  • Ensure financial activities are conducted in compliance with internal financial regulations, standing orders, and relevant legislation.
• Leadership & Management
  • May line manage junior finance team members, setting objectives, providing regular feedback, and supporting professional development.
  • Motivate and inspire team members to deliver high-quality financial services.
  • Promote a culture of collaboration, professional growth, and continuous improvement.

Key Relationships

• Senior Finance Business Partner and wider finance leadership team.
• Budget holders and senior managers across different business units.
• People and Culture (HR) colleagues.
• Finance Business Support Team.
• External customers, suppliers, and auditors (where applicable).

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, or equivalent).
• Significant experience building effective relationships with stakeholders in a large, complex organisation.
• Strong financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting experience.
• Advanced Excel skills, with experience working with large data sets.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, delivering results to tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex financial information.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and influencing skills.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and support team members.

Desirable Criteria

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience in the higher education, not-for-profit, or public sector.
• Experience with ERP systems such as Agresso/Unit4.
• Familiarity with governance processes and external reporting to funders.

General Expectations

• Uphold the organisation's values and commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Support organisational strategies relating to sustainability, climate action, and social responsibility.
• Undertake continuous professional development and support this in direct reports where applicable.
• Ensure all work is compliant with health, safety, legal, and financial regulations.

Offer

• Competitive salary: £44,000 - £50,000 per annum.
• Permanent, full-time contract (35 hours/week).
• Hybrid working options across multiple sites and from home.
• Comprehensive benefits package and commitment to staff wellbeing.
• Opportunities for career development, continuous learning, and professional growth.