Outcomes First Group Financial Planning Analyst - Reporting & Analysis

Job description

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

We’re on a mission to give our colleagues an amazing work/life balance! We are trialing the four-day working week, get paid 100% for 80%!

Job title: Financial Planning Analyst – Reporting & Analysis

Location: Bolton office – hybrid twice per week

Salary: Up to £40,000.00 per annum dependent on experience

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 5.00pm

Contract: Permanent

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

Job Purpose

To provide high-quality financial planning, analysis and reporting to the finance leadership and operational teams to drive business performance, foster understanding and support growth.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial performance:

• Lead month-end reporting and analysis to Operational leaders, delivering clear and accurate financial results in a timely manner.

• Analyse monthly financial results prepared by the accounting team to highlight and comment on key variances to budget or forecast.

• Collaborate with and support stakeholders to understand, track and analyse site financial performance, building rapport and holding them accountable for budget targets.

• Ensure that financial KPIs for relevant divisions are clearly and accurately reported on, with key trends highlighted to support informed decision making.

• Communicate performance effectively and objectively to the business, challenging budget holders and fostering a culture of accountability.

• Manage and maintain the month-end query tracker, ensuring site leaders receive prompt and clear responses to aid their understanding of financial results.

• Continuously review and improve the reporting processes and analysis across the FP&A and wider Finance team where appropriate.

• Work closely with the Business Intelligence team to create and distribute financial results and scorecards through systems and automation.

Budget and Forecast:

• Support the Finance Business Partners in the budgeting process across all areas of the Group, ensuring alignment to strict timelines and relevant analysis is adhered to.

• Maintain a budget and forecasting financial model to ensure consistency of data across all areas, including relevant KPIs.

• Support the Lead FP&A Analyst, Head of FP&A and Business Intelligence team in implementing system-driven automation for reporting, budgeting and modelling tools.

Customer service:

• Build strong relationships with senior leaders and operational teams, including relevant department heads.

• Act as the main point of contact on behalf of the wider finance team for responding to queries raised directly to the job holder.

• Demonstrate strong financial business partnering skills by:

• • Providing timely delivery of monthly reports and scorecards (with support from the Business Intelligence team)

  • Offering training and guidance on financial awareness to key senior leaders in operational teams as needed.

• Model a positive, professional and collaborative ethos in the Finance team, fostering a supportive and productive work environment.

Experience, Skills & Qualifications:

• Studying towards or completed a relevant accounting qualification (CIMA / ACCA / ACA etc.)

• A relevant degree (Accounting / Finance / Maths etc.) or AAT qualification.

• Unqualified candidates with significant relevant experience would be considered.

• Advanced Excel skills is critical – data manipulation (including extraction from financial ledgers), analytical and presentation skills at a level suitable for Senior Manager review.

• Proven ability to influence financial outcomes and work closely with operational managers.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to communicate and build relationships with people at different levels.

• Ability to present complex data and analysis in a high impact visual manner to senior stakeholders, drawing out the key messages and findings.

• Relevant management accounting experience.

• Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office including PowerPoint.

• Experience of Access Dimensions and Power BI would be advantageous, though not essential.

Why join Outcomes First Group?

About the Group

Outcomes First Group is the leading provider of specialist education in the UK. We exist to give neurodivergent children and young people access to a great education that caters to their specific needs, abilities and aspirations.

There are three brands in our Outcomes First family: Acorn Education, Options Autism and Momenta Connect. Together, we educate, care for and support children, young people, and adults across the UK, empowering them to be happy and make their way in the world.

We are really proud to say that in 2024, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the fifth year running.

Our VisionWe believe that with a great education, every neurodivergent pupil can thrive and make their way in the world.

Our MissionEvery day we improve the lives of our pupils, their families, and local communities through a relentless focus on wellbeing and learning.

Our Promise We are kind to ourselves and each other We work together and we make things happen. Our Promise sits alongside our Vision and Mission. It describes the sort of people we are and our commitment to how we treat each other, work together, and behave.

Benefits

Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

• Life Assurance

• Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions

• “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

• Family Growth Support – inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:

• A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits

• 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad

• Cycle to Work Schemes

• Electric Car Purchase Scheme

• Critical illness cover

• Family Growth Support – inclusive benefits package covering enhanced maternity and paternity leave, along with paid fertility treatment support.

And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the pupils and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Equal Opportunities