Finance Business Partner

Key Information

• Application Deadline: 5 June 2026
• Department: Finance
• Location: London
• Compensation: £70,000 / year

About ARIA

ARIA is a R&D funding agency created to unlock technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone. We fund scientists and engineers to pursue research at the edge of the possible. From climate change to AI, society faces enormous challenges and opportunities that can be uniquely addressed by science and technology. ARIA was created to activate the UK’s world-class R&D in new ways, so we can meet these head on. Our success is shaped by one question: how will ARIA transform the lives of the UK’s future generations?

Role Summary

You will be one of our first Finance Business Partners working closely with the Programme Directors and the wider ARIA team to help shape and deliver programmes. This role will report to the Finance Director and aid ARIA’s Programme Directors in the financial management of a number of ARIA Programmes. This will span programmes both in pre‑award discovery and post‑award management, and in each case you will ensure accurate and regular reporting and re‑forecasting of the programmes. Working as an integral part of a small team, and with significant exposure to ARIA’s Executives, you will help ARIA deliver professional excellence within its finance operations.

What You’ll Do

• Pre‑award (25%)
  • Work alongside Programme Directors and their teams in capturing evolving requirements as they design, plan and implement the full delivery of the programmes
  • Review funding applicants’ cost templates for consistency, accuracy and value for money
  • Support the development of new funding models, including commercial analysis, granted to ARIA via its freedoms in the ARIA Act
• Post‑award (50%)
  • Build trusted and effective post‑award financial management support to Programme Directors
  • Manage the relationship with external grant and contract recipients, ensuring that all invoice, reporting and audit requirements have been met
  • Ensure that ARIA’s Programme Directors have visibility into reliable and transparent financial data on all Programme spend
  • Execute accurate programme re‑forecasting models
• Other (25%)
  • Boost the Finance team’s developing AI and automation initiatives
  • Feed into ARIA’s evolving data roadmap, enabling the rich data collected from Creators can inform cross‑portfolio insights
  • Lead on adhoc projects that boosts the Finance team in scaling to meet ARIA’s ambitions

Essential Criteria

• Highly numerate with a high level of attention to detail
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Experience of working as a business partner to multiple programmes or different business units
• Ability to balance the trade‑offs between Finance governance and programme priorities
• Background in external audit, commercial finance, financial accounting or management accounting
• High level of budgeting/forecasting or FP&A experience
• Ability to manage own workload and priorities
• Adaptable mindset and comfortable with working in a fast changing environment within a small, highly‑performing team

Qualifications

• Fully qualified (ACCA/CIMA or equivalent)

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of building financial plans with scenario planning
• Worked in mission‑compelled organisations that frequently require trade‑off decisions, including third sector
• Comfortable with working in new scenarios with an adaptive mindset
• Experience working within Finance governance structures, including internal and external audit and Audit Committees
• Has used a diverse range of systems associated with start‑ups and scale‑ups, including Google suite and data visualisation systems such as Tableau or Power BI

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave provision, with the option to buy/sell additional days
• Hybrid working arrangements; 60% in office / 40% at home
• Supportive environment for learning and development opportunities
• Enhanced family leave arrangements
• A free and confidential 24/7 employee assistance programme
• Life Assurance
• 2 days of paid volunteer days
• 5% defined contribution pension scheme with Smart Pension
• Cycle to Work scheme
• An excellent office location in Kings Cross, London

Inclusive Hiring

Not sure you meet 100% of our criteria? Don’t worry! If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We want to attract the broadest array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you’re new to the field, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interests and what you hope to bring to this role. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please notify us and we will make every effort to accommodate you. Disclosing any requests are intended to provide ARIA with the best opportunity to support candidates and will have no negative impact on your recruitment process.

ARIA adopts a highly considered approach to ethical and social responsibility. You can read our policy here. Our research and development activity will abide by the 3Rs principle. You can read about those here.