At a Glance
- Tasks: Support senior leaders with financial insights and strategic decision-making.
- Company: Join a leading retail-focused company committed to diversity and inclusion.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, learning opportunities, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: Flexible hybrid working and a culture that values your contributions.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on business strategy and customer experience.
- Qualifications: Qualified accountant with strong analytical and stakeholder management skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
We are looking for a Finance Business Partner to join our FP&A and Business Partnering team, supporting the Customer Experience directorate. This is a commercially focused role for a finance professional who enjoys turning data into insight and influencing strategic decisions. This is a high-impact, senior-facing position where you will work closely with leadership to shape performance, guide decision-making, and deliver real business value.
Sitting within a large retail-focused directorate of 400+ colleagues, you will provide strategic financial support to senior leaders, present insights to our CX director, CFO and CEO, and play a key role in shaping our ambitious 5-year business plan (c.£250m) by driving efficiencies, supporting transformation, and enabling operational improvements.
Key responsibilities:- Act as financial lead and trusted advisor to the Customer Experience directorate
- Deliver clear, insightful reporting and commentary to senior stakeholders including CFO and CEO
- Lead financial planning for the 5-year business plan and support strategic decision-making
- Own financial oversight of a £30m Customer Transformation Programme, including benefits tracking
- Oversee reporting and analysis of £500m+ annual cash collections and bad debt provisioning
- Identify opportunities to improve financial performance and operational efficiency
- Provide forward-looking analysis on risks, trends, and growth opportunities
- Challenge and influence decisions through scenario modelling and insight
- Lead month-end process in partnership with management accountants
You are a confident, commercially driven finance professional who enjoys partnering with senior stakeholders and influencing outcomes. You combine strong analytical ability with the confidence to challenge and shape strategy.
Essential requirements:- Qualified accountant (CIMA or ACCA) with strong post‑qualification experience
- Proven experience partnering with senior stakeholders and influencing decision making
- Proven experience partnering with customer operations teams in high‑volume environments, delivering commercial insight that improves customer experience, operational efficiency, and cost‑to‑serve
- Strong commercial awareness and financial acumen
- Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insight
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Experience working in a regulated industry (desirable)
2 days per week working from home
Benefits:- Competitive salary dependant on skills and experience
- Learning and development opportunities, including mentoring and a range of formal courses and open learning resources
- Entry into the company annual bonus scheme
- Annual leave from 26-30 rising with length of service, and the option to purchase up to 5 extra days
- A 'Celebration Day' in addition to public holidays that people can use to celebrate a religious festival or other occasion that is important to them
- A generous 'double match pension scheme' that doubles the contributions you make (company contribution capped at 12%)
- We offer a range of family benefits including enhanced Maternity, Adoption, Paternity, Shared Parental Leave, Fertility Support Leave and up to 5 full or 10 half days of paid Carers Leave
- Menopause policy and Reasonable Adjustment policy to help everyone perform at their best
- Access to our Wellbeing Centre with support for looking after your physical and mental health
- Discounts at a Range of Retail Outlets and on Dental and Medical Insurance through our Tap4Perks scheme
- Up to 4 Affinity days a year to volunteer in the community
- Life Assurance
As a Disability Confident employer, we’re committed to offering interviews to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria and opt in on the application form. If we have a very high volume of applicants and we’re not able to offer interviews to all, we’ll take a fair and proportionate number of disabled candidates through. Affinity Water recognises the benefits of greater diversity in our workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We are committed to building a more inclusive culture where every member of our workforce can thrive.
You can find out what it's like to work at Affinity Water through our career site here where our colleagues share their career development stories and you can get a feel for our company culture.
Department: Finance & Business Services
Locations: Hatfield
Remote status: Hybrid
Employment type: Full-time
Finance Business Partner in Hatfield employer: Affinity Water
Contact Detail:
Affinity Water Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance Business Partner in Hatfield
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance world, especially those who work in customer experience or similar roles. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings and even referrals.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising your storytelling skills. We want you to showcase how your past experiences have shaped your ability to influence strategic decisions and drive efficiencies. Make it relatable and impactful!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of research! Dive deep into the company’s recent projects, especially around their £30m Customer Transformation Programme. This will help you tailor your insights and show that you’re genuinely interested in their goals.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, you’ll find all the latest opportunities and updates directly from us, making it easier to stay in the loop.
We think you need these skills to ace Finance Business Partner in Hatfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Finance Business Partner role. Highlight your experience in financial planning and stakeholder management, and don’t forget to showcase how you've turned data into actionable insights.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Mention specific examples of how you've influenced strategic decisions and improved financial performance in previous roles.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role is all about turning data into insight, be sure to highlight your analytical skills. Include examples of how you've used data to drive efficiencies or support transformation in past positions.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Affinity Water
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Finance Business Partner, you'll need to demonstrate your financial acumen. Brush up on key metrics related to the Customer Experience directorate and be ready to discuss how you've used data to influence strategic decisions in the past.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
This role involves working closely with senior leaders like the CFO and CEO. Prepare examples of how you've successfully partnered with senior stakeholders before, showcasing your ability to communicate complex insights clearly and effectively.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to shaping the 5-year business plan. Think about specific scenarios where you've driven efficiencies or supported transformation in previous roles, and be ready to share those insights.
✨Practice Scenario Modelling
Since influencing decisions through scenario modelling is key, practice explaining how you've used this technique in the past. Bring along examples that highlight your analytical skills and ability to foresee risks and opportunities.