Deputy Director of Finance Business Partnering (Operations) in London

Help shape financial decision-making at one of the UK’s leading universities. King’s is a large, complex and internationally engaged university with ambitious plans for the years ahead. We are looking for an experienced finance leader to join us as Deputy Director of Finance Business Partnering (Operations), playing a key role in strengthening financial performance, decision-making and long-term sustainability across our Professional Services directorates. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to make a real impact.

You will be part of our Financial Strategy, Planning and Performance function, helping King’s maintain the sustainable financial foundation needed to support our education, research and wider contribution to society.

The role

Reporting to the Director of Finance Business Partnering (Operations), you will lead high-quality finance business partnering services across a range of Professional Services areas, including Student Services, IT, Philanthropy and Alumni, Executive portfolios and other directorates. You will directly line manage a team of Finance Business Partners and their Management Accountant teams, with overall responsibility for a team of around eight people, including three direct reports. You will also play a substantial leadership role across the wider Operations Finance Business Partnering team, supporting a team of around 19 colleagues. This is a hands-on senior leadership role. You will work closely with senior stakeholders, providing expert advice, constructive challenge, analysis and timely decision support. You will help ensure financial plans are robust, risks and opportunities are understood, and resources are aligned with King’s strategic priorities.

What you will be doing

• You will model excellent finance business partnering, using high-quality data and insight to support leaders across King’s Professional Services and Operations directorates.
• You will help stakeholders understand financial performance, make evidence-based decisions and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, value for money and long-term financial resilience.
• Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the delivery of finance business partnering across multiple Professional Services areas.
• Providing strategic financial advice, scenario modelling and long-term forecasting to support decision-making.
• Leading and supporting annual planning, monthly reporting, quarterly updates and forecasting processes.
• Developing clear, robust reporting and commentary for senior stakeholders, including Executive-level audiences.
• Supporting business cases, complex financial issues and cross-cutting initiatives.
• Ensuring income and expenditure are recorded correctly and that management accounts provide meaningful insight.
• Promoting compliance with financial policies, controls, data protection and secure use of financial information.
• Championing improvements to reporting, tools, dashboards, templates and processes.
• Supporting the Director in leading the Operations Finance Business Partnering team, including culture, priorities, development and ways of working.
• Deputising for the Director when required.

About you

We are looking for a qualified accountant with significant experience of leading financial advice, planning, forecasting and reporting services in a large, complex organisation. You will bring strong leadership skills, a service-focused approach and the ability to develop high-performing teams. You will be comfortable operating in complex stakeholder environments, managing competing priorities and influencing senior leaders with clarity, confidence and credibility. You will be someone who can combine technical financial expertise with sound judgement, strong relationship-building skills and a commitment to continuous improvement.

You will need to bring:

• A professional accountancy qualification.
• Experience of leading financial support, advice or business partnering services relevant to this role.
• Strong leadership skills, including the ability to manage and develop professional staff.
• Experience of leading short- and long-term planning, forecasting and reporting processes.
• The ability to deliver change and financial improvement across a finance function and wider organisation.
• Resilience and the ability to manage multiple objectives across teams and complex stakeholder groups.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present clearly to senior stakeholders and committees.
• Strong numeracy and IT skills, including Excel and experience using corporate finance and reporting systems.
• A degree-level qualification and experience of working in or with the university sector would be advantageous, but are not essential.

Why join King’s?

This role offers the chance to help shape a step change in finance business partnering at King’s. You will be joining at a time when the team is embedding a refreshed business partnering offer, improving reporting and forecasting tools, strengthening stakeholder support and building financial capability across the organisation. You will have the opportunity to work on high-profile priorities, influence senior decision-making and contribute to financial sustainability across a university with a powerful mission in education, research and service to society.

How to apply

To apply, please send your CV by 25th May 2026. For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Phil Southern at Ivy Rock Partners.