Assistant Finance Business Partner in Belfast

The Management Accounts team is the main interface for the organisation into Finance and Regulation. The team provides a comprehensive management accounting and financial advisory service to budget holders across the business. This includes:

• Strategic and annual planning
• Forecasting monitoring and control
• Business support
• Costing policy
• Statutory, Regulatory and departmental returns
• Financial governance and leadership

The Management Accounts team is made up of Finance Business Partners who work very closely with the organisation. The team is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of operational financial management within the functional business area and are, in essence, the first contact for persons within NIW that have a financial query. They can help support the business by applying financial disciplines, such as managing value for money, performance management, risk management or financial analysis.

The Assistant Finance Business Partner role is expected to provide assistance to the Finance Business Partner in all aspects of their role and responsibilities. They will provide all manner of support in preparing budgets, forecasts and business plans as well as monthly monitoring of actuals versus budget/forecast, Business Case support, Cost to Serve and Unit Costs and partnering the area of the business in their decision making. They will also assist the Finance Business Partner in their input into the annual audit, monitoring rounds, Annual Information Returns and Costing Performance reporting. The role is also expected to build strong relationships with internal and external partners particularly within the areas of the business they are supporting.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Business management and support

• Assist in the coordination of the development of financial plans both in the longer term for strategic business plans, and in the shorter term for budgeting and forecasting requiring monthly, quarterly and annual planning of workload and proactive engagement with the business.
• Help provide input into the development of the business areas strategy and help deliver to stakeholders.
• Assist in performance measurement against budget and forecast, through appropriate monthly reporting and continual analysis and subsequent presentation of the months financial performance both written and verbally providing information for decision making.
• Assist in providing timely and accurate management information and advice to budget holders to allow effective management of their budgets and assist them in carrying out their financial duties, constructively challenging where appropriate.
• This requires monthly, quarterly and annual planning of workload and proactive engagement with the business.
• Assist with the continual analysis, interpretation and communication of financial and performance data, and provision of financial advice in the form of management and board reports.
• Assist in the completion of financial returns and questionnaires as required.
• Support in continual cost management which will help move the organisation towards efficiency and effectiveness.
• Participation in benefits realization and tracking with the business.
• Support in business case review and investment appraisal when required.
• Where applicable, assisting in capital planning, management and reporting.
• Work closely with the Finance Business Partner including acting as cover for the Finance Business Partner when required as well as representing them to internal/external parties in instances of the Finance Business Partners non-availability.

Governance and Control

• Provide support and advise of financial delegations, and communication of same to the organisation.
• Active engagement of risk management in the organisation, from strategic to operational, including the risk of fraud.
• Support with the interaction with internal and external audit and actioning outstanding audit points.

IT System knowledge and use

• Manipulate and interrogate large amounts of data, therefore Excel usage required.
• The use of ADI upload to Oracle or other large general ledger system, for monthly accruals, corrections and adjustments.
• The use of Hyperion for budgets and forecasts.
• Use of OBIEE reporting package to produce reports as and when required.

Regulation

• Assisting in the completion of Regulatory Returns.
• Support in the review of efficiencies and identification of potential cost savings with the business to enable an improvement in efficiency against efficiency frontiers.
• Assist in the benchmarking against other water and sewerage companies to guide improvements in efficiency.
• Awareness of requirements of regulation for water and wastewater.

Stakeholder Management

• Assist in the provision of financial support for NI Water, being a key interface into the business.
• Participating with the liaison with Regulatory bodies where required.

Budget and People Management Responsibilities

This role currently has no budget nor staff to manage.

Entry Requirements

Candidates MUST be able to demonstrate that they meet the following requirements in their application and, where necessary, at interview:

• ESSENTIAL CRITERIA
• Must have successfully completed at least one set of exams with one of the following bodies and currently working towards a full qualification and have at least 1 years experience of working in a similar role within a deadline driven finance environment:
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
• The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
• The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
• Proficiency in MS Word and MS Excel skills including being able to demonstrate experience of using these tools to analyse large complex data sets to provide insight and communicate this to the business.
• Be able to demonstrate good communication skills having previous experience of reporting and communicating with various stakeholders, both internal customers and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience of being able to work individually as well as in a team.
• Demonstrable experience of using own initiative and work to strict deadlines, prioritising and planning workload.

• DESIRABLE CRITERIA
• In the event of a large number of applications, in the first instance, candidates may be short-listed on the following desirable criteria:
• Experience in the business use of Oracle Financial System and Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) or comparable integrated accounting and reporting software.
• Experience in the business use of Hyperion or comparable forecasting/budgeting software.
• Experience of working in a regulated environment.

Competencies

The candidate should demonstrate the following competencies in the candidate response and interview process through examples and outcomes:

• Results
• Puts the customer at the centre of all business activity and ensure the team does the same.
• Ensures the delivery of a quality service ensuring standards are met or exceeded.
• Demonstrates a drive for results and identifies obstacles and takes action to overcome them, displaying flexibility, energy and enthusiasm.

• Can Do/Will Do
• Always strives to find solutions to problems and looks to remove or overcome obstacles.
• Encourages team members to use their initiative and to seek solutions rather than merely presenting problems.
• The ability to ensure that information is received and produced to specific deadlines.
• Displays intellectual flexibility by thinking outside of the immediate situation and seeing the big picture.
• Able to interpret and present data and management information.

• Teamwork
• Ability to communicate confidently, clearly and concisely both orally and in writing, with a variety of stakeholders both inside and outside the organisation.
• Works collaboratively with other FBOs and other stakeholders across the business to maintain good working relationships.
• Uses negotiation and influencing skills to the benefit of the team and the organisation.

• Growth Through Change
• Manages change by using influencing and negotiating skills to achieve the successful implementation of change.
• Constantly looking for new and better ways of doing things.
• Consults with key stakeholders to ensure their needs and expectations are understood and works in partnership to manage and inform these expectations.