Senior Commercial Finance Business Partner (Maternity Leave Cover) in London

KINESSO is seeking an experienced Senior Commercial Finance Business Partner to provide critical maternity leave cover within the KINESSO Direct Lead Agency, as well as the Addressable, Analytics and Solutions crafts. The cover is anticipated to last approximately 10 months from April 2026. This role is pivotal in providing strategic financial leadership, commercial insight and decision support to senior stakeholders. The successful candidate will act as a trusted adviser to the business, ensuring continuity of financial stewardship, performance management and forward‐looking insight during the maternity leave period.

Key Purpose of the Role

• Partner closely with senior leadership to drive commercial performance, profitability and growth.
• Lead core FP&A activities, including budgeting, forecasting and long‐range planning.
• Provide clear, actionable financial insight to support strategic and operational decision‐making.
• Mitigate financial risk while identifying opportunities to improve performance and efficiency.

Strategic Financial Partnership

• Act as a trusted finance advisor to senior business leaders across the KINESSO Direct Lead Agency and associated crafts.
• Provide insight and challenge to support investment decisions, strategic initiatives and business planning.
• Translate complex financial data into clear, compelling messages for non‐finance stakeholders.

Financial Planning, Forecasting & Performance Management

• Lead budgeting, forecasting and long‐range planning processes.
• Produce and present monthly management accounts, KPIs, variance analysis and forward‐looking commentary.
• Identify key value drivers, risks and opportunities, and recommend actions to improve performance.

Commercial & Decision Support

• Evaluate pricing models, client proposals, project profitability and investment cases.
• Provide financial support in contract negotiations, customer agreements and supplier discussions.
• Assess commercial risks and returns, ensuring decisions are data‐led and outcomes‐focused.

Risk Management & Controls

• Proactively identify financial risks and control issues, working with the business to develop mitigation plans.
• Ensure financial governance, accuracy and integrity of reporting throughout the maternity cover period.

Process Improvement & Ways of Working

• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance reporting quality, efficiency and insight.
• Collaborate with cross‐functional teams to define, monitor and improve key performance indicators (KPIs).

Requirements

• Significant experience working in a finance/commercial environment.
• ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualification or other equivalent experience.
• Strong financial analysis and modelling skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial data and present insights to non‐financial stakeholders.
• Solid understanding of financial planning and analysis (FP&A) processes, including budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.
• Proficiency in financial software and advanced MS Excel skills. Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) is desirable.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to understand the commercial drivers of the business.
• Proactive and results‐oriented mindset, with the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast‐paced environment.
• Ability to work well under pressure and in an environment of change.
• High attention to detail and accuracy in financial reporting and analysis.
• Knowledge of the industry and market trends is preferred.