Senior Finance Business Partner

As a Senior Finance Business Partner, you'll play a key role in shaping financial performance across a range of directorates. You'll champion accountability, lead on cost control initiatives, and provide strategic financial insight to support effective decision-making. Where applicable, you'll guide and develop a team, ensuring they deliver the highest standard of financial support and add real value to the organisation.

Skills

• Clear Communicator: Able to simplify complex financial concepts for non-finance colleagues while ensuring compliance with Managing Public Money.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build trust and consensus with internal and external stakeholders, including Executive teams.
• Influencing & Impact: Shape and guide key strategic decisions through evidence-based insight.
• Analytical Forecasting: Critically review and challenge forecasts for affordability, value for money, and deliverability.
• Technical Expertise: Proficient with ERP systems, data analytics tools, and advanced Excel modelling.
• Financial Governance: Maintain strong financial controls across high-value programmes and projects.
• Team Leadership: Lead and motivate teams, managing workloads and resolving issues within demanding deadlines.

Knowledge

• Professional Accounting: Fully qualified accountant with experience in complex, fast-moving environments.
• Government Frameworks: Strong understanding of government accounting rules (DEL/AME) and compliance within delegated authorities.
• Systems & Processes: Knowledge of financial systems, with the ability to design and oversee robust off-system analyses.
• Commercial Awareness: Sound appreciation of commercial drivers and their impact on financial decision-making.

Experience

• Complex Organisations: Proven track record as a qualified accountant within large, multifaceted organisations or projects.
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Skilled in activity-based budgeting and annual business planning within Spending Review constraints.
• Matrix Environments: Experience working within matrix structures, including large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with planning, procurement, contract management, and HR to optimise resource planning.
• Team Leadership & Oversight: Managed finance business partners and project accountants, providing oversight of programme teams with budgets approaching £1bn annually.

Details

• Salary: £61,622 - £92,400
• Working Hours: Full Time, Monday to Friday
• Location: Hybrid/Birmingham
• Duration: Permanent

Role of Senior Finance Business Partner

• Lead the Directorate's contribution to the Government-wide Spending Review, working closely with senior executives, the central finance team, and the parent Department.
• Champion a culture of cost control and productivity, ensuring alignment with key agreements and business cases.
• Support senior leaders in managing budgets in line with HM Treasury and Government Finance standards, driving accountability and performance.
• Build and manage effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders with differing priorities.
• Drive performance improvement and productivity initiatives across the Directorate.
• Interpret management reports and present clear, actionable insights to senior leaders and the parent Department.
• Oversee month-end financial processes, including account preparation, variance analysis, and report reviews.
• Lead the annual business planning and budgeting process in collaboration with senior executives and finance teams.
• Partner with senior leaders to prepare quarterly re-forecasts for submission to the Executive.
• Review and challenge funding requests to ensure value for money, affordability, and compliance with HM Treasury guidance.
• Manage cash flow submissions to the Department for Transport (DfT) and oversee foreign exchange hedging activities.
• Identify, design, and implement process improvements to enhance project delivery.
• Ensure consistent use of reporting methods and financial processes across finance teams.
• Provide proactive business partnering, challenging forecasts and variances and recommending corrective actions.
• Develop, coach, and mentor business finance team members to increase capability and impact.
• Share best practices with the wider finance community and contribute to cross-functional initiatives as required.

Benefits of working as a Senior Finance Business Partner

• A starting salary that reflects your skills and experience.
• A cash allowance in lieu of benefits, which means you can choose which benefits are right for you and your family.
• Core company funded benefits such as life assurance, income protection and health cash plan.
• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays.
• Access to tax-efficient voluntary benefits scheme & retail, health, leisure, and travel offers.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program.
• Financial and health well-being programmes.