Finance Business Partnering Lead in Milton Keynes

Country: United Kingdom

IT STARTS HERE. Santander is evolving from a global, high-impact brand into a technology-driven organisation, and our people are at the heart of this journey. Together, we are driving a customer-centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible. This is more than a strategic shift. It’s a chance for driven professionals to grow, learn, and make a real difference.

Our mission is to help more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk and performance culture and all our professionals, at all levels, are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach to financial stewardship and cost management. The Procurement & Cost Management function plays a critical role in ensuring that our spend, investments and cost base align with our strategic goals, deliver sustainable value, and support operational excellence. It focuses on partnering the business, optimising cost, and shaping commercial decisions to drive long-term profitability and resilience.

By working closely with internal stakeholders, Procurement & Cost Management bridges strategic objectives and financial outcomes, ensuring that decisions on cost, investment and change directly contribute to business performance, innovation and sustainability.

Santander UK is looking for a Finance Business Partnering Lead, based at Unity Place, to act as a CFO-style leader for a defined business area. As the Finance Business Partnering Lead, you will own the full P&L and cost base for your area, leading a team of Finance Business Partners to provide forward-looking insight, challenge and direction. Your goal is to shape decisions, anticipate risks and opportunities, and ensure that financial performance is clearly understood, well managed and aligned to the Bank's strategic priorities.

You will use data, analysis and commercial judgement to tell the story behind the numbers – influencing senior stakeholders, supporting investment choices, and embedding a strong cost and performance culture. This is a highly strategic, outward-facing role that goes well beyond reporting, playing a key part in driving sustainable profitability and growth across Santander UK.

To succeed in this role, you will be responsible for:

• Acting as CFO-style owner of the P&L for your business area, providing clear insight, challenge and recommendations to improve performance and drive strategic outcomes.
• Leading and developing a team of Finance Business Partners to deliver high-quality forward-looking analysis, planning and decision support to senior stakeholders.
• Translating complex financial and cost information into clear, impactful narratives and options for ExCo members, Heads of Business Areas and Programme Leads.
• Driving effective cost management and commercial disciplines, partnering with Procurement, Central Finance and the business to optimise spend and support strategic change.

Our people are our greatest strength. Every individual contributes unique perspectives that make us stronger as a team and as an organisation. We’re enabling teams to go beyond by valuing who they are and empowering what they bring.

The following requirements represent the knowledge, skills and abilities essential for success in this role:

• Experience operating at a senior level in Finance, with proven responsibility for P&L ownership, performance management or senior business partnering.
• Demonstrable track record of providing strategic insight and challenge to senior stakeholders, influencing decisions and driving measurable financial outcomes over multiple years.
• Strong understanding of cost management, budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes, ideally within Financial Services.

Hard Skills:

• Strong financial, analytical and commercial skills, with the ability to connect financial performance to strategic drivers and operational activity.
• Ability to explain complex financial concepts and scenarios in simple, clear language tailored to different audiences.

Soft Skills:

• Proven ability to build trusted, influential relationships with senior stakeholders, acting as a critical friend who can both support and challenge.
• Confident leadership of teams through change, using data, insight and best practice to drive performance, continuous improvement and a strong cost-conscious culture.

At Santander, your contribution matters. We recognise the difference you make every day, and we make sure you feel valued, supported and rewarded in return. Here, recognition goes beyond pay. It’s about the pride you feel in your work, the impact you have on customers and communities, and the opportunities you have to grow and thrive — personally and professionally.

30 days' holiday plus bank holidays, which increases to 31 days after 5 years service, with the option to purchase up to 5 contractual days per year.

£6,000 car allowance per year.

Company funded individual private medical insurance.

Protection for you and your family, with company-funded death-in-service benefit and income protection insurance, and the option to take advantage of discounted rates for additional life assurance and critical illness cover.

Share in Santander's success by saving or investing in our share plans.

As a Santander UK employee, you are able to request staff versions of our products like our Edge Current Accounts and Credit Cards with no fees, as well as apply to many other deals and discounts in Santander products and services.

Competitive rewards that reflect the real impact you make and the value you bring.

Wellbeing that goes beyond work — we work with a range of wellbeing partners across our 4 pillars of wellbeing (physical, mental, social and financial) to give you access to a suite of apps, discounted gym and fitness access, weekly online classes, flexible healthcare and mental health support.

Support for every life stage — from menopause and pregnancy to parenthood and beyond, with enhanced family leave, childcare options and tailored wellbeing support.

Time to give back through volunteering opportunities that let you make a difference in the communities we serve.

Global growth opportunities to shape your career, learn new skills and explore what’s possible across our international network.

Ready to be recognised? It starts with you.

At Santander, we’re proud to be an inclusive organisation that provides equal opportunities for everyone — regardless of age, gender, disability, civil status, race, religion or sexual orientation. We’re committed to creating a recruitment experience that’s accessible, fair and welcoming for all candidates. We want our people to thrive — at work and at home — while delivering the best outcomes for our customers and supporting each other to grow.

To make this possible, our roles are site-based with a hybrid working pattern, where colleagues are expected to attend the office at least 12 days per month (pro-rata for part-time roles). When applying, please consider the travel distance, time and cost to your chosen office location(s).

Every individual must have the right to work in the UK to commence employment with Santander either by way of nationality, visa or work permit. If you do require a working visa / permit this will not influence our decision on whether to progress your application. However, if you do not have a right to work, or an application for a working visa / permit is unsuccessful, Santander will not proceed with your application and will withdraw any conditional offer previously made.

We welcome applications on the understanding that, should you be offered this role, there may be no relocation package available. Santander will pay the employer mandatory government fees that are required to pay in connection with visa sponsorship. You may be liable for your own personal employee immigration and relocation costs.

If this sounds like a role you are interested in, then please apply. If there’s anything we can do in the recruitment process to help you achieve your best, get in touch. Whether it’s a copy of our application form in another format or additional assistance, we’re available through email.