Finance business partner - Permanent - Full Time

Sense has a fantastic opportunity for someone to join our Finance team as our Finance Business Partner. This is a full time position working 37.5 hours per week based at our office in Selly Oak, Birmingham. This is a hybrid role working in the office 2/3 days per week.

The successful candidate will provide a high-quality business partnering service to operational management, enabling them to make financial decisions about the current and future services. You will prepare regular, timely and accurate financial management information including budgets, forecasts, cost centre reports, analysis and commentaries and ensure that non-financial managers can interpret the data to understand the financial implications and consequences of their decisions. As well as monitoring and evaluating financial information systems used operationally and within the finance team suggesting improvement where needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Produce accurate monthly management accounts to the required timetable, including the preparation of accruals and prepayment journals as appropriate.
• Identify, investigate and report on monthly variances and provide full year forecasts, liaising with financial staff and non-finance managers as appropriate.
• Monthly face to face presentation of financial performance to Senior management, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the financial information.
• To independently conduct monthly review meetings with the Director of the service and managers and to act as the key point of contact to support budget holders with grant management, decision making, capital and investment proposals.
• Offer professional judgement on financial matters and advising on ways to improve business performance.
• To lead and co-ordinate the annual budget setting process in collaboration with operational managers and the group consolidation team, particularly for donor funded programmes.

Key skills and experience

• Relevant financial qualification such as CCAB/CIMA, with evidence of own continuing professional development.
• Proven experience as a Finance Business Partner.
• Experience of developing and monitoring an annual budget within a multi-cost centre environment.
• Experience of using finance systems such as Sun.
• Up to date knowledge of accounting standards.
• Experience of manipulating large data sets in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience of building effective working relationships with internal colleagues and external agencies, so that objectives are met consistently, and change is introduced successfully.

Working at Sense can be incredibly rewarding; we offer the opportunity to work in a large, diverse and successful charity where people can develop their skills, knowledge and careers in a supportive and flexible environment. In addition, we have excellent training and development, the opportunity for you to join our Group Personal Pension scheme and a generous annual leave entitlement.

Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role. For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with.