Strategic Finance Business Partner in Retford

Company Description

STEP Fusion UKFE Ltd, a subsidiary of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), is at the forefront of developing fusion sustainable energy. Through the design and delivery of the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme, we aim to build a prototype fusion plant, targeting first operations around 2040. UKFE will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year. Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week; however, we actively support requests for Flexible Working.

As an employee of UKFE you will benefit from:

• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• Corporate bonus scheme up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working options including family friendly policies.
• Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders.
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays.
• Wide range of career development opportunities.
• A vibrant culture committed to equality and being fully inclusive.

The salary for this role is £64,115 + excellent benefits including outstanding pension. The closing date to apply for this position is the 29th April 2026. This UKFE vacancy will be based at our site in West Burton, Nottinghamshire.

Job Description

In this role, you will act as a trusted and strategic business partner to Programme Directors, Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) Directors, and senior stakeholders across UKFE and the STEP Programme. You will drive robust financial planning, forecasting, and value-for-money decision-making, providing both challenge and authoritative advice to enable effective programme delivery. Critically, you will represent the Finance Director/CFO within the IPT(s) you are embedded in and ensure that financial decisions are compliant with UKFE Finance Governance. You will therefore have a critical dual role in providing both strategic financial advice and providing financial assurance, ensuring compliance and safeguarding of company assets.

You will provide strategic financial analysis and advice to senior stakeholders, ensuring sound governance and compliance with financial standards, policies, and procedures. You will be accountable for ensuring that budget holders deliver financial outturns consistent with UKFE’s budget allocation, working in close partnership with the Executive Team. You will play a pivotal role in shaping a world-class finance function within UKFE, embedding finance in strategic decision-making and enabling the successful delivery of the STEP Programme.

Strategic Business Partnering

• Lead the development of financial strategies for assigned programmes and IPTs.
• Influence Programme Directors and senior leaders on investment, resourcing, and prioritisation decisions.
• Ensure interdependencies between projects and programmes are fully assessed and integrated into financial strategies.
• Provide authoritative financial challenge to senior stakeholders, ensuring decisions optimise value for money.
• Act as the primary source of strategic financial advice at programme and portfolio level.

Financial Leadership & Control

• Embed financial policies, delegations, and controls within your IPTs, ensuring compliance with UKFE-wide frameworks and escalating issues where required.
• Ensure compliance with UK Government finance frameworks and sponsor reporting requirements.
• Lead financial risk management within your IPTs, ensuring risks are identified, quantified, and mitigated, and escape material exposures to central finance and senior stakeholders.
• Exercise financial authority over Work Packages, ensuring that approvals demonstrate compliance with budgets, delegations, and value-for-money requirements at programme level.
• Provide financial oversight and assurance on requisitions, ensuring approvals are aligned with budgets, delegations, and programme priorities, and escape any material issues or risks.

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

• Act as the senior finance representative in programme boards, governance forums, and external engagements.
• Manage financial interfaces with DESNZ, UKAEA, Whole Plant Partners, and other external stakeholders.
• Build strong relationships with senior IPT staff, including the IPT Director.
• Build strategic relationships across engineering, commercial, and programme functions to embed financial considerations into all major decisions.
• Build strategic relationships with the Commercial & Procurement team to embed finance in commercial decision-making and provide assurance that Control Account and project-level commercial commitments align with financial governance.
• Lead and sign off business cases, ensuring robust financial justification and compliance with financial and strategic objectives.

Reporting & Insight

• Own the financial reporting and insight for your assigned IPTs, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with central finance standards, and provide assurance that reporting is consistent across Control Accounts.
• Provide strategic financial analysis and insight to the IPT leadership, highlighting risks, opportunities, and financial implications of delivery decisions.
• Translate complex financial data into actionable strategies for non-financial leaders.
• Drive continuous improvement in management information and insight, strengthening decision-making capability across the IPT and the UKFE Finance Team.

Strategic Development of Finance Capability

• Promote and embed best practice in finance business partnering within your IPTs, role-modelling high standards and sharing lessons to strengthen capability and consistency across UKIFS.
• Champion finance as a strategic enabler of programme success.
• Contribute directly to the development of UKFE’s financial strategy, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and sponsor requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement in finance processes, systems, and reporting at programme level, ensuring integration and consistency across IPTs.
• Act as a key link between finance and delivery teams, ensuring that financial capability and insights are embedded into programme governance, training, and decision-making processes.

Audit & Assurance

• Act as the finance lead for IPT-level audits, ensuring compliance with UKFE governance and external requirements.
• Provide assurance to senior stakeholders, sponsor bodies, and auditors on the integrity of IPT financial reporting and controls.
• Ensure audit recommendations are embedded within the IPT’s finance processes and maintain robust financial governance so that the IPT remains audit-ready at all times.

Embody a Leadership Mindset

• Regardless of your formal position, you embody a leadership mindset and a set of leadership behaviours.
• You embrace and embody our organization's culture, values, and mission in all aspects of your work.
• Foster a positive and inclusive team environment that aligns with our cultural values.
• Contribute to maintaining a respectful and collaborative workplace, valuing diversity, and promoting teamwork.
• Act as a cultural ambassador, representing our organization's values and professionalism in interactions with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
• Lead by example, demonstrating integrity, professionalism, and ethical behaviour.
• Make informed decisions and solve problems effectively, considering diverse perspectives and organizational goals.

Qualifications

Essential

• A degree (minimum 2:1 or equivalent) in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or a closely related discipline.
• A recognised professional accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with significant post-qualification experience.
• A recognised project management qualification (e.g., PMP, APM, Prince2 Practitioner).
• A recognised qualification or significant training in Investment Appraisal and Business Case Development (e.g., HM Treasury Green Book training, Better Business Cases™ Practitioner, or equivalent).
• Substantial senior-level experience in accountancy or finance, with a proven ability to influence and advise at Executive and Board level.
• Exceptional diplomatic and influencing skills, with the ability to evaluate and communicate complex financial issues to non-financial audiences.
• Demonstrable track record in strategic financial analysis, planning, forecasting, and control across large, multi-year programmes.
• Understanding of the principles of revenue recognition and lease accounting for both capital and operational activities.
• Accountable for ensuring budget holders and senior leaders deliver financial outturns aligned to UKFE’s budget allocation.
• Proven ability to ensure sound governance and compliance with financial standards, policies, and procedures.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, operating effectively across organisational boundaries and with external partners.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to translate complex financial data into clear advice for diverse audiences.

Beneficial

• Experience in major infrastructure programmes or government-funded organisations.
• Knowledge of UK Government finance frameworks and sponsor reporting requirements.
• Experience working in a matrix or joint-venture environment with industrial partners.
• A recognised certification in government or public sector finance (e.g., CIPFA or equivalent).
• Training or certification in value-for-money analysis or cost-benefit evaluation.
• Knowledge of NEC contract management and commercial frameworks relevant to major capital projects.

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from British black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success. UKFE is committed to being accessible. Please email talent@ukifs.uk if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions. Whilst not required at this time, there is a possibility of an SC Clearance being required in the future. If a candidate already holds an SC clearance, that clearance can be transferred to UKIFS.

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants. If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications. We may consider your application for future positions or similar positions within the organisation. We have a number of exceptional opportunities available at the moment, to view them all please visit Careers - STEP.