Finance Business Partner in Bristol

Our fantastic Finance team are looking for an experienced Finance Business Partner (FBP) to support the financial performance of our operations business, providing quality analysis and challenge to optimise our returns in an engaging and enthusiastic team based in our Bristol office. This position plays a vital role within the FP&A function, providing analytical leadership on revenue and cost performance with a national remit. The Finance Business Partner will serve as a critical link between central operational support and Finance, ensuring that senior leaders understand risks and opportunities that influence net operating income delivery. The role will collaborate closely with Finance Business Partner colleagues across regional teams to ensure consistency of approach, comparability of results, and timely translation of regional performance into national insights.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Support the commercial team in setting and monitoring national sales targets & incentives
• Challenge labour cost model and drive operational efficiency initiatives
• Work with the estates team to standardise cost per bed spends nationally
• Support the business in its utility management and sustainability targets
• Analyse monthly national P&L performance and clearly articulate key variance drivers
• Assist in budgeting and quarterly reforecasting
• Support the wider FP&A team in 5 Year planning
• Assist regional finance business partners to provide cover and support where necessary
• Consolidate cashflow projections for all areas of net operating income, liaising with finance stakeholders to provide regular cashflow commentary and forecasts
• Collaborate with Group Reporting and Management Accounting teams to deliver appropriate reporting of key activity including monthly accruals, prepayments and adjustments
• Maintain a good working knowledge of other areas of the business, and activities of our competitors; keep up to date with trends and developments within own professional area

What We’re Looking for in You

• Qualified Accountant (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with excellent communication skills
• Experience of working in Oracle EPM preferred
• Evidence of working in a fast paced, high change environment and able to manage multiple demands effectively whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy, quality and attention to detail
• An ability to develop and influence effective working relationships with senior business stakeholders
• Ability to provide challenge and hold to account teams in order to drive performance
• Possesses and promotes a positive attitude, with the ability to adapt swiftly and a willingness to undertake challenging tasks
• Ability to manage own time effectively, prioritising tasks, multitasking, and meeting deadlines

What You’ll Get in Return

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company’s success
• 25 days’ paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service
• A generous pension scheme - employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents
• Lots of other great benefits including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is the UK’s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 23 leading university towns and cities, with 70,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn’t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone. We’re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we’re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what’s right, keeping US safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.