About the role

The Finance Business Partner will provide accurate and timely financial information to help the BU to monitor performance. Support and partner with the Business Unit Manager with the effective running of the business unit. You are required to build and maintain strong collaborative relationships with the Operational and Administrative staff within their BU. You will possess excellent communication skills, both written and oral, have strong commercial awareness, and be able to work in a fast-paced environment. You will indirectly report in into the Financial Controller providing monthly reports and management accounts.

Competitive Salary + Share Scheme + Pension + Private Healthcare +  Cashback Healthcare Scheme + EV Car Scheme

Key objectives

• Responsible for financial control of the BU
• Advises and supports the Business Unit Manager and operational staff by providing and interpreting analytical information to enable effective decision making.
• Provides support in ensuring that the rules, principles and the internal control requirements of the Group are met.
• Ensuring the Business Unit meets all of its reporting obligations.

Principal responsibilities and accountabilities

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Be actively involved with the annual budget preparation process, specifically, lead the quantitative process
• Regular analysis of KPI’s such as invoice lag, debtors, variances and productive hours
• Analyse and explain overhead spend and variances to budget
• Provide analysis to forecast the performance of the business against budget in order to aid decision making
• Data mining and manipulation to help with the points mentioned above
• Assist the BUGM in obtaining market intelligence to facilitate strategy and budget formulation

Project Accounting and Monitoring

• Support the Project Managers in understanding their projects
• Coach/train Project Managers on the Project Accounting Systems so they can effectively monitor their projects
• In conjunction with their BUGM perform quarterly project reviews to ensure the project performance is properly and prudently assessed

Cash Management

• Evaluate the credit worthiness of new and existing clients
• Make sure invoicing is always maximised by understating project billing milestones on projects and monitoring invoicing lag KPI
• Ensure effective and efficient credit control in the BU

Control and Reporting

• Make sure transactions are accurately recorded in a timely manner and in accordance with the group and accounting rules
• Support the BUGM to control overhead spend and to keep within budget
• Ensure all monthly and quarterly reporting is completed within the set timescales
• Support the Company Financial Controller with the year end audit by providing the necessary transactional and project information
• Ensure the BU is in compliance with the groups Internal Control procedures

Administration & Other

• Lead and participate in the administration of the BU and the team.
• Act as a catalyst to drive forward initiatives to achieve business strategy
• Identify, manage and deliver projects on an ad hoc basis that deliver real improvements in the effective management of the BU
• Live the values of the group.

The Person

Qualifications and training

• CIMA, Degree, AAT or equivalent accounting qualification

Technical skills and experience

Communication

• Outstanding oral and written communication skills are imperative for this role. The person will need to be a confident communicator, across all levels both internally and externally.
• Ability to translate financial analysis in to clear strategic objectives.
• Friendly and approachable manner, able to build and sustain relationships based on trust at all levels.

Quality and Accuracy

• An eye for detail, focused on quality and accuracy, within a busy environment, without compromising deadlines.
• Ability to use sound judgement to ensure the appropriate messages are delivered.

Financial

• Strong financial skills applied in a project costing context
• Ability to analyse and interpret variances
• Good knowledge of basic accounting functions such as AP, AR, Timesheets
• Understand the importance and drivers of good Cash Management including forecasting.

IT

• Strong IT skills in particular, Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Word)
• Knowledge of SAP or similar system preferable

Organisation and Management

• Able to plan and work to deadlines
• Excellent organisational skills
• Experience of managing people
• Ability to influence others
• A self-starter who can work on their own initiative but also be able to work effectively as part of a team.