Finance Business Partner
Birmingham / South of Birmingham | £75,000–£85,000 | Permanent | Home based, to cover South East and South West England

Opportunity
We’re working with a leading facilities management and defence organisation that is looking for a commercially minded Finance Business Partner to join the team. This is a really varied role and much more than just producing numbers and management accounts. You’ll work closely with senior operational leaders, budget holders and commercial teams, helping them understand what the numbers are telling them, challenging where needed and providing the insight that supports better business decisions. You’ll have real influence over financial performance, from improving profitability and managing risk through to supporting planning, forecasting and wider commercial activity. The role is home based, but there will be regular travel to Birmingham and across the wider operational portfolio. We’re therefore looking for someone based south of Birmingham who can realistically commute into Birmingham when required. The wider portfolio covers the South East and South West of England.

The Role
As the Finance Business Partner, you’ll become a trusted partner to the operational leadership team, providing clear financial insight and constructive challenge rather than simply reporting the numbers. You’ll take ownership of a portfolio of management accounts, working closely with operational teams to understand performance, identify trends and spot both risks and opportunities. There is also plenty of commercial exposure here, including budgeting, forecasting, profitability, billing, cash collection, WIP, bids, mobilisation and business cases. You’ll have the opportunity to get involved in wider business initiatives and help improve the way finance supports the operation.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Operational Directors, budget holders and senior stakeholders, providing financial insight, guidance and constructive challenge.
• Take ownership of a portfolio of management accounts, ensuring accurate monthly reporting and useful financial analysis.
• Lead annual budgeting and regular forecasting, helping the business plan effectively both now and longer term.
• Analyse operational and commercial performance, using financial and operational data to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Work closely with commercial and Billable Works teams to ensure revenue, costs and WIP are accurately reflected in the accounts.
• Support effective billing and cash collection, helping identify and resolve issues before they become bigger problems.
• Provide financial modelling and commercial analysis for bids, mobilisations, business cases and change programmes.
• Produce ad hoc reporting and analysis to support business planning, investment decisions and operational performance.
• Attend leadership meetings and provide financial insight and constructive challenge where appropriate.
• Build strong working relationships with auditors, advisers and other external stakeholders.
• Ensure financial reporting remains accurate, compliant and aligned with wider group requirements.
• Look for opportunities to improve processes, reporting, automation and financial controls.
• Where applicable, support the development and performance of other members of the finance team.

What We’re Looking For

• ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent professional accountancy qualification.
• 5+ years’ post-qualified experience within commercial finance, finance business partnering or a similar environment.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge, including practical IFRS experience.
• A proven background across management accounts, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting and performance analysis.
• Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of profitability, costs, revenue, WIP, billing and financial risk.
• Previous Finance Business Partnering experience is essential, with the confidence to work closely with senior operational stakeholders.
• Experience within Defence, Facilities Management, Asset Management or another complex operational environment would be a real advantage.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and confidence working with large datasets.
• SAP or other ERP experience would be beneficial, although the ability to pick up new systems quickly is equally important.
• A confident communicator who can take complex financial information and explain it clearly to non-finance stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively when required.
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to balance the bigger commercial picture with strong attention to detail.
• Based south of Birmingham and able to commute to Birmingham when required, with flexibility to travel across the wider portfolio.

What’s on Offer

• 6% employee matched pension contribution
• 25 days’ annual leave
• Private medical cover for you and your partner
• Company car / car allowance
• Bonus
• Life assurance at 2x annual salary
• Home-based working with regular travel
• The opportunity to work in a senior commercial finance position within a major defence and facilities management environment