Finance Business Partner

The Scottish Government; Aberdeen City; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading government body in Scotland seeks a Finance Business Partner to drive financial reporting and oversee budget management within a complex fiscal landscape. This role offers the opportunity to enhance your financial acumen in a public service context, influencing significant purchasing decisions while ensuring public funds are utilized efficiently. You will collaborate closely with various branches of Food Standards Scotland, contributing to statutory obligations and strategic priorities.

Benefits

Supportive and inclusive working environment

Flexible working options

Wide range of employee benefits

Qualifications

• Experience in management accounts or studying for an accountancy qualification.
• Awareness of budgeting guidance and cost management.
• Proficiency in data analysis and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Support budget planning and control with timely financial reporting.
• Produce financial monitoring reports for branches.
• Maintain effective working relationships across the organization.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Costing

Data analysis

Excel

Education

Numerical/Business Degree or studying for an accountancy qualification

Job description

Are you ready to drive change where it matters most by using your financial expertise to influence decision-making and safeguard public money?

As a Finance Business Partner in the Finance and Procurement Branch at Food Standards Scotland (FSS), you will help shape financial reporting in an increasingly complex fiscal environment. You will work closely with FSS branches to provide expert advice on finance and procurement, supporting vital purchasing decisions and ensuring that public funds are used efficiently and transparently.

You will develop a broad understanding of FSS’s financial and business processes and gain valuable insight into the Scottish Public Finance Manual. As part of the Management Accounting Team, you will contribute to managing the organisation’s budget, supporting the delivery of its statutory obligations and strategic priorities. This is an opportunity to deepen your financial acumen, contribute to public service, and build a career with lasting impact.

Responsibilities

• Support the Senior Finance Business Partner and wider team in budget planning and control, ensuring timely, accurate, and relevant financial reporting, draft budget preparation, and year-end accounts.
• Review budget monitoring returns, checking forecasts, year-to-date actuals, and budget data, and challenge areas requiring clarification to ensure robust financial oversight.
• Produce monthly financial monitoring reports and forecasts for branches, highlighting issues to inform senior management decision-making.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with branch staff and wider FSS colleagues.
• Review monthly expenditure for allocated branches, compare Oracle finance system data, identify accruals, prepayments, and adjustments, and process journals as required.
• Assist with financial ledger updates, including performing monthly reconciliations.
• Contribute to continuous improvement, value for money, and best practice in financial processes across the organisation.
• Create requisitions for goods and services in the Oracle purchasing system, confirm receipt of goods/services, and validate invoices for payment.
• Assist in maintaining overall financial control, ensuring the integrity of financial data, systems, and records.
• Ensure adequate financial controls and clear audit trails are in place to support accounting and reporting processes.
• Work flexibly across the team, adapting quickly to changing priorities and business needs.
  
  

Qualifications

Experience in management accounts or currently studying for an accountancy qualification or holding a numerical/business degree.

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on.

Technical / Professional Skills

• Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing (Understanding of budgeting guidance. Budget management. Understanding forecasting. Understanding costing) – Awareness Level.
• Working with Data in Finance (Data analysis. Data interpretation. Data visualisation. Interrogation of finance systems) – Working Level.
• Basic finance skills (Numeracy. Excel) – Practitioner Level.
  
  

You can find out more about the skills required here

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing - Level 2.
• Working together - Level 2.
  
  

You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here

How To Apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above. If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation.

Assessments are scheduled for w/c 14 July 2025 however this may be subject to change.

About Us

Food Standard Scotland (FSS) was established by the Food (Scotland) Act 2015 as a non-ministerial office within Scottish Administration but separate from the direction of Scottish Government in its regulatory role. Our primary concern is consumer protection – making sure that the food is safe to eat, ensuring consumers know what they are eating and improving nutrition.

FSS has a wide and diverse remit which covers all aspects of the food chain which can impact on public health from farm to fork – aiming to protect consumers from food safety risks and promote healthy eating. Our mission is to be Scotland’s leading authority on food safety, standards and healthy eating; using data and evidence to provide assurance and advice that inspires consumer confidence and improves public health.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Working Pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week. We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

Equality Statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website.

Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

Apply before: 29 June 2025 (23:59)