Finance Business Partner

Outcomes First Group; Bolton; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Outcomes First Group, Bolton, is seeking a commercially minded Finance Business Partner to join our growing Finance team. You’ll partner with senior operational leaders to drive financial planning, analysis and insights that support strategic decisions.

This high-visibility role covers budgeting, forecasting and reporting across multiple sites. You’ll challenge stakeholders, translate data into actionable guidance and help shape performance improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Finalist or qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA.
• Degree in Finance, Accounting, Mathematics or a related discipline, or an AAT qualification.
• Experience within FP&A, Management Accounting, Commercial Finance or Finance Business Partnering.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis and financial reporting.
• Advanced Excel skills including modelling and data manipulation.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to simplify complex financial information.
• Confidence to challenge, influence and support senior stakeholders.
• Experience producing reports and presentations for leadership teams.
• MS Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly financial reporting and performance analysis for operational divisions, delivering clear and insightful reporting to senior stakeholders.
• Analyse actual performance against budgets and forecasts, identifying variances, trends, risks and opportunities.
• Produce and present financial reports, KPI dashboards and scorecards to support informed decisions.
• Deliver meaningful financial insight to help improve results across the business.
• Manage and resolve month-end financial queries and support operational teams.
• Collaborate with Finance and BI teams to enhance reporting through automation and system improvements.
• Lead budgeting and forecasting activities for designated areas with timely delivery.
• Develop and maintain financial models for planning and performance management.
• Support broader budgeting and forecasting processes across the organisation.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of reporting and planning tools.
• Act as trusted Finance BP to operational leaders and stakeholders.
• Build relationships and provide challenge and commercial guidance as needed.
• Influence decisions through clear financial analysis and communication.
• Coach teams to improve financial understanding.

Skills

ACA/ACCA/CIMA finalist

FP&A experience

Budgeting & forecasting

Advanced Excel

PowerPoint

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Finance/Accounting degree or equivalent

AAT qualification

Tools

Excel

Power BI

ERP systems

Job description

In 2025, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

Role: Finance Business Partner

Location: Bolton (hybrid working 2 days in the office)

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

Please note: UK applicants only | No sponsorship available

About the Role

We're looking for a commercially minded Finance Business Partner to join our growing Finance team.

This is a highly visible role where you'll work closely with senior operational leaders, providing financial planning, analysis and insight that supports strategic decision-making and drives business performance. You'll play a key role in budgeting, forecasting, reporting and financial business partnering across a complex multi-site organisation.

We're looking for someone who can confidently challenge and influence stakeholders, translate financial data into meaningful commercial insight and help shape better business decisions.

Why Join us?

• Highly visible role with exposure to senior leadership
• Opportunity to influence commercial and operational decision-making
• Hybrid working environment
• Growing and collaborative Finance function
• Great Place to Work certified for six consecutive years
• Genuine opportunity to make an impact within a national organisation

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead monthly financial reporting and performance analysis for operational divisions, delivering clear and insightful reporting to senior stakeholders.
• Analyse actual performance against budgets and forecasts, identifying key variances, trends, risks and opportunities.
• Produce and present financial reports, KPI dashboards and scorecards that support informed decision-making.
• Deliver meaningful financial insight, helping stakeholders understand performance and improve results.
• Manage and resolve month-end financial queries, ensuring operational teams receive timely support.
• Work closely with Finance and Business Intelligence teams to enhance reporting through automation, systems improvements and process efficiencies.
• Lead budgeting and forecasting activities for designated business areas, ensuring delivery against agreed timelines.
• Develop, maintain and improve financial models that support planning, forecasting and performance management.
• Support wider budgeting and forecasting processes across the organisation.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of reporting, forecasting and planning tools.
• Act as a trusted Finance Business Partner to operational leaders and departmental stakeholders.
• Build strong relationships across the business, providing challenge, support and commercial guidance where needed.
• Influence decision-making through clear financial analysis and effective communication.
• Improve financial understanding across operational teams through coaching, guidance and support.

About You

You'll be a proactive finance professional who enjoys working closely with stakeholders and using data to influence business performance.

You'll have:

• Finalist or qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA.
• A degree in Finance, Accounting, Mathematics or a related discipline, or an AAT qualification.
• Previous experience within FP&A, Management Accounting, Commercial Finance or Finance Business Partnering.
• Strong experience of budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis and financial reporting.
• Advanced Excel skills, including financial modelling, analysis and data manipulation.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to simplify complex financial information for non-finance stakeholders.
• The confidence to challenge, influence and support senior stakeholders.
• Experience producing high-quality reports and presentations for leadership teams.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.

Experience with Power BI, reporting tools or ERP systems would be advantageous but is not essential.

What You'll Bring

• Strong commercial awareness and analytical thinking.
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A collaborative and proactive approach.
• A passion for using financial insight to drive better business decisions and continuous improvement.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious finance professional looking to further develop their career within a growing organisation, where they can have genuine influence on business performance and strategic decision-making.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS check.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of suitable applications is received. Outcomes First Group is committed to a fair, thorough, and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. While we aim to keep applicants informed, we do not accept liability for any loss of earnings or costs incurred due to delays or changes in compliance processes. All stages are subject to safeguarding checks and statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.