Finance Business Partner

Bradford College; Bradford; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A higher education institution in Bradford is seeking a Finance Business Partner to support financial planning and budget management. The ideal candidate should hold a CCAB qualification or equivalent experience and possess strong analytical skills. Responsibilities include forecasting income/expenditure and preparing management accounts. The role offers excellent benefits including annual leave and pension contributions.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Local government pension scheme

Career progression opportunities

Free sports and gym facilities

Access to wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience in a public sector organisation.
• Experience in budget setting and financial planning.
• Experience in producing management accounts and financial reporting.

Responsibilities

• Undertake monthly and quarterly forecasting.
• Identify variances and investigate them.
• Support in preparation of management accounts.

Skills

Financial planning support

Budget Holder support

Variance analysis

Management accounts preparation

Training in budget management

Education

CCAB qualified or significant professional experience

GCSE level 2 qualification in Maths and English

Job description

We have a fantastic opportunity to join our Finance & Procurement department as a Finance Business Partner.

Our Finance Business Partners support the Senior Finance Business Partner in delivering a finance business partnering service to the College. This includes preparing, reviewing and analysing financial information and reports, and liaising with budget holders to understand variances, identify corrective actions, and produce forecasts for the year.

Responsibilities

• Financial planning support - Undertake monthly and quarterly forecasting of income and expenditure.
• Budget Holder support
• Support the Senior Finance Business Partner in the preparation of robust, accurate and timely management accounts.
• Identifying variances and items for further investigations.
• Undertaking review and quality assurance processes for the monthly accounts pack.
• Drafting written commentaries explaining variances.
• Analysing income, spend and cost trends across pay and non-pay areas, comparing to non-financial data and identifying opportunities for savings.
• Maintain a good knowledge and awareness of changes in FE funding streams, including DfE and OfS. Disseminate knowledge as appropriate to staff and budget holders.
• Maintain knowledge of College accounting procedures, financial regulations and external reporting requirements.
• Supporting the Senior Finance Business Partner in ad-hoc tasks and projects, showing flexibility and agility in working across the finance function.
• Support in the preparation and implementation of actions from internal and external audit reports.
• Provide training to budget holders and staff in budget management, funding and other financial issues as required.

The Ideal Candidate

Our ideal candidate will be learner and quality‑focused with a commitment to our vision of working together to transform lives. You should be able to contribute to our journey to Outstanding, creating a positive working and study environment, and, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion should be embedded within your core values.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates who identify as Black, Asian or from an ethnic minority background, as these groups are currently underrepresented within our management roles.

Education & Training

• CCAB qualified or significant professional experience.
• GCSE 4‑9 (A*‑C) or nationally recognised level 2 qualification in Maths and English or equivalent. (e.g. CSE 1, O Level A‑C) Or prepared to pass a test before the interview to demonstrate level 2 ability, and then, if appointed, achieve within an agreed timescale

Experience

• Experience in a public sector organisation
• Experience in budget setting and financial planning
• Experience in producing management accounts, variance analysis and financial reporting
• Experience in participating in the preparation of year‑end audits

For an informal discussion about the role, please email [e-mail]

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early depending on the level of interest and number of applications so early application is advised.

Recruitment Agencies

We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not forward any unsolicited CVs in relation to any of our advertised roles or speculatively. If we require support with any of our vacancies we will get in touch with agencies directly.

• We do not recognise submissions of unsolicited or speculative CV applications from recruitment agencies.
• We shall not be liable for any fee /commission in the event we employ a candidate that may have been submitted as an unsolicited/speculative application from an uninstructed recruitment agency.

Bradford College

At Bradford College, our ambition is to transform the lives of our learners, help them to aim higher and support them to achieve their goals.

Located in the heart of Bradford, we offer a wide range of courses at varying levels, with something to suit everyone. Undergraduate to postgraduate and professional qualifications to distance learning and short community courses.

We aim to attract and retain knowledgeable, passionate and focused individuals who can inspire, motivate and support both learners and colleagues. With a can‑do attitude and desire for continuous self‑improvement, you could make a difference in the lives of everyone at Bradford College.

Benefits of working at Bradford College

• Generous annual leave entitlement - equivalent to 30 days of holidays, plus bank holidays
• Additional college closure days, including 2‑week Christmas closure
• Local government pension scheme, with a generous 18% employer contribution
• Annual salary reviews
• Career progression opportunities - 54% of all vacancies are filled internally
• Free sports and gym facilities
• Free wellbeing initiatives and access to our exclusive staff indoor and outdoor wellbeing space
• Confidential employee assistance service and on‑site mental health first aiders
• Access to Bradford College benefits hub, offering retail, travel, leisure and dining discounts and cashback
• Discounts on greener travel - cycle to work scheme & local MetroCard and Northern Rail discounts
• Access to hair and beauty treatments in our student‑led Signature Spa
• On‑site dining facilities, including our award‑winning Grove restaurant
• A host of training development opportunities
• Fantastic campus facilities, a short walk to public transport links in the heart of the City of Culture 2025
• The opportunity to work for an organisation that is truly committed to creating a better future for all through education and training.

For full details please click here

*If you have the drive to further develop your skills and abilities, you will be given the support and opportunities you need to enhance your career. This includes access to in‑house training and CPD, professional and academic qualifications and mentoring.

Bradford College is committed to supporting and promoting diversity and inclusion amongst our staff and student body. We promote applications across all sections of the community, recognising the benefits a diverse workforce can bring and therefore particularly encourage applications from groups which are underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expect staff and volunteers to share this commitment. In line with our statutory safeguarding requirements detailed in Keeping Children Safe in Education legislation, this role is subject to an enhanced DBS check, employment references, health screening and social media search.

Please be aware it is a criminal offence to apply for this post if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity in connection to children and vulnerable adults.