Finance Business Partner

Scottish Funding Council; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading funding body in Scotland is seeking a Line Manager Assistant Director for Institutional Financial Health and Governance. This role involves providing financial insight and support for Scotland's colleges and universities, acting as a key finance partner. Responsibilities include analyzing financial health, advising on governance, and building stakeholder relationships. Candidates should be fully qualified accountants with strong analytical and communication skills, as well as proficiency in financial analysis tools. This role plays a crucial part in supporting the education and economic goals of Scotland.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant with relevant post-qualification experience.
• Good understanding of financial analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and audit.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality financial analysis to assess financial risks.
• Build strong relationships through a business partnering approach.
• Provide advice on financial governance and compliance.

Skills

Financial analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Excel proficiency

Education

Fully qualified accountant (CCAB or equivalent)

Tools

Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Governance, Infrastructure and Sustainability team (GIST) Line Manager Assistant Director, Institutional Financial Health and Governance Purpose Provide financial insight and support for Scotland’s colleges and universities. Act as a trusted finance partner within the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), offering expert advice and constructive challenge to institutions, SFC colleagues, and the Scottish Government. Monitor and report on the financial health and governance of colleges and universities to help deliver Scotland’s education and economic goals.

Key responsibilities

• Provide high-quality financial analysis and insight to assess the risks to the financial health (viability and long-term financial sustainability) of colleges and universities, to support decision-making, robust financial planning and investment appraisals.
• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with colleges and universities and other stakeholders through a finance business partnering approach.
• Provide advice on financial governance and risk management, and on compliance with the SFC Financial Memorandum (FM), Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) and other relevant governance and financial frameworks.
• Prepare and present clear, concise internal and external financial advice, to institutions and to the Scottish Government, on specific matters within the remit of the role.
• Review and provide feedback on the financial strategies of colleges and universities to ensure that they are credible, deliver value for money and contribute to national outcomes.
• Review and consider colleges’ and universities’ requests for approvals under the SFC Financial Memorandum (FM), Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).
• Represent SFC in discussions with external bodies, including Audit Scotland, UK funding bodies, and government departments.
• Ensure continuous professional development including maintaining up-to-date knowledge of technical accounting standards, public sector finance developments, and governance codes.
• Contribute to continuous improvement across the SFC, including taking the lead on developmental areas such as engaging with Universities’ Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) data.

Skills, qualifications and experience

Essential

• Fully qualified accountant (CCAB or equivalent) with relevant post-qualification experience.
• Good understanding of financial analysis, forecasting, budgeting, audit and financial and non-financial organisational controls.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships; experienced in stakeholder engagement and influencing at senior levels.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to communicate complex financial issues to non-financial audiences.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with experience of preparing high-quality reports for executive and Board committees.
• Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint and advanced Excel skills.

Desirable

• Experience in finance business partnering.
• Knowledge and understanding of tertiary education sector in Scotland.
• Relevant understanding of public sector budgeting, accounting, and governance frameworks.