Finance Business Partner

Cornerstone; Horley; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension 6% employee/12% total

Enhanced maternity & family leave

Life assurance

HolidayPlus

Virtual GP & EAP

Retail and leisure discounts

Job summary

SGN in the United Kingdom is seeking a Finance Business Partner on a personal contract with hybrid working to provide financial insight, challenge, and support across operational leaders and senior stakeholders. You will translate financial data into actionable inputs to drive decision-making and value creation.

You will lead budgeting, forecasting, KPI development, and performance analysis while ensuring robust financial controls and effective collaboration with non-finance teams.

Qualifications

• Strong commercial acumen and business understanding
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to influence, challenge, and communicate with senior stakeholders
• Strong financial modelling and Excel skills (Power BI/Tableau desirable)
• Clear, confident communication and presentation skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work to deadlines
• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
• Proven experience in a finance business partnering, management accounting, or commercial finance role
• Experience supporting operational or service based teams
• Experience in a regulated, infrastructure, utilities, or large complex organisation
• Experience with strategic planning, investment appraisal, or transformation programmes

Responsibilities

• Partner with senior stakeholders and ops teams to support strategic and operational decision making
• Provide constructive challenge to business plans, assumptions, and investment proposals
• Support the development and evaluation of business cases, including cost/benefit and return on investment analysis
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and medium term planning processes for assigned areas
• Monitor financial performance against budgets and forecasts, identifying risks and opportunities
• Produce clear, insightful management reporting with narrative and recommendations
• Analyse trends, drivers, and variances to explain performance and influence outcomes
• Develop and track KPIs and performance metrics aligned to business objectives
• Provide scenario modelling and sensitivity analysis to support key decisions
• Identify opportunities to improve cost control, efficiency, and value for money
• Support cost transformation and productivity initiatives
• Ensure robust financial controls are embedded within operational processes
• Ensure compliance with financial policies, accounting standards, and internal controls
• Support audit processes and respond to audit queries as required
• Promote strong financial discipline and accountability across the business
• Build credible, collaborative relationships with non finance stakeholders
• Act as the primary finance contact for assigned business areas
• Present financial information clearly to both financial and non financial audiences
• Contribute to the development of finance processes, systems, and reporting
• Support automation and improved use of data and analytics
• Mentor or support junior finance team members where applicable

Skills

Commercial acumen

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Financial modelling

Excel

Power BI/Tableau

Communication skills

Deadline management

Qualified accountant

Finance partnering experience

Regulated sector experience

Education

Qualified accountant certification

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Finance Business Partner

Southern SGN Footprint | Personal Contract (dependent on skills and qualifications)

Full Time | Hybrid

Joint-contribution pension from 6% (12% total) – Enhanced maternity & family leave – Life assurance – HolidayPlus – Virtual GP & Employee Assistance Programme plus retail and leisure discounts & many more.

REQ5682

The Finance Business Partner acts as a trusted advisor to operational and senior leaders, providing financial insight, challenge, and support to drive commercial decision‑making, performance improvement, and value creation. The role bridges finance and the business, translating financial data into actionable insight.

We deliver safety, warmth, and comfort to homes and businesses. Every role, whether in the office or on the front line, plays a key part in this mission. Here’s how you will contribute…

• Partner with senior stakeholders and operational teams to support strategic and operational decision making
• Provide constructive challenge to business plans, assumptions, and investment proposals
• Support the development and evaluation of business cases, including cost/benefit and return on investment analysis
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and medium term planning processes for assigned areas
• Monitor financial performance against budgets and forecasts, identifying risks and opportunities
• Produce clear, insightful management reporting with narrative and recommendations
• Analyse trends, drivers, and variances to explain performance and influence outcomes
• Develop and track KPIs and performance metrics aligned to business objectives
• Provide scenario modelling and sensitivity analysis to support key decisions
• Identify opportunities to improve cost control, efficiency, and value for money
• Support cost transformation and productivity initiatives
• Ensure robust financial controls are embedded within operational processes
• Ensure compliance with financial policies, accounting standards, and internal controls
• Support audit processes and respond to audit queries as required
• Promote strong financial discipline and accountability across the business
• Build credible, collaborative relationships with non finance stakeholders
• Act as the primary finance contact for assigned business areas
• Present financial information clearly to both financial and non financial audiences
• Contribute to the development of finance processes, systems, and reporting
• Support automation and improved use of data and analytics
• Mentor or support junior finance team members where applicable

What you will need

• Strong commercial acumen and business understanding
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to influence, challenge, and communicate with senior stakeholders
• Strong financial modelling and Excel skills (Power BI/Tableau desirable)
• Clear, confident communication and presentation skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work to deadlines
• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
• Proven experience in a finance business partnering, management accounting, or commercial finance role
• Experience supporting operational or service based teams
• Experience in a regulated, infrastructure, utilities, or large complex organisation
• Experience with strategic planning, investment appraisal, or transformation programmes

Not sure you meet every requirement?

Research shows some people – particularly women and those from underrepresented backgrounds – may hesitate to apply unless they meet every criteria. At SGN, we value diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

If this role interests you but you’re not sure you tick every box, we’d still love to hear from you. You might be just who we’re looking for – now or in the future.

Why SGN?

SGN leads pioneering research and development for a net-zero energy system. Our innovative technologies are transforming the gas industry while keeping people safe and warm. We are an award-winning employer, including CCA Gold Awards for Great Places to Work and Inclusivity and Accessibility, and a proud Gold member of the Armed Forces Covenant.

About us | Benefits | Diversity and inclusion

If you require any accommodations or support during the application process, reach out to us. We're here to help ensure an inclusive and accessible experience for everyone.