Finance Business Partner

Markel; Leeds; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary & bonus

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Buy & sell holiday scheme

Private medical insurance

Dental cover

Generous pension contribution

Life assurance

Income protection

Travel insurance

Season ticket loan

Hybrid working

Learning and development

Career progression opportunities

Job summary

Markel in Leeds is seeking a commercially minded Finance Business Partner to join the UK Finance team. A newly created role, you will partner with senior stakeholders, translate financial data into insights and influence planning and decision-making.

You will drive data-led decision support, enhance management reporting and dashboards, and contribute to evolving finance processes and tech adoption, including AI.

Qualifications

• Finance partnering experience and ability to influence stakeholders.
• Strong commercial awareness and effective partner management.
• Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting and financial planning.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Build credibility with cross-functional partners and influence decisions.
• Deliver insightful management information and commercial analysis.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and planning activities.
• Analyse performance, trends, risks and opportunities.
• Provide commentary and recommendations to support decisions.
• Develop and enhance reporting and business dashboards.
• Improve the quality and accessibility of financial information.
• Evolve finance processes, reporting and data capabilities.

Skills

Finance partnership

Commercial acumen

Budgeting & forecasting

Analytical thinking

Accounting knowledge

Advanced Excel

Clear financial communication

Independent working

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualification

Tools

Power BI

Job description

Finance Business Partner

Leeds | Hybrid Working (3 Days in Office) | Permanent

Help Shape the Future of Finance at Markel

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

This is not a replacement role. It's a newly created position driven by business growth, increasing complexity and a desire to strengthen the insight, analysis and decision support provided across the UK business. You'll join a small but highly visible team, working directly with the Finance Director and partnering with senior stakeholders across the organisation.

If you're someone who enjoys translating financial data into meaningful business insight, influencing decision-making, and helping a business improve how it uses financial information, this could be a fantastic opportunity.

Why This Role?

This role offers the chance to become a key member of a finance team that is building for the future.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Work closely with the UK Finance Director and Executive partners.
• Influence business decisions through high-quality financial analysis and insight.
• Play a key role in improving management information, reporting and forecasting capabilities.
• Help drive greater use of data, dashboarding and emerging technologies, including AI.
• Join the business during an exciting period of growth and transformation.
• Shape the future structure of the Leeds finance team, with potential progression opportunities as the function expands.

What You'll Be Doing:

As a Finance Business Partner, you'll act as a trusted advisor to collaborators across the business, helping them understand performance, find opportunities, and make informed decisions.

Responsibilities will include:

• Building strong relationships with partners across underwriting, claims, operations and leadership teams.
• Delivering insightful management information and commercial analysis.
• Supporting budgeting, forecasting and planning activities.
• Analysing financial performance, trends, risks and opportunities.
• Providing meaningful commentary and recommendations to support decision-making.
• Developing and enhancing management reporting and business dashboards.
• Improving the quality and accessibility of financial information.
• Supporting the ongoing evolution of finance processes, reporting and data capabilities.
• Helping drive more data-led decision making across the business.

What We're Looking For:

We're looking for someone who can quickly build credibility, work independently and make an impact from day one.

You'll ideally bring:

Essential

• Previous Finance Business Partnering experience.
• Strong commercial awareness and partner management skills.
• Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting and financial planning.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Strong accounting and finance knowledge.
• Advanced Excel skills.
• The ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance audiences.
• A proactive, self-sufficient approach with the confidence to operate independently.

Highly Desirable

• Experience within insurance.
• Experience within a regulated financial services environment.
• ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualification.
• Power BI, dashboarding or advanced MI experience.
• Strong data and reporting skills.
• Interest in AI and technology-enabled finance improvements.

What Success Looks Like:

In your first few months, you'll build a detailed understanding of the business. You will connect with key partners and support planning and reporting cycles. You will also start finding opportunities to improve financial insight and reporting capability. You'll play a key role in helping the Finance team scale alongside a growing business.

About Markel:

At Markel, insurance is more than a policy. It's a promise to help people move forward with confidence, embrace opportunities and recover when the unexpected happens.

We're known for our people-first culture, entrepreneurial outlook and commitment to doing what's right. Our Finance team is a trusted partner to the business, providing the insight and support that helps drive performance and growth.

What You'll Receive

• Great salary & generous annual bonus
• 25 Days Holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Buy & Sell Holiday Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Dental Cover
• Generous Pension Contribution
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Travel Insurance
• Season Ticket Loan
• Hybrid Working
• Ongoing Learning and Development
• Clear Career Progression Opportunities

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with all reasonable accommodations to be able to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions if successful.