Finance Business Partner

Reading Borough Council; Reading; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS

Life Assurance

On-site day nursery

Season Ticket Loan

Lease car scheme

Generous holidays

Job summary

Reading Borough Council is seeking an ambitious and analytical Finance Business Partner to lead financial management support for the re3 Joint Waste PFI contract across Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham councils. You will provide expert financial advice, insight and challenge to senior managers and budget holders to deliver value for money.

You will work alongside the Head of Finance and the re3 Waste Team to manage budgets, produce forecasts and develop business cases and transformation

Qualifications

• Provide financial analysis, forecasting and performance reporting.
• Support budgets and year-end accounts activities.
• Identify financial risks and opportunities for efficiency savings.
• Contribute to business cases, investment appraisals and transformation projects.

Responsibilities

• Act as a key financial adviser to budget managers and senior leaders.
• Support the preparation, monitoring and management of budgets.
• Provide financial analysis, forecasting and performance reporting.
• Identify financial risks, opportunities and potential efficiency savings.
• Contribute to business cases, investment appraisals and transformation projects.
• Support the annual budget-setting process and year-end accounts activities.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, legislation and CIPFA guidance.
• Build strong working relationships across services and Councils and act as a conduit to specialist finance expertise.
• Provide support, guidance and task allocation to Accountants, Accountancy Assistants and Trainee Accountants within the team.

Skills

Financial analysis

Forecasting

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Governance

Job description

Reading Borough Council is looking for an ambitious and analytical Finance Business Partner to join our Finance Business Partnering Team to take a lead role in providing Financial management support to re3 a Joint Waste PFI contract partnership dealing with Waste Disposal across 3 authorities Bracknell Forest Borough Council, Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of the organisation, providing expert financial advice, insight and challenge across one of the largest and most important contracts that supports key decision-making and helps deliver Waste Disposal services for residents across the 3 Authorities. As a trusted finance professional, you will work closely with senior managers and budget holders across the 3 Authorities , helping them manage resources effectively, identify opportunities and risks, and deliver value for money. You will play a key role in financial planning, budget monitoring, business case development and service transformation. We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the role

Working alongside the Head of Finance and the re3 Waste Team, you will provide high-quality financial support to a range of service areas across the 3 councils, ensuring sound financial management and strong governance across the organisations. You will contribute to major projects, transformation programmes and strategic decision-making, while supporting budget managers to deliver services within available resources.

What you'll do

• Act as a key financial adviser to budget managers and senior leaders.
• Support the preparation, monitoring and management of budgets.
• Provide financial analysis, forecasting and performance reporting.
• Identify financial risks, opportunities and potential efficiency savings.
• Contribute to business cases, investment appraisals and transformation projects.
• Support the annual budget-setting process and year-end accounts activities.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, legislation and CIPFA guidance.
• Build strong working relationships across services and Councils and act as a conduit to specialist finance expertise.
• Provide support, guidance and task allocation to Accountants, Accountancy Assistants and Trainee Accountants within the team.

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you'll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

• Work Together as one team - champion and inspire a culture which ensures that all employees across the organisation work together to provide excellent outcomes for Reading
• Drive Efficiency - create an environment in which resources are used efficiently and employees' skills are developed and used effectively
• Be Ambitious - aspire to deliver excellence and inspire and support others to reach their potential
• Make a Difference to Reading - inspire a culture in which the customer is the focus and where change is welcomed as an opportunity

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you'll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years' service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax