Finance Business Partner

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

41 days annual leave

Hybrid working

Generous pension

Staff discounts

Professional development

Flexible benefits

Job summary

The University of Sheffield invites applications for the role of Finance Business Partner in the Faculty of Science. You will provide sound financial advice, support departments, and manage budgets and forecasts to help ensure sustainable financial planning.

You will lead a small team, collaborate with finance and non-finance colleagues, and drive process improvements while upholding financial regulations. The role supports hybrid working and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Sound working knowledge of financial management and forecasting.
• Essential interview/application criteria.
• Experience in budget monitoring and month-end routines.
• Proven ability to produce high-quality financial reports.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly.
• Leadership skills to motivate and develop a team.
• Interest in Higher Education sector funding and external funding.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert financial support and management information across the Faculty.
• Prepare income/expense forecasts monthly and quarterly with variance analysis.
• Lead quarterly and year-end reconciliations and year-end procedures.
• Advise on budgetary control and activity forecasting across external funding.
• Review financial statements and coordinate external audits as needed.
• Develop staff and promote continuous professional development.
• Oversee workload planning with other Finance Partners and Faculty Manager.
• Perform other duties commensurate with the post.

Skills

Financial forecasting

Budget monitoring

Month end routines

Excel

Finance systems

Reporting

Leadership

Communication

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Education

Qualified or part-qualified accountant (CIMA/ACCA)

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Finance systems

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

The University's Department of Finance develops and implements dynamic and future-focused financial strategies to support the University's aims, whilst maintaining sound financial oversight and administration in managing the University's financial affairs.

We have specialist finance teams providing dedicated support in functional areas and business partnering teams aligned to faculties and central professional service departments.

As Finance Business Partner, aligned to the Faculty of Science, you will be directly involved in the provision of sound financial advice and support to departments, ensuring the effective management and monitoring of a range of departmental funds including operational budgets, research projects and other external activities. This will include budgeting, monitoring, reporting and forecasting routines to both internal and external stakeholders as well as month end, quarter end and year end routines. You will have oversight of a portfolio of large, complex activities and will need to be comfortable in making decisions and reacting to changing and conflicting priorities. You will manage a small group within the faculty team and will also regularly engage with other finance and non-finance teams.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Work with academic schools and the Faculty to provide finance support and information, ensuring that the Faculty's financial plan is sustainable and financial risks are identified, understood and managed.
• Provision of expert financial support, guidance and management information, with responsibility for excellent customer service across the Faculty.
• Prepare accurate income and expenditure forecasts on a monthly and quarterly basis and as required, including analysis and explanation of variances against budget/forecast with recommendations for action or mitigation where appropriate.
• Prepare quarterly and year-end reconciliations as required, including reserves and other provisions. Co-ordinate year-end procedures, ensuring these are communicated and effectively implemented across departments.
• Provide information and advice regarding budgetary control and activity forecasting across all types of external income (both research and other external funding), identify and offering solutions to minimise areas of potential risk or conflict with University financial regulations.
• Review and/or prepare financial expenditure statements or award claims for all types of external funding (for example, research) as required in conjunction with relevant departmental staff. Co-ordinate the external audit of financial returns prior to submission to funders as required, providing auditors with relevant information and being the point of contact throughout the audit process.
• Support and enable Finance staff to work to the highest professional standards and encouraging a culture of continuous professional development.
• Leading colleagues in the continual challenge to activities and processes, and identification and delivery of improvement in order to maximise effectiveness.
• Have oversight of and plan, in collaboration with other Finance Business Partners and the Faculty Finance Manager, workload allocations across the team, ensuring all objectives and deadlines are achieved and that productivity is optimised.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

• Demonstrate sound working knowledge of the key principles of financial management. Skills and experience in financial forecasting, budget monitoring and control and month end routines.

  Essential

  Interview / Application

• Excellent inter-personal, communication, relationship building and influencing skills. The professional and personal credibility to operate as a finance leader and advisor, generating confidence in stakeholders.

  Essential

  Interview / Application

• Ability to demonstrate leadership skills in managing, motivating and developing a team and the ability to motivate high performance in others in line with the department's vision and values.

  Essential

  Interview / Application

• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to interpret and evaluate financial and business information to inform business decisions with a clear view of the financial implications.

  Essential

  Interview / Application

• Qualified or part qualified accountant (e.g. CIMA, ACCA or other equivalent qualification).

  Essential

  Interview / Application

• Proven ability to communicate complex financial information to a non-financial audience, including the production of high-quality financial reports.

  Essential

  Interview / Application

• Excellent IT skills particularly with Microsoft Excel and experience of using finance systems as well as reporting solutions in an operational environment.

  Essential

  Interview / Application

• Proactive with the ability to work to multiple deadlines, organising team resources and prioritising workloads.

  Essential

  Interview / Application

• An awareness and interest in the issues facing the Higher Education Sector and experience in the financial management of funding from external bodies.

  Desirable

  Interview / Application

Further Information

• Grade: 7
• Salary: £39,560 - £48,337 per annum
• Work arrangement: Full time, 35 hours per week
• Line manager: Head of Faculty Finance
• Direct reports: Assistant Finance Business Partner
• Our website: https://sheffield.ac.uk/finance
• For informal enquiries about this job contact [e-mail]

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place week commencing 16 November. This will consist of a short presentation followed by an interview. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage on the week commencing 9 November.

If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact Chloe Newton - [e-mail].

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; Professional Services Shared Skills
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Baseline personnel security standard

This role requires the postholder to undertake a Government baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) check as a condition of employment.

Closing Date :08/11/2026

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision ( www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.