Finance Business Partner

Innovate UK

Swindon

Hybrid

GBP 40,000 - 54,000

Full time

32 hours ago

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Benefits offered by this job

30 days’ annual leave

Flexible working hours

Job summary

Innovate UK is recruiting a Finance Business Partner to provide dedicated finance expertise, insight, reporting and business partnering. The role collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to inform decision-making and deliver priorities across UKRI.

Hybrid, with travel across the UK, and a 12-month fixed-term contract. The post requires a qualified accountant or active progress towards qualification, strong Excel skills, and experience in budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting

Qualifications

Qualified Accountant or equivalent experience with active progress toward qualification (ACA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA).
Strong accounting and finance knowledge with experience in a similar role.
Proficient IT skills, especially Excel, with experience in financial modelling and controls.

Responsibilities

Lead and collaborate with Programme Managers and Senior Leadership Teams to provide timely, accurate financial information and challenge where appropriate.
Deputise for Senior Finance Business Partner on key issues and support governance, risk management and assurance across programmes.
Manage budgets, forecasts and financial plans; ensure compliance with internal controls and UKRI requirements.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Excel proficiency

Financial analysis

Financial modelling

Month-end close

Reporting to senior leaders

Education

ACA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA qualification or QBE

Tools

Excel

Job description

Vacancy for Finance Business Partner

Provide dedicated finance expertise, insight, reporting and business partnering to Innovate UK, working closely with internal and external stakeholders to inform decision-making, enhance financial awareness, and deliver outcomes aligned with Innovate UK and UKRI priorities.

Please note this advert will close on the 11th October 2026 at 23:59pm.

Job Details

Title: Finance Business Partner
Band: UKRI Band E (UKRI Ts & Cs)
Salary: £46,743 gross per annum
Reports to: Senior Finance Business Partner
Location: Swindon (Min 2-days per week in the office)
Contract: Fixed Term (12 Months)

Employees applying for any opportunity which may mean being away from your substantive role for a temporary period of time, please refer to the Recruitment Policy for further information in the first instance. If you are made an offer, please ensure you liaise with your Line Manager and the designated HR Team as soon as possible in order that implications of any move are clear and understood, prior to a move taking place.

Innovate UK works with businesses and stakeholders across every nation and region of the UK. As part of UKRI, our hybrid working approach is built around one simple principle: time should be spent where it delivers the greatest impact. This means working across three settings: UKRI sites, time on the ground with businesses, partners and stakeholders and time working from home. It’s an approach designed to support collaboration, connection and impact.

This role is in Tier 2, with 40-60% of working time typically spent either at a UKRI site or engaging with external businesses and stakeholders across the UK. Outside of this requirement, you can work from home. Whilst this role will be formally based at one of the following UKRI sites, it is externally facing, and we expect that there will be requirement to travel around the UK for 2/3 days each week on average.

Read the full UKRI Hybrid Working Policy. Hybrid Working at UKRI. Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements.

Context

The role holder will operate within the Innovate UK’s Finance Business Partnering Team which is part of the wider Innovate UK and UKRI Finance Teams.

Job Purpose

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Leadership / teamwork / collaboration
Build and maintain good working relationships with colleagues and partners and provide input and advice.
Support Programme Managers and Senior Leadership Teams to effectively manage their programmes through the provision of timely, accurate and complete financial information, advice, and constructive challenge.
To deputise for the Senior Finance Business Partner on a range of issues, if and when required.
Understand the linkages and dependencies across UKRI Councils and UKRI’s sponsor department, working collaboratively with Finance Business Partners and colleagues across UKRI to identify opportunities for improvement, transformation and efficiency within Finance.
Support the strengthening of internal controls, financial reporting and analysis, and the effective management of programmes, while promoting a culture of collaboration and teamwork.

Role Deliverables

Perform a range of reporting and control functions, positioning Finance to work with the business and link budgets to delivery plans and business cases.
Communicate the importance of Finance to partners at all levels, and use strong business awareness to present insightful information and analysis to support effective longer-term decision making and deliver outcomes in line with Innovate UK and UKRI priorities.
Manage annual and multi-year budget setting and forecasting cycles.
Ensure compliance with internal financial, DSIT and HMG controls within assigned business areas.
Manage applications for additional budget cover.

This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the key experience and/or training.

Shortlisting criteria (S) – Assessed at shortlisting (I) – Assessed at interview (S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

Person Specification

Experience & Qualifications

Essential – Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA), actively working or willing to work towards qualification, or equivalent experience (QBE) (S).
Strong understanding of accounting and finance and demonstrable experience of working in a similar role (S).
Very good IT skills, including good knowledge of Microsoft Office, in particular Excel (S).
Experience of financial modelling & controls (S&I).
Demonstrable experience of month and year-end processes - accruals and prepayment calculations, variance analyses etc (S&I).
Demonstrable experience of working as part of a wider-business, consulting with senior stakeholders, utilising an in-depth understanding of business priorities and effectively working with partners to meet organisational and financial objectives (S&I).
Experience in provision of high quality written and oral advice suitable for senior level decision makers (I).
Proven experience in the preparation of complex budgets, forecasts and financial plans (I).
Understanding of the role of governance, risk management and assurance in project delivery (I).

Skills & Abilities

Ability to build relationships with senior partners and influence them with impact and professional credibility.
Strong experience of developing effective working partnerships and offering challenges where necessary to senior decision‑making groups.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Personal resilience and a confident approach, willing to apply good judgement to solve issues and find solutions independently.
Highly developed team working skills, able to form effective working relationships quickly.
Ability to respond calmly under pressure and to make impartial and well‑considered judgments in complex situations.
Good organisational skills, able to manage and prioritise own and others’ workloads and meet deadlines in a very timely manner.

Competencies

Thinking and Problem Solving – Stakeholder management.
Communication skills – Influencing – Self‑awareness/self‑management – Strategic awareness – Working with others – Project management.

Some of the above competencies will be assessed at interview stage, in addition to the criteria’s listed in the person specification.

Travel Requirements

Swindon-based: There may be the occasional requirement for national travel.

Immigration

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Innovate UK is a diverse workforce of people. We believe that encouraging these differences and drawing the best from them will build a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where talents are fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met. Underpinning this is a belief that it is a fundamental right for everyone to be treated equally, with fairness, respect and dignity. We will act directly and use our influence to ensure that this right is promoted and upheld; we encourage applications from all those who meet the criteria set-out in our role profiles.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to employing any person who meets the criteria for our roles. When undertaking recruitment we may require applicants to undertake certain tests or assessments, some of which will be online and others may be in-person. If you have a disability, health condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia then you may be entitled to support with undertaking this type of assessment exercise. Where you feel that reasonable adjustments are required to support you, we ask that you advise your recruitment point of contact in a timely fashion, providing further information. In confidence, Innovate UK will then review your application for adjustments and provide support as required.

Employee Benefits

30 days’ annual leave
10.5 public and privilege days
flexible working hours
an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme
access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes

Pre‑employment Screening

To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a comprehensive pre‑employment check on successful applicants as part of the recruitment process. The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re‑run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

UK Research and Innovation

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is a partner organisation within UK Research and Innovation. If successful in securing the position, your employer will be UK Research and Innovation. More information can be found online http://www.ukri.org/.

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