Finance Business Partner

UK Space Agency; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental space agency is seeking a qualified accountant to join their Finance Directorate as a lead representative. This role involves budget management, providing financial advice, and working closely with stakeholders to ensure sound financial practices. The ideal candidate should have excellent communication skills and a commitment to continuous improvement. This position offers opportunities to influence decisions that shape the future of the agency.

Benefits

Flexible working benefits

Excellent employee well-being support

Great pension plan

Qualifications

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to influence and maintain relationships.
• Commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Develop understanding of business and stakeholders.
• Provide advice on compliance with policies.
• Review and provide inputs to business cases.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Education

Qualified accountant (CCAB)

Job description

Location

Cardiff, Wales, Edinburgh, Scotland, Leicester, East Midlands (England) Didcot, South East England

About the job Job summary

Background: The UK Space Agency:

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) andprovides technical advice on thegovernment’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision.

Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons.

We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £18.9 billion and employs 52,028 people across the country.

Through ourportfolio of programmesand projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development. We alsopromote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes.

We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency.

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.

Job description

Our Finance Directorate is changing, we’re undergoing a transformation to ensure we’re helping support and shape the direction of the Agency in the future. We’re working towards a vision of being Trusted experts at the heart of the agency’s decisions making; catalysing delivery, not just keeping score.

The role holder will be the lead Finance representative supportive a portfolio of work within the Agency. Our Business Partnering team ensure the agency’s financial position is well managed and decisions are good value for money. They will drive development of strong financial management across the area they are supporting, including policies and training.

As the first point of call in Finance for stakeholders within the wider Agency, they will deal with a wide range of queries; provide advice on compliance with policy, standards, accountabilities and controls to stakeholders at all levels

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing an understanding of the business, its stakeholders and deliverables
• Building and maintaining relationships with customer budget holders
• Providing advice on compliance with policy, standards, accountabilities and controls
• Translating, owning and adding insight to financial data to provide clear information and evidence to support business activities and requirements
• Providing guidance at appropriate level budget holder meetings and boards
• Reviewing and providing input to business cases/ strategic documentation
• Identifying and applying relevant costs, benefits and investment appraisal techniques
• Providing relevant coaching and training to the business
• Providing ad-hoc analysis and presentations to drive and support business decisions, such as efficiency and cost reduction options, using all available data and analytics tools
• Work with budget holders to develop robust budget plans and monitor those plans.
• Ensure regular financial reviews are conducted with delegated budget holders to better understand programmes, plans and financial performance.
• Identify and monitor budget risks and opportunities. Develop mitigating actions and work with the business to monitor.
• Promote effective individual and team performance

Person specification

The desired candidate will have:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including tailoring their communication style to a range of audiences, including internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to influence and make impact through excellent interpersonal and communication skills including building and maintaining networks and relationships.
• Ability to think empathetically, considering the strategic goals of others
• A collaborative approach to problem solving and the ability to consider a number of options and scenarios in order to achieve effective outcomes.
• A commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

Essential criteria:

• Qualified accountant (CCAB)
• Good verbal and written communication
• Good presentation skills
• Experience of budget and forecasting
• Experience of providing financial support to projects/programmes/business units
• Extensive experience covering Budget and Financial Management

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of investment appraisal and evaluation
• Working knowledge of the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance and Managing Public Money.
• Experience supporting change programmes
• Business Case development and investment appraisal experience using Treasury 5-case model

Essential Qualifications:

• Qualified accountant with aCCABbody orCIMA

Qualifications

Qualified Accountant with CCAB or CIMA

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

For more information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button below.