Finance Business Partner 202560

Joint Nature Conservation Committee; Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK environmental advisory body is seeking a Finance Business Partner to provide financial advice and support. The role involves budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis, ensuring informed decision-making. Ideal candidates should have strong financial control experience and be CCAB/CIMA qualified or training. The position offers a hybrid working approach, requiring office attendance a few days each month. You will contribute to a positive work culture and assist in achieving the organization's goals through effective financial management.

Benefits

Civil Service Pension Scheme

Professional development opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Proven experience of preparing and producing financial plans and management accounts.
• Strong commitment to developing professional skills further.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice and support in financial planning and budget preparation.
• Monitor project budgets and support decision making with financial analysis.
• Ensure timely month-end activities including accruals and pre-payments.

Skills

Financial control experience

Analytical skills

Good communication skills

Education

CCAB/CIMA qualified accountant or actively training

Tools

Advanced Excel skills

Job description

Location

JNCC has adopted a hybrid working approach, allowing colleagues to benefit from time in the office, with the flexibility also to work from home. Employees are expected to work from our office base for 1 – 2 days a month as a minimum, this will vary by team and the exact balance will depend on the nature of your role. We can provide more details at the interview and offer stages.

About the job

Job summary

Who are JNCC?

Established in 1991, we’re the UK’s statutory advisor on issues affecting the natural environment across the UK and internationally. Our primary role is advising all four Governments of the UK. We also work with private sector organisations to support decision making on the sustainable use of marine waters and natural resources around the UK. JNCC is led by the Joint Committee, which brings together members from the nature conservation bodies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and independent members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under an independent Chair. Support is provided to the Committee by approx. 300 people who bring together scientific and technical expertise, extensive knowledge of policy at global, European and national levels, and skills in working with other organisations. Staff are based in two main offices in Peterborough and Aberdeen

Why JNCC?

We’re small enough (c.300 staff) that your voice is heard by everyone including the CEO, but big enough that we have all the skills, resources and people you’ll need to get the job done. All our staff are passionate about conservation and making a difference to the world we live in. We have a very flexible, inclusive and welcoming organisational culture. Our Executive Management provides employees with the freedom and tools you will need, and our friendly team will assist you in your role. JNCC is committed to maintaining employee health and wellbeing, whether it is physically, emotionally, financially or socially, and offers a range of benefits to support employees in this. Such benefits include the option to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional and personal development opportunities as well as an exciting job in a unique environment.

Job description

Post Background

This post holder will work within the Finance and Planning section and report to the Head of Finance.

JNCC is a relatively small but complex organisation with a multi-disciplinary staff covering a broad range of work for multiple stakeholders and funded through multiple funding streams.

The role of Finance Business Partner is to provide advice, support, and challenge to stakeholders in the business including Directors, Senior Managers, and Senior Responsible Officers about financial position and performance.

You will support the financial planning process to deliver transparent and realistic budgets and forecasts for your area of business. This will contribute to the production of the annual Business Plan and delivery of the medium-term financial plan.

You will work with the business to understand results, trends, key performance indicators, and consider the impact of decisions to provide helpful and meaningful financial advice.

We are looking for someone with excellent financial control experience and good analytical skills. You are a CCAB/CIMA qualified accountant or actively training to achieve this.

You are a confident communicator, can build relationships and can deliver sophisticated financial concepts to a varied audience, both verbally and in writing.

You have proven experience of preparing and producing financial plans and management accounts.

Embracing and delivering change is one of your strengths and you enjoy supporting others by developing fit for purpose communications in line with the business requirements.

Post Duties

The post holder’s responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Working with project managers to set and monitor individual project budgets. Support informed decision making through expert advice and challenge stakeholders
• Providing advice and challenge on financial assumptions and first line advice on accounting treatment to budget holders
• Ensuring investments and spending decisions are supported by proportionate and relevant investment appraisal
• Agreeing a forecast, profiled monthly with each budget holder within a directorate and reflected in the financial system
• Providing financial support and analysis of contract tender bids
• Ensuring month end activities are performed in a timely and efficient manner, including the preparation of accruals and pre-payments
• Supporting Financial Accounting team as the Finance Business Partner for a directorate. To include advice and support in the understanding of accounting practices, policies, and processes
• Working closely with HR Business Partners to consider and provide financial assurance regarding staff cost forecasts
• Ensuring that training and guidance for the areas included within the role are up to date and delivered in a way that is appropriate for the audience.
• Liaising with stakeholders in Defra and other organisations to ensure income is billed and collected correctly and in a timely fashion
• Develop an understanding of the work of the other Finance Business Partner to be able to backfill those roles in critical times
• Being an approachable and helpful member of the team who contributes to a positive work culture.

Person specification

Please submit your CV along side a personal statement of 1000 words demonstrating you suitability for the post in line with the Technical and Experience section.

Behaviours will be assessed at Interview stage of the process.

Technical Requirements

To be a successful candidate you will be/have:

• Qualified/part qualified accountant (desirable) or qualified by experience with a commitment to developing professional skills further
• Knowledge of financial management principles and processes, including advanced excel skills
• Good communication and organisational skills
• Understanding of the requirements of Managing Public Money and other governing documents

Experience (Responsibilities)

To be a successful candidate you will have:

• Experience in budgeting, forecasting and reporting
• Excellent communication skills, able to understand what matters to key stakeholders, and to tailor style and technique across a range of audiences and formats to develop and maintain relationships
• Experience of combining a wide range of materials to provide clear and concise briefings with recommendations on complex issues to senior stakeholders
• Robust analytical and interpretative skills

Behaviours

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together