Finance Business Partner (Environment, Assets & Transport Services)

The Methodist Church in Britain; Compton Dando; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Opportunities for professional develop

In-house Wellbeing Team and employee援助

Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and EV

Inclusive staff groups and forums

Job summary

North Somerset Council's finance team is seeking a senior finance partner who will advise the Director and senior leaders on budgets, MTFP, capital investment and savings across highways, waste, leisure and major projects. The role is primarily home-based with two to three days a week in the office.

You will manage a small team of finance staff and ensure robust financial governance while collaborating across the organisation to shape service planning and delivery.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (CIPFA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Senior experience in local government finance or strategic partnering.
• Proven track record in budget setting and forecasting.

Responsibilities

• Give strategic financial insight and challenge to the Director and senior leaders.
• Prepare and present clear financial reports translating data into insight.
• Identify efficiency savings, service transformation and alternative revenue streams.
• Ensure financial governance and compliance with CIPFA codes and statutory rules.
• Build cross-organisation relationships shaping service planning and delivery.
• Oversee capital programme impacts, grant funding compliance and budget monitoring.
• Manage a small team of finance professionals and mentor colleagues.

Skills

Influential communicator

Strategic mindset

Resilience and adaptability

Education

Fully qualified accountant (CIPFA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)

Job description

This business partner post in North Somerset Council's finance team supports the Environment, Assets and Transport Services directorate, reporting to the S151 Officer. The work is strategic: advising the Director and senior leaders on budgets, the medium-term financial plan, capital investment and savings across highways, waste, leisure and major projects. It is primarily home-based with two to three days a week in the office, and includes managing a small team of finance staff. Full permission to work in the UK is required, as no sponsorship is offered.

What the job involves

• Give strategic financial insight and challenge to the Director and senior leaders within the annual revenue budget and MTFP cycles
• Prepare and present clear financial reports, turning complex data into business insight
• Identify efficiency savings, service transformation and alternative revenue streams
• Ensure financial governance and compliance with CIPFA codes, statutory requirements and local government finance best practice
• Build relationships across the organisation so financial and governance considerations shape service planning and delivery
• Oversee financial impacts of the capital programme, grant funding compliance and revenue budget monitoring
• Manage a small team of finance professionals supporting the directorate, mentoring colleagues and promoting continuous improvement

What's required

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (CIPFA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with a strong technical foundation

Experience

• Proven experience in local government finance, ideally in a senior business partnering or strategic finance role
• Track record of leading complex budget-setting and forecasting processes
• Track record of identifying and delivering financial savings and service transformation
• Experience supporting major capital programmes and investment decisions

Skills & knowledge

• Influential communicator who can build trust at senior levels, challenge leaders constructively and present financial narratives to non-financial audiences
• Strategic mindset, linking financial data to service outcomes and corporate priorities
• Resilience and adaptability in a dynamic public-sector environment, managing competing priorities with composure and integrity

Checks & eligibility

• Full permission to work in the UK, as sponsorship is not available

Nice to have

• Experience supporting environmental, transport, property or infrastructure services
• Experience developing and evaluating complex business cases and investment proposals
• Project or programme management qualification or equivalent experience
• Experience of financial modelling and scenario planning
• Knowledge of treasury, capital financing or asset management finance
• Experience supporting grant-funded programmes

What's offered

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Option to buy up to 10 additional days of annual leave each year
• Flexible working arrangements
• Opportunities for professional development
• In-house Wellbeing Team and employee assistance programme
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and electric vehicle schemes
• Inclusive staff groups, including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH and Young Staff Forums