Finance Business Partner - Re3

The Methodist Church in Britain; Normanton on Trent; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Flexible working opportunities

On-site day nursery (Kennet Day)

Season ticket loan

Lease car salary sacrifice

Job summary

Reading Borough Council is seeking a Finance Business Partner to support budget managers and senior leaders across Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham councils. The role focuses on budgets, forecasts, business cases and transformation projects, with line management duties for accountants and trainees.

The post requires CCAB qualification or progress towards it, and experience in a finance business partnering or advisory capacity within the public sector.

Qualifications

• CCAB qualification or equivalent, or actively working towards full qualification.
• Experience in a finance business partnering or similar advisory role.
• Experience in the public sector, ideally local government.

Responsibilities

• Act as a key financial adviser to budget managers and senior leaders.
• Support the preparation, monitoring and management of budgets.
• Provide financial analysis, forecasting and performance reporting.
• Identify financial risks, opportunities and potential efficiency savings.
• Contribute to business cases, investment appraisals and transformation projects.
• Support the annual budget-setting process and year-end accounts.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, legislation and CIPFA guidance.
• Build relationships across services and councils and act as a conduit to specialist finance expertise.
• Provide support, guidance and task allocation to accountants, accountancy assistants and trainee accountants.
• Provide high-quality financial support to service areas, ensuring sound financial management and governance.
• Contribute to major projects, transformation programmes and strategic decision-making.
• Support continuous improvement across the Finance Service with commercial and financial insight.

Skills

Financial planning

Budget monitoring

Stakeholder management

Forecasting

Analytical skills

Education

CCAB qualification or equivalent

Job description

This Finance Business Partner post sits in the Finance Business Partnering Team at Reading Borough Council, supporting re3, the joint waste PFI partnership serving Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham councils. The work centres on advising budget managers and senior leaders on budgets, forecasts, business cases and transformation projects across the three authorities. The role is 37 hours and includes task allocation for accountants and trainees in the team. A CCAB qualification, or working towards one, is required.

What the job involves

• Act as a key financial adviser to budget managers and senior leaders
• Support the preparation, monitoring and management of budgets
• Provide financial analysis, forecasting and performance reporting
• Identify financial risks, opportunities and potential efficiency savings
• Contribute to business cases, investment appraisals and transformation projects
• Support the annual budget-setting process and year-end accounts
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, legislation and CIPFA guidance
• Build relationships across services and councils and act as a conduit to specialist finance expertise
• Provide support, guidance and task allocation to accountants, accountancy assistants and trainee accountants
• Provide high-quality financial support to service areas, ensuring sound financial management and governance
• Contribute to major projects, transformation programmes and strategic decision-making
• Support continuous improvement across the Finance Service with commercial and financial insight

Qualifications

• CCAB qualification or equivalent, or actively working towards full qualification

Experience

• Experience in a finance business partnering or similar advisory role
• Experience in the public sector, ideally local government
• Experience influencing decision-making and managing or advising on significant budgets

Skills & knowledge

• Strong financial planning, budgeting and forecasting skills
• Interpreting complex financial information and presenting it clearly to non-finance colleagues
• Excellent communication, relationship-building and stakeholder management
• Identifying opportunities, driving improvements and supporting organisational change
• Analysing quarterly waste forecasts and performance data to produce financial and performance forecasts
• Quickly understanding how the three councils and contractor operate within the Joint Waste Management (PFI) Contract

What’s offered

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, rising to 30 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in Reading
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Life assurance of three times annual salary for LGPS members
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day Nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season ticket loan for rail or bus travel to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme for a new, greener car over three years, including insurance, servicing and road tax