Finance Business Partner – Royal Navy

ACCA Careers; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental organization in Portsmouth is seeking a Finance Business Partner to deliver strategic financial advice to senior leadership. This role involves leadership of a finance team and collaboration to drive financial performance. The ideal candidate will be CCAB qualified or a finalist with experience in a complex environment. Offers include a competitive salary and various benefits like a pension scheme and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension

25 days paid annual leave

On-site gym and sports facilities

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience as a Finance Business Partner in a complex environment.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information effectively.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of team development.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and line management to your team.
• Support business outcomes through collaboration.
• Drive financial performance against targets.

Skills

Leadership

Financial analysis

Strategic financial advice

Collaboration skills

Education

CCAB Qualified Accountant

Job description

Location

PO2 8BY Hybrid working (a blend of working in the workplace and from home) may be applicable. You should expect to work a minimum of 3 days a week in Portsmouth in agreement with your Line Manager.

About The Job

Job summary

Finance supports all the Royal Navy’s activities, from front-line operations to personnel support and training; finance and governance; safety; equipment acquisition; programmes and planning and; Defence Engagement.

The Finance Business Partner is a critical role and is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team for the business you support, responsible for influencing the strategic direction of the business and enabling the organisation to deliver against its Navy plan objectives and outcomes. You will be required to act as a finance business partner, delivering accurate, timely and considered strategic financial advice to Senior Leadership Budget Holders and SROs for Navy Command programmes, whilst safeguarding the taxpayer.

We are looking for someone who is committed to providing an excellent finance service, guiding and supporting senior decision makers while leading a small and successful team, balancing priorities and challenges. The role will require excellent collaboration skills to ensure the finance function works optimally across the different parts of the organisation.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

This Finance Business Partner role will require you to utilise abilities and strengths drawn from interpersonal and professional skills supported by deep technical knowledge. By applying these abilities together with their contextual understanding of your business’ strategic goals, plans, performance and risk management, you as the FBP will be equipped to provide strategic financial advice and enhance the quality of decision making.

As part of the Navy finance leadership team you will support the development of your team and wider finance function, providing opportunities for development and encouraging ideas for improving team performance.

Duties Include

• Provide Leadership and Line Management to your team.
• Supporting the business to deliver their outcomes – Working collaboratively with the business and other functions to enable the delivery of business plans and objectives.
• Driving financial performance – against agreed targets working with partners. Develop an understanding of the drivers behind key variations and work with the business to identify remedial actions, risks and opportunities.
• Providing constructive challenge, scrutiny, insight and analysis on financial plans and programmes to ensure ambitions are sustainable, aligned to strategy, maximise value for money and are linked to benefits.
• Reporting and analysing the business financial position for consolidation to Head of Corporate Reporting.
• Reviewing Financial Accounting treatment and resolution of accounting anomalies and/or anything adversely impacting the SOFP.
• Input into the development of business cases, investment appraisals and proposals identifying and highlighting any potential issues.
• To find opportunities for new efficiencies and support in delivering the existing pipeline.
• Implementing Continuous Improvement – embedding continuous improvement in the service finance provides by seeking and delivering those changes that add most value.
• Acting as the link between the business and the rest of finance - engaging with the wider business and knowing how to network across the broader function to access deep technical expertise.
• Building effective engagement – developing successful partnerships and maintaining relationships with business leadership and across your sphere of influence.
• For this role the business needs are such that the successful applicant should expect to be regularly in office in Portsmouth with some travel to other MoD locations.

Person specification

• You will have experience of working as a Finance Business Partner in a complex environment. At this level the individual will be able to demonstrate their experience and skill against the following criteria and be confident and articulate briefing at Board Level.
• Experience of delivering pragmatic and robust approach to financial control and governance, as well as managing a sophisticated financial portfolio
• Excellent leadership credentials, with a proven track record of developing and leading impactful teams.
• Experience of communicating complex financial information simply and effectively to a range of customers.
• Experience of using financial, operational performance and economic data to deliver insight that both drives and facilitates change and continuous improvement.
• Acting as the link between the business and the rest of finance, you will build relationships, support the business to deliver their outcomes, drive financial performance, and provide constructive challenge and, scrutiny.

Desirable

• An excellent ability to balance a range of competing priorities, drawing on good judgement, initiative and able to lead teams and projects.
• A working knowledge of MoD Commercial and Programme Management.

Qualifications

• CCAB Qualified Accountant, passed finalist or final year considered with commitment to qualify within 2 years.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £59,690, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,292 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Our headquarters in Portsmouth also offers an impressive range of on-site facilities including a gymnasium, tennis courts, and other sporting facilities, a children’s nursery, a bistro restaurant, a shop, and plenty of car parking spaces.

As a civil servant in Navy Command, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects, and a job that makes a difference.

Navy Command prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other Benefits For Navy Command Civil Servants Include

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
• Personal & professional development
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to a confidential, professional support service
• Discount schemes.
• Bicycle / season ticket loans.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
• Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days a year.

Apply before 11:55 pm on Tuesday 30th September 2025

For further information, and to apply, please visit our website via the “Apply” button below.