Financial Reporting Business Partner

Robert Gordon University; Aberdeen City; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Aberdeen seeks a proactive Financial Reporting Business Partner to join its Finance team. This role involves ensuring robust financial governance, leading statutory reporting, and providing financial insights for decision-making. The ideal candidate will have experience in financial accounting and managing teams, with strong analytical and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant or working towards qualification with significant professional experience.
• Significant experience in financial accounting/reporting roles including statutory and management accounts.
• Proven ability to explain complex financial information to non-finance stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the preparation of statutory financial statements in accordance with UK standards.
• Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual management reporting.
• Provide financial information and advice to senior leadership and stakeholders.

Skills

Financial accounting

Team leadership

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving

IT literacy

Education

Qualified accountant

Tools

Excel

Financial reporting systems

Job description

Robert Gordon University is seeking a proactive and strategically minded Financial Reporting Business Partner to join its Finance team. This role plays a key part in ensuring robust financial governance, delivering statutory and management reporting requirements and supporting financial decision‑making across the University. Working closely with both academic and professional services finance staff, the postholder will act as a key liaison between central finance and the wider University, ensuring compliance with financial regulations and providing clear and informative financial information to senior management to enable timely and accurate decision‑making.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage the preparation of statutory financial statements in accordance with UK accounting standards ensuring compliance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) for Higher Education and the Scottish Funding Council’s annual accounts direction
• Lead monthly, quarterly and annual management reporting: producing variance analysis, forecast updates, management accounts for senior leadership
• Oversee balance sheet reconciliations, fixed assets accounting, deferred income & expenditure and accruals/prepayments
• Manage the Accounts payable and Non‑Student accounts receivables team ensuing best practice is adopted and adhered to
• Manage the VAT and Corporation Tax returns process including liaising with external advisors
• Lead on Treasury management with support from the Deputy Director of Finance
• Support budgeting and long‑term financial planning processes; contribute analysis and inputs to forecasts, scenario modelling, financial risk assessment
• Provide financial information, insight and advice to senior leadership, budget holders and other stakeholders; translate financial technicalities into understandable information for non‑finance staff
• Lead or contribute to special projects / initiatives, such as implementing new financial reporting systems, process automation, digital transformation and system upgrades
• Manage and develop a team of reporting / accounting staff: setting objectives, coaching, performance management
• Ensure that external/statutory reporting obligations (Scottish Funding Council/OSCR/HESA) are met accurately and on time
• Maintain awareness of changes in financial regulations, accounting standards and funding regimes and ensure the University remains compliant

Essential Experience

• Fully qualified accountant or working towards qualification with significant professional experience
• Significant experience in financial accounting / reporting roles including preparing statutory accounts and regular management accounts / informationProven experience in managing financial reporting systems, budgeting, forecasting, scenario and variance analysis
• Experience of leading people and teams; ability to mentor, develop and manage performance
• Strong understanding of UK GAAP, FRS 102, and the Higher Education SORP
• Proven ability to explain complex financial information to non‑finance stakeholders
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving and communication skills
• High level of IT literacy, particularly with Excel and financial systems

For more information on the role, please contact Chris Sole at Rutherford Cross: [e-mail]

Our client is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status or pregnancy and maternity.