Interim Finance Business Partner

Michael Page Finance; Gloucester; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Michael Page Finance in Gloucester is seeking an interim Finance Partner to provide hands-on commercial and financial support to operational functions, acting as a primary business partner across the SME. The successful candidate will have CIMA/ACA/ACCA or qualified by experience and strong Excel skills to manipulate data and reports.

Responsibilities include leading monthly performance reviews, scenario planning, cost control, and project cost accounting, with variance analysis to inform

Qualifications

• Full accountancy qualification or qualified by experience.
• Experience in a similar commercial/analytical role within an SME.
• Advanced Excel and data manipulation skills.
• Ability to build relationships with finance and non-finance staff up to board level.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary finance partner to internal departments, supporting P&L delivery with analysis.
• Lead monthly financial performance reviews with stakeholders.
• Provide financial support around margin, cost control and revenue delivery.
• Collaborate on scenario planning and forecasting.
• Manage project cost accounting and variances.
• Support month-end processes and capital expenditure reviews.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Strong communication

Business partnering

Education

CIMA/ACA/ACCA or equivalent

Tools

Pivot tables

Power BI

Job description

This is an excellent interim role that is hands on and operationally focused. This position will provide key commercial and financial support to the operational functions of the business and required prior business partnering experience.

Client Details

My client are a SME business located in Gloucester. They are well established and market leaders in their field of expertise.

Description

Responsibilities within the role:

• Act as the primary finance partner to various internal departments, supporting delivery of their divisional P&Ls through commercial insight and financial analysis.
• Lead monthly financial performance reviews with key stakeholders, identifying risks and opportunities against budget and forecast.
• Provide financial support and challenge around margin performance, cost control and revenue delivery.
• Collaborate with immediate line manager on scenario planning.
• Take responsibility for project cost accounting, analysing, and interrogating actual/forecast versus budget variances, working alongside finance and operational colleagues across the business.
• Attend project team meetings as required, contributing financial insight and highlighting cost variances to inform forecast adjustments required. Manage queries regarding supplier orders/ invoicing.
• Provide monthly updates on project financial performance, reconciling any movements and aligning forecasts with figures recognised in the management accounts.
• Monitor ongoing spend on large scale enabling and rectification works, forecasting future expenditure and ensuring appropriate provisions are recorded in collaboration with finance colleagues.
• Monitor ongoing capital expenditure, including a review of appropriateness of posting as part of the month end process.
• Support the preparation of divisional forecasts and budgets, ensuring consistency with central finance assumptions and alignment with operational plans.
• Provide commentary and insight to variance analysis, bridging operational drivers with financial outcomes.
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve reporting tools and financial processes, including use of Excel, AI and Power tools.

Profile

The successful candidate:

• A full accountancy qualification (CIMA/ACA/ACCA) or qualified by experience
• Demonstrable experience in a similar commercial/analytical role within a SME
• Advanced Excel skills: ability to manage complex data and Pivot tables.
• Pro-active with strong communication skills
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with both finance and non-finance staff across the business, up to board level

Job Offer

This position is paying £55,000 - £60,000 (depending on experience) and is a 6 month FTC requiring a start in September. This is a hybrid working role with 2 days required on-site each week.