Lead Finance Business Partner

Babcock International; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense contractor is seeking a Lead Finance Business Partner in Bristol. This role involves supporting the Skynet program, providing financial insights, and leading a finance team. Ideal candidates will be qualified accountants with strong Excel skills and experience in finance systems. The position offers competitive compensation and a hybrid working model.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension scheme

Access to Digital GP

Employee share scheme

Holiday Trading

'Be Kind Day' for volunteering

Qualifications

• Proven ability to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• Confident, self-motivated team player with leadership potential.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial planning and performance for a major defence contract.
• Provide accurate financial insights to drive performance.
• Produce reports showing contract performance and variances.
• Collaborate with Project Managers to mitigate financial risks.
• Build strong relationships with business leads and bidding teams.

Skills

Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA preferred)

Strong Excel modelling and Microsoft Office skills

Experience with IFS finance systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

Job Title: Lead Finance Business Partner

Location: Ashton Vale, Bristol, (Bristol) or Corsham, (Wiltshire)

Compensation: Competitive Salary + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF68677

At Babcock, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Lead Finance Business Partner at Ashton House (Bristol).

The role

As a Lead Finance Business Partner, you’ll play a pivotal role in supporting the Skynet programme, one of the UK’s most vital defence and satellite infrastructure contracts. You’ll partner with operational teams, lead a small finance team, and take ownership of contract accounting and financial performance across a growing portfolio.

This is a high-impact role where you’ll influence strategic decisions, drive growth, and help shape the future of our Space Business Unit within Mission Systems. You’ll have the autonomy to lead your area, backed by strong governance and support, while developing your leadership and commercial acumen in a dynamic and fast-evolving environment.

This role is full time, 37 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with X days in the office/onsite and X days working from home based in Ashton House (Bristol) or Corsham (Wiltshire).

Day-to-day you’ll be

You’ll lead financial planning and performance for a major defence contract, empowering teams with insights and driving operational excellence.

• Providing Directors and Heads of Business with accurate financial insights to drive performance
• Producing clear, meaningful reports showing contract performance and variances
• Collaborating with Project Managers to identify and mitigate financial risks
• Building strong relationships with business leads and bidding teams
• Supporting contract reviews and presenting to senior stakeholders

Essential experience of the Lead Finance Business Partner

• Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA preferred)
• Strong Excel modelling and Microsoft Office skills
• Experience with IFS finance systems (desirable)
• Proven ability to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities
• Confident, self-motivated team player with leadership potential

Qualifications for the Lead Finance Business Partner

• Qualified Accountant (CIMA, ACCA or ACA)
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (desirable)
• Clean driving licence

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) / Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.

Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What we offer

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This Window opens February through to March annually.

• ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

Babcock International

For over a century Babcock has helped to defend nations, protect communities and build a better world. To continue, we must adapt, advance and be a sustainable business with a shared goal.

We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email [e-mail] with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

Closing date: 06/11/2025