Project Finance Business Partner (3169)

GTR; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading transport agency seeks a Project Finance Business Partner to drive financial success and governance across investment programmes. This role involves collaborating with project managers, ensuring compliance, and providing insight-led financial analysis. Candidates must be ACCA/CIMA/ACA qualified with experience in budgeting and financial planning in complex organizations. Strong skills in stakeholder engagement are essential. This position is located in the United Kingdom.

Qualifications

• ACCA / CIMA / ACA qualified or equivalent.
• Experience in Finance Business Partnering or Project Finance role.
• Demonstrable experience in financial planning and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Partner with project managers to develop robust budgets.
• Ensure financial plans are based on clear assumptions.
• Provide structured financial support across the project lifecycle.
• Maintain oversight of project spend against approved budgets.
• Lead on accruals management and cost allocation.
• Deliver clear financial reporting to executives.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial compliance

Cost management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

ACCA / CIMA / ACA qualified

Job description

Overview

About this role:- The Project Finance Business Partner (FBP) plays a critical role in enabling the financial success, control, and delivery of GTR's investment programmes. As a core member of the finance team, this role is responsible for supporting project business case development, multi-year budget planning, cost governance, and benefits realisation. Wearing three distinct "hats", the postholder is responsible for: 1. Ensuring financial compliance and governance across all project budgets and reporting cycles 2. Partnering with project managers and delivery leads to enable effective, value-for-money project execution 3. Acting as a collaborative and strategic business partner, supporting decision-making, insight generation, and GTR's wider transformation agenda. Operating in a regulated and publicly accountable environment, the role ensures financial control while helping GTR to "spend wisely and work smarter," by actively identifying efficiencies, supporting external reporting obligations, and championing a culture of cost consciousness and data-driven planning.

Duties

• Project Finance Planning & Delivery Support — Partner with project managers, budget holders, and the Portfolio Office to develop robust budgets, forecasts, and business cases aligned to delivery milestones.
• Project Finance Planning & Delivery Support — Ensure financial plans are based on clear assumptions, realistic cost profiles, and benefit realisation phasing.
• Project Finance Planning & Delivery Support — Provide structured financial support across the full project lifecycle, from concept to post-implementation review.
• Financial Control, Compliance & Governance — Maintain oversight of project spend against approved budgets, ensuring accuracy, accountability, and visibility for stakeholders.
• Financial Control, Compliance & Governance — Lead on accruals management, cost allocation, and financial coding for funded and non-funded activity.
• Financial Control, Compliance & Governance — Support audit and external evidence requirements (e.g., DfT PBF submissions), ensuring compliance with public finance standards.
• Financial Control, Compliance & Governance — Drive challenge and rigour to improve cost efficiency, tracking savings and risks.
• Insight & Performance Analysis — Deliver clear, insight-led financial reporting to Exec and senior leaders, highlighting risks, issues, and opportunities.
• Insight & Performance Analysis — Track actuals vs forecast at milestones and assess financial impact of delays or scope changes.
• Insight & Performance Analysis — Define and measure project KPIs and outcomes to support ongoing performance monitoring.
• Integrated Business Partnering — Act as a trusted partner across Finance, Engineering, IT, Procurement, and Operations to optimise project delivery and value.
• Integrated Business Partnering — Contribute credible multi-year plans and forecasts into long-range planning and annual budget processes.
• Integrated Business Partnering — Facilitate workshops and financial reviews to build literacy and strengthen delivery capability across non-finance teams.

Skills, knowledge & experience

• ACCA / CIMA / ACA qualified (or equivalent international accounting qualification)
• Experience in a Finance Business Partnering or Project Finance role within a large, complex organisation
• Demonstrable experience supporting financial planning and delivery in capital or transformation projects
• Proven experience in budgeting, forecasting, and business case development
• Experience working in regulated, infrastructure, or public service environments (e.g. rail, utilities, transport) is desirable