Regional Commercial Finance Manager

The British Council; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international organization is looking for a proactive Commercial Finance Business Partner to provide expert financial insight and commercial advice throughout the contract lifecycle. This role requires strong analytical capabilities, relationship-building skills, and experience in international organizations. The ideal candidate will possess advanced Excel proficiency and significant business partnering experience, with responsibilities including financial appraisals and supporting regional financial planning. A salary of £38,820 plus pension contributions is offered.

Benefits

Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years in business partnering, with 3 years supporting business development teams.
• Proven experience managing similar roles.
• Knowledge of tax and treasury implications in international contexts.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial insight and commercial advice throughout contract lifecycle.
• Conduct financial appraisals using costing and pricing models.
• Support financial planning and forecasting for client-funded contracts.
• Evaluate financial proposals and improve governance, profitability, and risk mitigation.
• Manage compliance by communicating financial risks and supporting audits.

Skills

Financial modelling

Commercial finance activity

Advanced Excel

Business partnering

Cost & pricing tools

Education

Qualified accountant

Job description

We are looking for a proactive and strategic Commercial Finance Business Partner to work closely with Regional Business Directors and leadership teams across SSA and other regions. In this role, you will help shape and deliver a sustainable, financially successful, and high-quality portfolio of contracts. You will provide expert financial insight, management information, and commercial advice to guide decision‑making throughout the contract lifecycle—from opportunity development to delivery. This includes conducting rigorous financial appraisals of new business opportunities using our costing and pricing models, ensuring risks are understood and contracts deliver value for money while aligning with Cultural Engagement priorities on surplus, quality, partnerships, and impact. As a key decision influencer, you will offer independent commercial challenge and regional financial sign‑off on bids and contracts, making clear recommendations on financial viability, risk, and return. You will also support regional financial planning and forecasting for client‑funded contracts, producing high‑quality analysis and insights to drive performance improvement. This is a high‑visibility role within the Cultural Engagement Strategic Business Unit, requiring strong strategic thinking, analytical capability, and relationship‑building skills. Operating in a complex, multi‑location international environment, you will need to demonstrate commercial acumen, forward‑looking perspective, and the ability to collaborate effectively with senior leaders, operational teams, and finance colleagues. The role drives multi‑year financial planning for regional contracts, ensuring sustainability and viability, and analyzes donor landscapes to assess financial implications of different contract types and service models. A core responsibility is leading rigorous financial appraisals of new opportunities, applying consistent pricing and costing models, and monitoring benefits against investment, while maintaining oversight of the regional contract portfolio to ensure an appropriate balance of risk and return.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert financial insight, management information, and commercial advice throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Conduct rigorous financial appraisals of new business opportunities using our costing and pricing models.
• Offer independent commercial challenge and regional financial sign‑off on bids and contracts.
• Support regional financial planning and forecasting for client‑funded contracts.
• Provide commercial support for pipeline reviews, risk assessments, pricing, approvals and reporting.
• Evaluate financial proposals, conduct quality reviews of bids, and present recommendations to improve governance, profitability, and risk mitigation.
• Draft financial narratives to strengthen tenders and help negotiate balanced terms with funders, partners and suppliers.
• Enable smooth transitions from contract award to delivery, embedding learning from programme monitoring and promoting efficiency and value creation.
• Champion Cultural Engagement as a centre of excellence in commercial and contract finance by sharing best practice and building regional capability in commercial awareness and value for money.
• Manage risk and compliance by identifying and communicating material financial risks, liaising with global finance teams, ensuring reporting processes meet requirements, and supporting audits.

Qualifications & Experience

• Operating in international and multi‑cultural organisations.
• Knowledge of and experience of commercial finance activity in bid pursuit and tendering environments.
• Proficiency in financial modelling and analysis.
• Excellent working knowledge of cost & pricing tools and advanced Excel.
• Awareness of tax and treasury implications of contract/partnership work in an international context.
• Business partnering experience, minimum of 5 years, with at least 3 years recently supporting business development teams.
• Qualified accountant with proven experience of successfully managing and delivering similar roles.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check. See our vetting charter. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

Application

Please apply directly via the website. This is the link: https://careers.britishcouncil.org/careers/job/563705889574270. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,820, British Council contributes £11,246 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.