Senior Finance Business Partner

Buckinghamshire-Council; Aylesbury; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Employee Assistance Programme

Pension scheme

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Council is seeking a Senior Finance Business Partner to shape financial decisions for public services and major projects. You will report to the Head of Finance and partner with service leaders to translate financial strategy into action.

You will lead financial reporting for the HIF programme, oversee substantial funding from Homes England and HS2, and deputise for the Head of Finance when required, ensuring value for money and risk management.

Qualifications

• Qualified CCAB or CIMA accountant with degree-level education or equivalent.
• Extensive finance experience in a large, complex organisation.
• Strong knowledge of local government and related sector influences.
• Experience in long-term financial planning and leading projects.
• Proven ability to partner with leaders and influence decisions.

Responsibilities

• Shape financial decisions and support delivery of major projects.
• Deputise for Head of Finance when required.
• Act as Lead Finance Advisor for the HIF programme and senior finance reporting.
• Provide practical financial solutions and challenge where needed.

Skills

Strategic planning

Public sector knowledge

Stakeholder management

Financial reporting

Risk management

Education

CCAB or CIMA qualification

Degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Finance systems

Job description

Turn financial insight into decisions that make a difference.

Looking for a role where your expertise goes beyond the numbers? Join Buckinghamshire Council as a Senior Finance Business Partner and help shape the financial decisions behind public services. From long-term planning to major projects and transformation, you'll bring clarity to complex challenges and help leaders make informed, sustainable choices.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally.

About the role

As a senior member of our wider Finance Leadership Team, you'll help shape financial decisions and support the delivery of the Council’s major projects. Reporting to the Head of Finance, you'll work closely with service leaders and finance colleagues to provide expert advice, constructive challenge and practical solutions that connect financial strategy with service priorities.

You'll help the Council understand its options, manage financial risk and achieve value for money. You'll also deputise for the Head of Finance when required, represent finance in senior decision-making forums and take a flexible approach to leading finance support for major projects.

A key focus will be acting as Lead Finance Advisor for the HIF programme, supporting the completion of the following projects:

• Work across delivery teams and council-owned companies to provide coordinated financial advice and support.
• Provide clear financial reports to the HIF Board (Cabinet) to support informed decision-making.
• Oversee more than £100 million of funding from Homes England and HS2.
• Support the HIF programme's expected completion within two years.
• Contribute to improvement projects within the Financial Planning & Capital Programme Team.

Any-Desk:

As an 'any-desk' worker, you'll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

You'll combine strong technical expertise with the ability to see the bigger picture. Comfortable working through complexity, you'll ask the right questions, explain the implications and help others move from analysis to action. We're looking for:

• A fully qualified CCAB or CIMA accountant, educated to degree level or an equivalent standard.
• Substantial relevant professional finance experience in a large, complex organisation, with applied technical expertise.
• Extensive knowledge of local government and the wider influences affecting the sector.
• Significant experience of long-term financial planning, alongside proven business, people and change management experience.
• The credibility to build effective partnerships, negotiate confidently and influence decisions.
• Strong strategic judgement, initiative and the ability to prioritise a demanding workload.
• Excellent digital skills, including Microsoft applications and specialist finance systems.

Experience of managing significant financial projects and coaching or developing colleagues would be valuable. Please read the accompanying job summary for the full essential and desirable criteria.

Other information

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are - Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that's why we're working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it's important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Resources cover a wide range of specialisms, including Human Resources, Finance, ICT and Business Operations. Our main focus is supporting the other directorates to provide the best possible service to our residents. To do that, we have to make sure we have the right people in the right roles across the organisation. From our finance teams, working strategically to ensure the best value from public money; to HR keeping our employees healthy and happy, each service is vital in making sure Buckinghamshire Council has what it needs to run effectively and efficiently.

As well as providing high quality services to other areas of the Council, you could also be helping us build on the revenue which comes from our external clients. If you are ambitious, customer-focussed and bursting with new ideas, we want to hear from you.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That's why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.