Finance Business Partner – Racecourses

Horse Racing Ireland; Ballymany; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Horse Racing Ireland is seeking two Finance Business Partners to provide financial analysis and strategic guidance to racecourse budget holders. You will influence senior management, deliver robust financial insight, and drive cost efficiency.

A qualified accountant with 3–5 years post-qualification experience is preferred, with strong SUN/Excel skills. The role focuses on supporting racecourse teams, collaborating across the business, and ensuring accurate financial planning and reporting

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with 3–5 years post qualification experience in finance.
• Experience as a finance business partner is advantageous but not essential.
• Strong systems skills including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; SUN accounting is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Influence senior management to drive business performance and high-quality financial decisions.
• Provide objective financial advice and challenge spend plans.
• Identify opportunities for cost efficiency and value-for-money across racecourses.
• Lead monthly FP&A processes including KPI reporting, P&L and forecasts.
• Coordinate annual budget processes and materials for CEO sign-off.

Skills

Strong communicator

Advanced financial modelling

Analytical mindset

Ability to challenge constructively

Team player

Education

Professional accounting qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CPA)

Tools

SUN accounting package

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Job description

The role of Finance Business Partner - Racecourses will report to the Head of Racecourse Finance. We are looking for two Finance Business Partners in the finance department. The purpose, responsibilities, skills and experience and competencies required are as follows:

Role Purpose

The Finance Business Partner will play a key role in the provision of professional financial analysis, advice, and guidance to budget holders across the Racecourses. The team of Finance Business Partners for the racecourses will work together as a network to provide a robust financial and consultancy service. The focus of this role is to support the racecourse teams to deliver in their roles and to ensure that finance delivers value add and financial assurance efficiently and effectively.

In this role, you will act as a support to your racecourse management teams investigating the financial impact of new initiatives, efficiency measures and growth strategies. You will help them understand their financial performance by providing insight, while supporting and challenging them in equal measure. You will need to be adept at building relationships with your key stakeholders in the racecourse teams, and across the wider business.

This is a hands‑on finance role that relies on skilled qualified staff with robust broad financial experience.

Role Responsibilities

• Work closely with and influence senior management to help drive business performance, helping to ensure high-quality financial decisions.
• Provide objective financial advice and opinions that positively impact the future choices of the business.
• Identify and drive financial efficiency with the racecourse leadership teams - ensuring that resources are allocated effectively with rigorous pressure on costs and a commitment to a value‑for‑money approach.
• Provide objective challenge regarding spend plans and take a proactive role in looking for opportunities to deliver services more efficiently and effectively.
• Investigate opportunities as well as high‑risk and material financial issues, or problem areas, with the business.
• Effective financial performance monitoring to secure the achievement of financial objectives.
• Detailed cost benchmarking and propose measures to increase cost efficiency across the Group.
• Smooth annual financial planning processes for forecasts, budgets, and multiyear strategic plans.
• Responsible for leading the monthly Financial Planning & Reporting processes for racecourses, encompassing KPIs, Profit and Loss, on a timely and accurate basis for Senior Leadership and CFO review.
• Annual Budget process and preparation of materials for CEO sign-off. Largest financial exercise of the year requiring communication with relevant stakeholder groups, focus on numerical precision and detailed understanding of commercial drivers.

understanding of commercial drivers.

• Support the business with capital spend proposals and capital grant applications to HRI.
• Management of balance sheet reporting, and trial balance reconciliation.
• Key point-of-contact and responsibility for legal entity audit file preparation, internal and external audit requests, statutory disclosures, code of governance and tax requirements.
• Become proficient in SUN finance package and in usage of the racecourse ticketing system application.
• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and support finance shared service operations with process improvements and finance system implementation.
• Proactively manage relationships with multiple stakeholders.

Skills and Experience

• Qualified accountant, ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or CPA.
• 3 - 5 years post qualification experience in a finance role, with previous finance business partner experience advantageous, but not essential.
• Strong systems skills including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. Experience of SUN accounting package would be preferable but not essential.
• Strong communicator with the ability to act as a liaison between Finance and the business.
• Advanced financial modelling, numerical and analysis skills.
• First-class problem-solving skills who will get to the heart of the matter.
• The ability to communicate effectively and efficiently with the business while ascertaining the key impact/detail behind the issue/request.
• The ability to be curious and the courage to challenge positively.
• Commercially aware and enjoy interacting with cross functional teams.
• A team player who can lead by example and inspire others daily.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment and embrace change.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to manage several priorities at once.
• Excellent work ethic and strong career ambition.
• An interest in horse racing while an advantage, is not essential.

Core Competencies

Customer Focus

• Knows who the customer is (both internal and external).
• Always interacts professionally with the customer and adapts own manner to suit the individual customer needs.
• Takes pride in delivering high-quality service to the customer and conveys interest, concern, and respect for the customer.
• Resolves customer queries at point of contact only escalating when necessary.
• Is knowledgeable about each process that impacts the customer and can articulate to the customer.

Developing Self

• Actively seeks to develop by seeking feedback to gain insights for required improvement in performance.
• Proactively identifies skills gaps and seeks manager and team support to address same.
• Develops self-awareness through being curious, listening and sharing with colleagues.
• Identifies potential career prospects and works to be best positioned for upcoming opportunities.
• Uses internal opportunities to learn about wider organisation along with knowledge of own role.

Energy & Pace

• Approaches every activity with a desire for success and a 'can do' attitude.
• Understands own goals and objectives and how these impact wider department objectives.
• Displays an understanding of the importance of deadlines and an ability to meet same, striving to surpass expectations while maintaining high standards for attention to detail and adhering to company procedures.
• Prioritises tasks and ensures time is spent on the right activity at the right time, seeks advice if unsure.
• Adheres to procedures and takes accountability for completion of own tasks and illustrates a drive and enthusiasm for all activities.

Innovation & Change

• Approaches every task with a 'can do' attitude and always considers the next step.
• Brings potential solutions rather than problems to manager/colleagues.
• Considers all activities to be worthy of review for effectiveness and efficiency of process and identifies opportunities for amendments.
• Seeks to modify the way own tasks are completed to make them more achievable.
• Adjusts positively to changing tasks or responsibilities when needed and is comfortable with new technologies.

Leadership

• Focuses on individual accountability in role and takes responsibility for the successful completion of own tasks.
• Shows initiative and energy to get things done.
• Sets an example among peer group for energy and enthusiasm for organisation purpose.
• Is creative in approach and can think creatively in terms of problem solving.
• Seeks out opportunities to learn about other functions to enable greater performance of own role.

Team

• Illustrates willingness to help others and is approachable.
• Offers support to any team members under pressure and views deadlines as team owned regardless of the task.
• Builds relationships with team members and stakeholders.
• Shares knowledge with others and is open to learning from other colleagues.
• Conducts all activities in the role holding a high level of respect for self, team, other functions, and the objectives of the organisation.

HRI is an equal opportunities employer. Interview candidates will be provided with any necessary reasonable accommodations when called for interview.