Finance Business Partner

Horizons; Palmerston North; Hybrid; NZD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday off

Wellness day

Life insurance

5 weeks leave after 2 years

Flexible family-friendly work

Ongoing development opportunities

Job summary

Horizons is seeking an experienced Finance Business Partner to join our Finance team in Palmerston North. You will partner with designated groups, delivering high-quality financial insights and strategic guidance to support operational and organizational decisions.

Reporting to the CFO, you will translate complex data into practical advice, identify risks and opportunities, and contribute to planning and performance discussions across the region.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in accounting or finance.
• Experience as an accountant or management accountant, ideally including finance business partnering.
• Chartered Accountant membership with CA ANZ or equivalent is desirable.
• Strong communication and presentation skills; translate complex financial information for non-financial audiences.
• Ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work on time.
• Curious, results-focused mindset to identify risks, opportunities and practical solutions.
• Collaborative and able to build trusted relationships across diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality business partnering support to designated groups across the organisation.
• Offer financial perspective to operational and strategic decisions.
• Translate financial information into clear, commercially focused advice.
• Identify risks, opportunities and strategic options to support informed decision-making.
• Support future planning and delivery of community outcomes within financial parameters.

Skills

Communication

Presentation

Autonomy

Strategic thinking

Problem solving

Education

Accounting or Finance degree

Tools

CA/CPA membership desirable

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced finance professional to join our Finance team as one of two Finance Business Partners. Working alongside designated groups and their teams across the organisation, you will provide high-quality business partnering support and bring a clear financial perspective to operational and strategic decisions.

This is permanent, full-time position based in Palmerston North.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, you will act as a trusted strategic partner to leaders across the organisation, working closely with assigned business groups and contributing to key leadership discussions. You will provide insight into the financial and operational drivers of performance, translate complex information into clear, commercially focused advice, and proactively identify risks, opportunities and strategic options to support informed decision-making.

Your advice will support strategic decision-making, future planning and the delivery of community outcomes within financial parameters, while keeping the organisation’s wider priorities in view.

About you

The successful applicant will have:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in accounting or finance.
• Relevant experience as an accountant or management accountant, ideally including finance business partnering within a complex organisation.
• Chartered Accountant membership with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, or an equivalent professional accounting body, is desirable.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, practical advice for non-financial audiences.
• The ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work within required timeframes.
• A results-focused and curious mindset, with the ability to explore the drivers behind performance and use those insights to identify risks, opportunities and practical solutions.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to build trusted relationships, work effectively with people from a range of backgrounds, and constructively challenge assumptions when needed.

When you join us, you can look forward to a rewarding career full of opportunities to develop a positive and supportive work environment. We do this through:

• Positive focus on employee health, wellness and wellbeing initiatives across the organisation including your birthday off, wellness day, life insurance for all permanent staff and 5 weeks leave after 2 years of service.
• Flexible family friendly work environment.
• Ongoing development and opportunities across the organisation to grow, specialise or diversify your skills.
• Working together for a better environment across our region.
• A supportive and social work environment across the organisation.

About us

The Horizons region extends over 22,200km2 - from Ruapehu in the north and Horowhenua in the south, to Whanganui in the west and Tararua in the east. We work with and for our community in the use and protection of our environment, managing our precious resources of land, air and water, as well as public transport and a key role in emergency management. At Horizons Regional Council we work to make our region a healthy environment where people are thriving, including our staff.

Applications close at 5pm on Sunday 20 September 2026.

Horizons are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to ensuring we have a diverse and inclusive workplace, so our people reflect the diversity of our region.