Pertemps are proud to be working together with the Open University.
Job Title: Senior Finance Business Partner
Location: Milton Keynes
Department: Business Partnering (Accounting)
Salary: £59,966 – £67,468 per annum
Hours : 37 per week
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Hybrid – Tuesday to Thursday required on site
About the Role
We are seeking a confident and experienced leader to head up a Finance Business Partnering (FBP) team in Accounting. This front-of-house facing role will support Digital Services with a £60m+ budget and requires a confident personality with the ability to challenge senior stakeholders constructively while adding strategic value.
You will lead a team of three (Finance Business Partner + 2 Assistant FBPs), providing direction, quality oversight, and ensuring deadlines are met. This is primarily a leadership and monitoring role with light involvement in day-to-day tasks, focusing on macro-level oversight and cross-unit/faculty engagement.
As a full member of the executive leadership team, you will influence key decisions, steer financial performance, and contribute to strategic initiatives, including supporting financial implications of new technology strategies. Strong relationships and collaboration across faculties are essential.
Key Responsibilities
* Provide strategic financial leadership to the unit/faculty and Digital Services.
* Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing Finance Business Partnering team.
* Actively participate in pan-University and unit governance groups.
* Contribute to VCE and governance papers.
* Interpret and communicate financial performance insights to senior stakeholders.
* Critically review business cases and pan-University initiatives, including investment proposals.
* Support contract pricing, bidding, and commercial negotiations.
* Lead budgeting, forecasting, and outturn processes, including presentations and review meetings.
* Inspire, lead, and develop a high performing and inclusive Finance Business Partnering team to oversee the financial performance management across core finance disciplines.
* Provide objective and constructive challenge to support decision-making.
* Monitor resources, budgets, risks, and opportunities while adding strategic insight.
About You
Essential:
* CCAB / CIMA qualified with significant post-qualification accounting experience.
* Proven experience operating at Senior Finance Business Partner (SFBP) level.
* Strong leadership experience, including managing and developing high-performing teams.
* Skilled at building relationships and navigating complex personalities.
* Confident, proactive, and able to constructively challenge stakeholders.
* Exceptional communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
* Experience in resource and capacity management and influencing senior stakeholders.
Desirable:
* Experience within Higher Education or the public sector.
* Exposure to financial oversight of technology strategies or large-scale budgets.
Benefits
* Pension: 6.1% employee contribution, 14.5% employer contribution.
* 33 days annual leave plus Christmas closure and bank holidays.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
This is a fantastic opportunity to join a values-driven organisation with a powerful mission: widening access to education and transforming lives. The Open University offers a supportive, inclusive, and flexible working environment, committed to diversity and equity.
Are you interested in applying?
Please upload your most recent CV with a supporting cover letter at the front of the document to be considered for this opportunity.