Role: Finance Business Partner
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Aylesbury
Salary £47,461 Per Annum
Purpose of the job
You’ll act as the vital link between finance and the wider business, turning data into action and financial insight into performance. Whether it’s budgeting, forecasting, or supporting operational leaders to make confident decisions, your impact will be seen and felt across the business.
You will partner with budget holders and project management teams to provide strategic financial insight and challenge, and lead on budgeting, forecasting and reporting for projects within Chiltern.
Key Accountabilities
* To prepare a monthly reporting pack for designated departments, inline with current reporting timescales.
* Functions will be allocated and changed as determined by the Head of FP&A or Head of Finance to aid cover within the department and to increase the job holders’ knowledge of other functions.
* If project function allocated, responsibility for the reporting of all projects, including both capex and opex.
* To meet with designated managers, project managers and functional directors every four weeks to formally discuss current cost performance and trends. These discussions to cover variances in the period to forecast and budget, and to assist the relevant managers in determining action required to reduce adverse variances and to deliver the agreed budget. Minutes to be taken of these discussions.
* To investigate and report on the key areas of the business, as agreed by Functional Heads, Head of FP&A or the Head of Finance, and to make recommendations for the improvement of financial performance.
* Reconciliation of the designated Balance Sheet Accounts at period end dependent on Departments covered.
* To identify cost trends (opportunities and risk) and to determine, with budget holders/project managers, what action is required to ensure the effective management of such areas.
* To identify and produce weekly reports on significant areas of cost within the functional areas.
* To advise on coding systems and reference files in Navision / Business Central, ensuring they are current and accurately reflect the company and organisation and managerial responsibilities. This especially applies to cost centres/fixed asset numbers, project codes and cost elements within the company.
* Ensuring all necessary back up to verify any re-charges or claims for the areas, including any sundry creditor/debtor projects.
Budgets and Forecasting
* To prepare a bottom-up annual budget for all cost elements after full consultation with individual budget holders/project managers. Agreeing target cost improvements with senior management and subsequently communicating and integrating targeted reductions into the final cost centre budgets.
* Update the rolling forecast periodically based on current cost trends and anticipated volume or price changes where these involve deviations from the budget for costs.
* Ensuring proper working papers are kept for any Budget or Forecast assumptions.
* Assisting, where required, with the consolidation of the budget / forecast for all areas of the business.
Person Specification
Essential:
* Intermediate level of an Accounting Qualification.
* Knowledge and experience of a computer based accounting system (Business Central desirable).
* Minimum of 3 years management accounting experience.
* Confident communicator with excellent influencing skills at all levels.
* Highly analytical, detail-driven and solution-oriented.
* Comfortable working under pressure, managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
* Strong Excel and financial modelling skills.
* Proven track record of cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement.
Desirable:
* Studying towards the final stage of an Accounting Qualification