Job Type: Permanent
Location: This role could be based in our Edinburgh, Birmingham or London office with time spent working in the office and at home.
Flexible working: All roles are open to part-time, job-share and other types of flexibility. We will discuss what is important to you and balancing this with business requirements during the recruitment process.
Closing Date: 10th April (23:55)
Salary and benefits: Up to £70,000 depending on experience plus an indicative bonus range 16% - 32%, private medical cover, 38 days annual leave, excellent pension, 12x salary life assurance, career breaks, income protection, 3x volunteering days and much more
Who are we?
We’re Standard Life, a retirement specialist focused entirely on retirement savings and income. We champion the belief that everyone’s journey to and through retirement can be better, and for more than 200 years, we’ve been helping our customers plan and prepare for their financial futures.
Life today is increasingly complicated, uncertain and unpredictable. People move through different careers, face unexpected moments and navigate important choices. We offer our colleagues flexibility, trust and benefits that work for whatever life brings. In return we expect curiosity, connection, accountability and high standards. We make room for what matters - so you can bring your best, every day.
We’re looking for a Lead Finance Business Partner to join our Workplace and Retail Intermediated team. If you’re looking for a new challenge with an organisation committed to putting customers first, aiming high and working together, you’ll thrive here.
The role
The role will report to the Head of Finance Business Partnering, (Workplace and Retail Intermediated) and will be responsible for forward management, planning and reporting of trading performance for a number of areas within the fast-growing Pension & Savings business, which is at the forefront of the growth ambitions for the Group.
The core responsibilities:
1. Provide challenge in business performance plans and outcomes, with an aim to maximise commercial value in the aligned business area.
2. Play a proactive role in the development of financial forecasting and planning, across a range of financial metrics, and ensure connection and consistency with the respective business areas activity and delivery.
3. An ability to explain the trading results to the business stakeholders in a meaningful way that can influence decisions and actions. Supporting the business unit in understanding the commercial drivers behind each of the businesses to execute value maximising activity.
4. Identify options and opportunities for financial performance management through considered analysis of experience and ensuring presentation of these findings in an appropriate method. Taking accountability to drive forward value to the aligned business area and champion a curiosity mindset, with a willingness to engage proactively in decisions.
5. Deliver ad-hoc commercial analysis, identifying key trends and bringing these to life for the business stakeholders. Making recommendations from the findings of the analysis.
6. Support the creation of business cases that will improve strategic value and ensure that these are aligned to ongoing strategy, forecasting and planning for the business.
7. Effectively communicate complex information to a wide group of stakeholders against a background of continuous regulatory and business change. Ensuring that outputs are tailored appropriately to the audience.
8. A self-starter attitude looking for ways to optimise or improve the outputs from the team to ensure we work efficiently and driving forward best-practice in making-things-happen. To be a trusted voice to the stakeholders across the business and finance.
9. Taking ownership for commercial assessments within broader activity and feed into broader investment decisions for the aligned business area, ensuring that all financial impacts are understood and considered as part of decision making. Ensuring that accountability is taken for changes driven elsewhere across the Group that affect the business area of the team.
10. Represent the team across various internal and external working groups/management committees, sharing knowledge and opinions, proactively engaging, and influencing other stakeholders where appropriate to ensure reasonable requirements are met.
What are we looking for?
Essential
11. A strong understanding of pensions and savings products, along with awareness of the competitive landscape and wider markets. (Essential)
12. A naturally curious mindset with a willingness to engage in a wide range of initiatives and a natural desire for problem solving and optimisation.
13. Analytical thinking skills, paired with the ability to clearly communicate complex information to diverse audiences and stakeholders.
14. Ability to identify key priorities and seek guidance when needed, in an environment of constant change and tight deadlines.
15. Proven experience in stakeholder management, including effective business partnering for an open trading business.
16. Influencing at various levels: the role must provide challenge on financial performance and expense management, often navigating sensitive or contested decisions.
17. Must have an accounting qualification.
Desirable
18. Positively contribute to fostering a culture of accountability, professional growth, and collaboration.
19. Proactively look for and embrace more efficient ways of working, improving processes and identifying opportunities to strengthen controls — while maintaining high-quality delivery.
We want to hire the whole version of you.
We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels accepted and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If your experience looks different from what we’ve advertised and you believe that you can bring value to the role, we’d love to hear from you.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, please let us know so we can help you to be at your best.
We’re reviewing applications as they come in, so apply early to avoid missing out.