Closing Date
Job Title: Finance Business Partner – Wastewater Treatment
Location: Durrington, Worthing Hybrid
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full time, Monday to Friday, (flexible working options considered)
Salary: Up to £58,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience, plus benefits
About the role
There has never been a better time to join Southern Water. While we are a mature organisation, we are undergoing significant transformation as we invest in the future of our business, our customers, and the environment.
As a Finance Business Partner, you'll play a critical role supporting one of Southern Water's largest and most operationally complex areas – Wastewater Treatment. This is a fast‑paced, demanding environment where priorities can shift quickly, and your ability to provide clear, insightful financial guidance will directly influence operational and strategic decision‑making.
You'll work closely with senior operational leaders, acting as the trusted finance lead for your area, bringing clarity to complex data sets, driving accountability, and helping the business make informed decisions that deliver value for customers.
What you will be responsible for
* Acting as the finance lead for your assigned business area, providing trusted financial advice and insight to senior stakeholders across operations.
* Owning the opex budget and in‑year forecasting processes, including guidance on assumptions, efficiencies, risks and opportunities.
* Delivering in‑depth financial analysis, including scenario modelling and cost visibility, to support operational and strategic decisions.
* Producing and improving financial and KPI reporting, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and meaningful insight across the directorate.
* Providing financial governance and oversight across multiple work programmes and projects, recommending appropriate actions where required.
* Building strong relationships with operational and corporate teams to ensure robust financial controls and governance.
* Continuously improving forecasting techniques and ways of working to enhance financial accuracy and responsiveness in a changing environment.
What you'll bring to the role
Essential
* Experience working in a Finance Business Partnering, Management Accounting, FP&A or similar commercial finance role.
* Strong analytical skills, with experience working with large, imperfect data sets in a fast‑moving environment.
* Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to challenge, influence and support non‑finance stakeholders at all levels.
* The ability to work autonomously, managing multiple priorities and making sound judgements in a reactive operational setting.
* Strong business acumen, with the ability to quickly understand operational drivers and build trusted relationships.
* Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel and core Microsoft Office applications.
Desirable
* A professional accounting qualification (or qualification in progress); qualified by experience will also be considered.
* Experience within utilities, infrastructure or other asset‑intensive industries (helpful but not essential).
* Knowledge of Power BI or a willingness to learn.
About Southern Water
Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain's water industry. With £7.8bn of planned investment for 2025–2030, we are committed to delivering a generational shift in resilience, sustainability and customer service.
You'll be joining during a period of significant change, with the opportunity to make a real impact, influence decision‑making, and grow your career in an organisation that values development, collaboration and innovation.
Flexible working & inclusion
Does this opportunity excite you, but you're not sure you meet every requirement? Or do you need flexibility around working hours? We're open to conversations around compressed hours and flexible working, and we encourage you to apply if you think you could bring value to the role.
At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive better outcomes, and we're committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. All employees play a role in supporting out‑of‑hours incident response when required. Your manager will discuss any applicable incident support rotas during the interview process.
#LI-AW1
#LI-Hybrid