My charity client is seeking a Finance Business Partner to join their dynamic and fast paced team! The successful candidate will report into the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis.
To provide accounting and analysis expertise to budget holders across the business whilst supporting them to achieve their objectives. In addition, be the lead for a defined portfolio of business areas in budget setting, forecasting, business reporting and accounting advice.
Main Accountabilities:
- Responsible as finance lead for a defined portfolio of budget areas across the business including a mix of operational and business support functions.
- Responsible for the preparation and distribution of monthly management accounts, having prepared accounting information to trial balance stage.
- Review transactional information, processed into the finance system, ensuring quality, accuracy and integrity, highlighting and correcting any discrepancies in a timely manner.
- Ensure that salary budgets and projections correctly capture planned and proposed changes.
- Lead on the management of restricted reserves, portfolio defined, ensuring that available funds are appropriately utilised against relevant activity, making recommendations for the strategic use of reserves where relevant.
- Provide support to the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis with the preparation of accounting information to trail balance, monthly, including month end schedules in line with the Charities SORP FRS102.
- Oversee quarterly finance reviews with budget holders and report to senior management with recommendations on the outcomes, including risks and opportunities.
- Provide finance business partnering services to budget holders, undertaking regular meetings to review management reports providing recommendations where necessary.
- Lead on the annual budget setting cycle, for a defined portfolio, preparing budgets and projections in conjunction with budget holders, taking or recommending actions where appropriate.
- Provide appropriate challenge to budget holders during budgeting and projection rounds, ensuring that returns are timely, lean and in line with business objectives.
- Responsible for the preparation of costing models for new contracts in line with tender requests, ensuring services are financially viable whilst highlighting risks and accounting requirements.
- Provide support to the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis and Director of Finance & Resources with the year end audit and production on the annual accounts in line with Charities SORP FRS102.
- Provide training/ coaching and support to budget holders their team as and when required.
- Proactive identification of inefficiencies in existing systems, processes, and activities, making realistic and achievable recommendations for improvements.
Key Relationships:
The Finance Business Partner is normally the first contact point for all management accounting matters / queries from services / HO departments.
Internal
- Guidance on financial matters to Assistant Directors, Service Managers, Service staff, administrative staff.
- Budget holders - advising on reporting and financial queries, budgets, costings etc.
- Managers - advising on day-to-day financial queries
- HR and payroll regarding staff (new starts and leavers) and budgets.
- All staff are expected to attend team meetings and keep up to date with changes at service and organisational level. This includes accessing work email accounts, intranet sites and supporting our marketing & fundraising initiatives and social media channels to help promote the organisation.
External
- Local authorities, health boards, Scottish Government and other relevant funding agencies regarding funding, by video call, telephone, in writing, or through supporting senior staff at in-person meetings.
- Suppliers.
Qualifications:
Relevant qualification at SCQF level 9 or above (eg finance or accounting related degree) or studying towards CCAB recognised qualification or QBE with suitable sector experience.
Experience:
- Demonstratable experience in accounting and reporting with prior management accounting experience.
- Experience of leading on the preparation of budgets and forecast/ projections and monthly reporting processes at a departmental level.
- Experience of managing budgets for a wide range of projections with multiple fundings sources.
- Experience of negotiating and influencing senior staff to challenge budgetary assumptions and projections.
Knowledge/Skills
- Ability to work on own initiative and effectively as part of a team.
- Ability to analyse and evaluate complex information.
- Strong working knowledge of the use of information technology in financial management, budgeting and forecasting with the ability to apply that experience to develop and improve the reporting and monitoring systems. Experience of using Microsoft Business Central and Jet reporting would be advantageous.
- Familiarity with accounting concepts for charities and public sector organisations would be advantageous.
- Ability to communicate complex financial concepts clearly both in writing and verbally to colleagues at all levels in the organisation.
- Ability to logically analyse quantitative and qualitative information to reach well-reasoned judgements and recommendations on the adequacy and accuracy of budget holder projections and plans.
Additional Information -
- The job may involve some travel across Scotland and to head office locations to attend meetings.
Morgan Hunt is a multi-award-winning recruitment business for interim, contract and temporary recruitment and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to permanent vacancies. Morgan Hunt is an equal opportunities employer. Job suitability is assessed on merit in accordance with the individual's skills, qualifications and abilities to perform the relevant duties required in a particular role.