Finance Business Partner

• The role holder will provide a high-quality business partnering service to operational management, enabling them to make financial decisions about the current and future services.
• You will prepare regular, timely and accurate financial management information including budgets, forecast, cost centre reports, analysis and commentaries and ensure that non-financial managers can interpret the data to understand the financial implications and consequences of their decisions.
• You will monitor and evaluate financial information systems used operationally and within the finance team suggesting improvement where needed.

Key responsibilities

• Produce accurate monthly management accounts to the required timetable, including the preparation of accruals and prepayment journals as appropriate.
• Identify, investigate and report on monthly variances and provide full year forecasts, liaising with financial staff and non-finance managers as appropriate.
• Monthly face to face presentation of financial performance to Senior management, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the financial information.
• To independently conduct monthly review meetings with the Director of the service and managers and to act as the key point of contact to support budget holders with grant management, decision making, capital and investment proposals.
• Challenge the Directors and managers to ensure that all concepts have been properly considered before making business decisions.
• Offer professional judgement on financial matters and advising on ways to improve business performance.
• To lead and co-ordinate the annual budget setting process in collaboration with operational managers and the group consolidation team, particularly for donor funded programmes.
• Be comfortable dealing with and working through issues and challenges with project teams and other stakeholders getting into the detail, to ensure you understand the cost drivers of the business and can provide insight to non-finance colleagues.
• Produce reports of spend against budget for statutory and other donors and ad-hoc reports as required (e.g. re investment appraisal decisions.)
• Ensure income and expenditure is coded in the correct way, advising finance colleagues where necessary and making any adjustments arising during the process of preparing donor reports.
• Produce information for the preparation and audit of annual statutory accounts for Sense and be fully involved in the annual audit process.
• Advise budget holders and fundraisers in Sense on financial aspects of compliance with donors' conditions and liaise with donors and their auditors seeking assurance as to compliance.
• Advise on the commercial terms of contracts and assist colleagues in preparing funding bids especially in fundraising.
• Ensure that information on the finance system (SUN) is reconciled to information on income held within the Engagement (on CRM systems) and information from banks, credit card companies and our agents.
• Ensure VAT records are accurate and are submitted to the accountant responsible for VAT returns on a timely basis.
• Ensure Gift Aid claims are prepared and submitted in liaison with the Engagement Team.
• Support the Sense Branches and manage the preparation of quarterly and annual Branch accounts.
• Ensure that accounting controls are implemented, maintained and reconciled on a regular basis, including intercompany control accounts.
• Line Manage one Finance Officer.

Person specification
Knowledge and Experience

• Relevant financial qualification such as CCAB/CIMA, with evidence of own continuing professional development.
• Proven experience as a Finance Business Partner.
• Experience of developing and monitoring an annual budget within a multi-cost centre environment.
• Experience of using computerised finance systems such as Sun.
• Up to date knowledge of accounting standards. Familiar with charity SORP desirable.
• Experience of manipulating large data sets in Microsoft excel.
• Experience of building effective working relationships with internal colleagues and external agencies, so that objectives are met consistently, and change is introduced successfully.
• Able to plan and organise your own workload or contribute to the planning of team workload with an appreciation of short and long-term deadlines.
• Experience of challenging current ways of working, revising or developing procedures and policies in order to deliver organisational benefits.
• Experience of working in a large complex organisation.
• Knowledge and understanding of Data Protection issues.
• A demonstrable commitment to the principles and practices of equal opportunities.
• Highly developed creative and practical problem-solving skills.

Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to nurture and develop relationships with key stakeholders and external agencies, so that objectives are met consistently, and change is introduced successfully.
• Ability to influence and partner with Senior Management and colleagues across the finance department.
• Good knowledge of the management accounting requirements of a retail environment. Understanding of charity retail accounting requirements, how VAT affects charities and Gift aid.
• Excellent IT skills including advanced Excel skills with ability to use a broad range of functions. Ability to use pivot tables and charts to analyse and present data.
• Able to plan and organise your own workload or contribute to the planning of team workload with an appreciation of short and long term deadlines.

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.