Role Overview:
An exciting opportunity has arisen as we look to further strengthen our senior finance team to support two of our key water contracts in the north of England. We are therefore looking to appoint a talented and ambitious Finance Business Partner, to join our Utilities Finance team. As the lead Finance partner, you will take day to day responsibility for the Yorkshire Water and Scottish Water contracts with a combined annual Turnover in excess of £90m
In this rewarding role, you will be responsible for providing financial analysis and insight to the leadership population to enable and drive performance improvement and strategic growth. At the same time, you will be key to ensuring the required level of governance and financial challenge is observed and delivered across the contracts.
Working closely with the account director and the Head of Finance you will champion and drive process improvement and efficiencies, challenging the norm and always looking for innovative ways to improve the contracts financial performance. Your passion and strength of character to influence senior figures will play a crucial part of the role when developing and implementing finance strategies.
Reporting to the Head of Finance you will be a key member of the leadership team and your insight and guidance will provide a clear view of current business performance and critically the roadmap, planning and actions required to deliver the financial targets for your portfolio of contracts and the wider utilities division going forward.
Attributes for success:
- Motivated to make a difference and not accept the status quo
- Articulate and able to explain complex operational concepts and financial impacts in an easy-to-understand way to both finance and non-finance staff.
- Always looking for performance improvement opportunities
- Organised and structured in approach to activities
- Able to develop strong credible personal relationships
- Ambitious – both personally and professionally
- Calm and considered – ability to work under pressure
- Ability to communicate in a clear and engaging manner and to bring cross functional teams together to drive business objectives
- Ability to analyse and interpret data & management information and transform into actionable insight
- Ability to facilitate, challenge and influence cross functional stakeholders, on areas of cost control, target setting, and performance improvement
- Improving the impact, and understanding, of financial reporting on business performance
- Providing analysis and delivering insight that links financial reports to business strategy
- Providing and improving effective financial procedures, or initiating change, to ensure key operational, commercial and financial targets are delivered
- Building partnerships and maintaining strong relationships with all senior managers and their team
- Commercial finance / business partnering role (preferable) or senior level finance manager experience in career to date
- Worked in complex matrixed plc type organisations (preferable)
- Relevant sector experience i.e. Utilities, construction or outsourced service industries (preferable)
- Experience of Long term contract accounting / WIP and IFRS 15 application (preferable)
- Good knowledge of accounting practices, statutory regulations and reporting requirements including experience of forecasting / budgeting
- Developing teams and individuals, both direct and indirect reports
- CIMA Qualified (preferred) / alternative equivalent professional Finance Qualification
- Strong academic record of achievement – A Level / Degree or equivalent educated (preferred)
- Strong knowledge / advanced skills for Microsoft Excel and other associated Microsoft Office apps
- Experience and knowledge of SAP / Oracle NetSuite (preferred) or similar ERP