Finance Business Partner

Salary:  £33,348 to £43,155 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 08 June 2023

The Role 

We are seeking a motivated, proactive individual to join us and work within the Professional Services (PS) Management Accounts team.  In this team we support the financial management of a wide range of services, including Marketing, Student Recruitment, People Services, Finance, Library, IT, Sports and Student Services. 

You will provide key management support in the preparation of detailed annual budgets, monthly financial reports, quarterly forecasts and a range of other information required for budget holder and central University requirements.  

This role may involve line management responsibilities. 

It is an exciting opportunity to support financial management across a wide spectrum of University services. You will work closely with stakeholders in the PS teams and also reap the benefits of being part of the wider University Finance Hub, which brings development opportunities and professional support. 

It is expected that you will already have experience in a management accounting role and that you have excellent oral and written communication skills, well developed IT skills and are an effective team player. You should be highly motivated and organised and should display initiative in bringing forward new ideas coupled with a practical approach to problem solving. 

If this sounds like you and you would like more information about this role, please contact Nicky Smith at nicky.smith@ncl.ac.uk. 

To apply please upload your CV and a letter of application that outlines how your skills and experiences align with ‘The Person’ section found in the job description. 

We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment and we would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible working. During your time spent on the University campus, you will be based in the heart of Newcastle city centre and be able to take advantage of all that has to offer, whilst also having opportunities for home working. 

Key Accountabilities  

• Provide key financial support to the Head PS Finance and service executive including regular reporting and presentation of performance
• Provide a pivotal role in the preparation of detailed annual budgets, plans and quarterly financial forecasts at a service level and ensure compliance with agreed PS standards
• Implement an effective budget and forecast review process at the service level to meet the requirements of the Head and Deputy Head of PS Finance and the Registrar
• Assisting the Head and Deputy Head of PS Finance, contribute to the continued development of financial reports across the PS to support accurate financial analysis and the production of commentaries
• Present and discuss management accounts with the service(s), review and summarise the results and recommend actions. Provide financial information on behalf of the service to the Registrar
• Bring forward and develop business cases and financial appraisals for investment cases on behalf of the service
• Provide advice to the service and lead on financial related issues to enable service staff to discharge their responsibilities effectively
• Ensure effective financial control and adherence to University policies and procedures is maintained within the service
• Provide input, monitor and comment on Key Performance Indicators as agreed with Registrar to inform management decisions by the service
• Widen the general understanding of financial issues within the service by the preparation and delivery of courses / workshops
• Work within a team of PS Finance Business Partners and other areas of the Finance Office to implement consistency and to share best practice
• To undertake any other duties of a relevant nature as required by the Head and or Deputy Head of PS Finance. This includes the cover of other Finance Business partner roles as necessary

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience  

• High level of oral and written communication skills, in order to disseminate management accounting information to a range of staff whose level of financial understanding may vary
• Highly developed IT skills (Microsoft Office, SAP) in order to translate financial data between systems
• Substantial experience of management accounting/reporting
• Conversant in the use of data warehouse application (desirable)
• Experience of working effectively in a large and complex organisation to enable successful collaboration between the service and other University roles

Attributes and Behaviour 

• Understands and makes sense of complex or conflicting data and different perspectives of stakeholders
• Understands the key aims of own area and how it relates to own job and responsibilities
• Identifies key issues in own work
• Understands and is sensitive to wider organisational priorities
• Uses analytical techniques to break down complex problems into component parts
• Talks to all relevant stakeholders; students, academic team, suppliers, public, in order to find out what is needed
• Collects relevant and available information from as many sources as possible
• Digs deeper by probing and questioning data
• Condenses large amounts of data into key issues and pieces together information to identify trends
• Has an eye for detail, spotting errors and ensuring accurate information
• Works in a planned and structured way; uses own and others’ time effectively
• Sets own priorities in conjunction with team and area objectives
• Plans workload and tasks in a systematic way and ensures that all activities are completed on time
• Uses systems and tools to ensure records and audit trails are clear and up to date
• Is clear and concise; gets the message across to others
• Tailors channels and content of communication to the audience, changing style and tone and format appropriately 
• Demonstrates high energy and commitment to the delivery of excellent service
• Sees other departments and colleagues as “customers” and follows through on their enquiries and requests
• Co-operates with others in achieving targets and takes responsibility for achieving own targets
• Has a positive attitude for doing things better and looks for ways to make immediate improvements

Qualifications 

• Qualified CCAB Accountant (Consultative Committee of Accounting Bodies- 4 years study required plus a minimum of 3 years recognised relevant experience) or relevant degree with extensive management accounting experience or part qualified with extensive accounting experience

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 25517

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