Head of Finance Business Partners

Head of Finance Business Partnering, South East London – Higher Education, up to GBP65,000
A key leadership role in a well-established university has become available for a 6-month FTC running until October 2022. This is a large and complex organisation and is looking for someone with team management experience to take the reins and lead a team of 6 business partners through a restructure and make them comfortable with their new roles. Suitable candidates should be qualified accountants looking to lead a team and must be immediately available or available at short notice.
Key Responsibilities:
Planning, coordinating and organising the work of the business partnering team of 6 with an emphasis on quality processes and outcomes. Management and development of staff within the team.
Continuous improvement mindset, suggesting and implementing improvements to systems and processes.
Providing proactive advice to the senior managers on key risks and financial outcomes at a project, business unit and corporate levels.
Oversee and develop the Business Partnering relationships of the team with University stakeholders; seek to improve the service where possible.
Providing training to budget holders and staff with financial responsibility to enable them to undertake their responsibility effectively.
Provision of management information, analysis, forecasts, technical input, advice, and reports to senior University managers.
Implementing the Universitys budgetary control arrangements – managing the development of the Universitys budget to its approval stage, measurement of and reporting on outcomes against the plan.
Responsible for ensuring the preparation of the Universitys monthly management accounts (using its management accounting model), and written reports on key outcomes and items of significance.
Supporting the FPA team in further developing the contribution model including programme costing.
Contributing to the preparation of the Universitys statutory accounts (including subsidiaries) and OfS annual accountability requirements.
Operating as the consolidation point, joining the dots and picking up themes to successfully impact informed decision making across the university.
Updating and developing the Management Accounting Procedures Manual.
Updating and developing the budgeting procedures and best practice manual.
Development of the management accounting model in response to changes in reporting requirements.
Development of Management Information reports.

Key Skills & Qualifications:
Qualified ACA/ACCA/CIMA accountants with significant years PQE
Experience leading a team of 4 people or more
Excellent communication and relationship building skills, both with colleagues and external stakeholders
Experience in higher education is desired but not essential
Able to understand complex business models and adapt quickly and effectively