Finance Business Partner

iMultiply have been exclusively retained by a leading University in Edinburgh city centre to appointment a permanent Finance Business Partner paying £51,630 - £58,089 plus a highly competitive benefits package including generous pension & holiday allowances.

The Organisation

For more than four centuries, our people and their achievements have rewritten history time and again. They’ve explored space, revolutionised surgery, published era-defining books, paved the way for life-saving medical breakthroughs and introduced to the world many inventions, discoveries and ideas from penicillin to Dolly the sheep. We have believed that anything is possible, we still do.

The latest Research Excellence Framework highlighted our place at the forefront of international research. This adds to our international reputation for the quality of our teaching and our student experience excellence. The University is proud of its success with online teaching initiatives, with 2,550 students currently studying its online distance learning postgraduate programmes, and a total to date of more than 2 million enrolments for Edinburgh MOOCs.

As a member of staff, you will be part of one of the world's leading universities, with 20 Schools spread over 3 Colleges that offer more than 1,600 undergraduate and 600 postgraduate programmes to over 41,000 students each year. Professional services are critical to this success as well as our world-class teaching, research and student facilities. In fact, we are one of the top employers in Edinburgh, with over 14,500 people spread across a wide range of academic and supporting roles.

Job Purpose

The role of the Finance Business Partner (FBP) is to provide professional Business Partnering support across the breadth of the University, in particular to assist in the production of robust, clear and insightful Business Cases supporting capital investment decisions and strategic developments.

The post-holder will engage with senior colleagues at all project stages, ensuring that financial planning is comprehensive, transparent and inclusive. Continually developing tools and techniques to enhance the financial elements of project development the FBP will also introduce and carry out regular and probing post implementation review processes.

The FBP will become the first point of contact for colleagues considering significant capital or revenue investment, ensuring a consistent yet innovative approach to forecasting and modelling is undertaken.

The FBP will operate at a senior strategic level across all areas of the University, partnering with colleagues in the development of Business Cases relating to very diverse activities. The FBP will also play an integral role in the development of Finance Cash forecasting and will lead on the development of post-implementation reviews of major capital investment projects.

Main responsibilities

• Act as business partner for colleagues across the University involved in the development of Business and Capital plans for major initiatives from a Finance perspective. Assisting and guiding colleagues in the appropriate use of tools and the integration of financial data into both Outline and Full Business Cases. Provide regular briefings to senior colleagues on progress of projects within their areas.
• Create, develop and enhance the toolset required to facilitate the production and refinement of Business Cases across the full breadth of activities within the University. Apply novel and innovative techniques to enhance the tools and skills available.
• In conjunction with colleagues in Estates and Finance develop effective long range cash flow forecasts associated with planned projects, directly feeding into the execution of the University’s Treasury Policy.
• Assist in the development of detailed Business Cases with compelling narrative and confidently deliver presentations on the financial elements to staff colleagues, management and committees as required.
• Provide training and assist in the development of staff required to produce Business Cases.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive post-implementation reviews of major projects from a financial perspective. Apply lessons learned and best practice to the development of future initiatives.
• Maintain effective networks and identify opportunities for involvement in evolving initiatives, working closely with the University Tax Manager and Estates Development Managers to maximise the use of resources.

To be considered for this opportunity, you must have the following experience:

• Be qualified to degree level, or equivalent.
• Holding a professional accountancy qualification (e.g. ICAS, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA)
• Ability to provide professional advice and guidance on a large number of significant (high value and complex) projects concurrently.
• Highly developed knowledge of Business Case preparation and project development and review.
• Experience of working with and influencing senior management in planning for significant business change and the effective deployment of resources.
• Ability to interpret and assimilate information from a breadth of activities and professional colleagues into clear financial statements and strategies.
• Willingness and the capacity to develop personal skills relevant to the role and to apply innovative solutions as opportunities emerge.
• Very strong interpersonal skills with a track record of building effective relationships with colleagues from varied backgrounds
• Ability to negotiate and persuade, and to explain potentially complex financial issues to non-finance colleagues.
• Highly developed ability in MS Excel and software solutions designed to assist in business planning.

The closing date for applications is Friday the 22nd of February.

Please do not hesitate to contact John Gilbertson at iMultiply for a private & confidential chat regarding this opportunity. A full specification is also available upon request.

All third-party applications will be forwarded iMultiply.