Finance Business Partner

Overview

How you’ll make a difference

As the Finance Business Partner for our Resources and Business Change (R&BC) Department, you will provide expert financial support to the department budget holders. Leading on a full range of budget cycle support, you will play a key role in helping to deliver change projects, driving improvements and efficiencies across the services.

What you will be doing

• Day-to-day, you will effectively manage a team of accountants and finance officers, providing a high level of support, motivation and challenge.
• You will oversee the preparation and reporting of the quarterly monitor reports to R&BC Departmental Management Team and the revenue and capital forecasts and supporting narrative that feed into the cabinet report.
• As the finance lead supporting R&BC and other council wide change projects, you will provide expert financial advice and guidance on budgeting and financial issues.
• Regularly, you will support the development of the medium-term financial plan.
• As required, you will provide or facilitate training and information sessions to enhance staff understanding of finance, financial regulations and finance systems.
• You will lead and support the closing of accounts and preparation of financial statements.

What we need from you

• We require you to hold a professional accountancy qualification or equivalent relevant experience in a similar finance business partner or accountancy role.
• It is essential that you have substantial managerial experience with the ability to strategically solve problems and make decisions.
• Given the nature of the role, you must have strong leadership skills and use these to inspire, motivate and develop your team to attain high levels of performance.
• As you will be managing major projects, you need to have experience of managing change effectively. You need to have a detailed knowledge and understanding of the wider impact of your role, including understanding political sensitivities. We would expect you to have experience of producing long term plans which satisfy the council’s objectives.
• You will have strong communication skills as you will need to negotiate with and influence colleagues and partners.

What you need to know

• This is a 12 month limited term contract, ending 31st December 2026.
• We are also offering this as an internal secondment opportunity, you should first seek your line managers permission before applying.
• This role is hybrid, with a mixture of working at our office in Yate and working from home.

Interviews anticipated week commencing the 1st December 2025.

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

• We know our team work best when they have balance in their lives, and we offer genuine flexibility to help them achieve that work/life balance. 

• We invest in the careers of our people, and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps our people make the greatest long-term difference in their work.

• As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.  
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.

 

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.  

• We’re providing essential services across our internal network to ensure we can fully support our community.
• We’re positive and forward thinking, always looking for new and innovative ways of working work and we’re ambitious about the future.  

We’ve achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.       
We’re making a difference, be part of it!   

To view the full job description, please click this link:  Finance Business Partner – job description