Innovate UK has the following secondment opportunity available for employees of Innovate UK Business Connect:
Vacancy for Senior Finance Business Partner
This role is part of the Innovate UK (IUK) Finance Business Partner team which performs a range of reporting and control functions, fundamentally responsible for positioning finance to work with the business and link all activity to the delivery plan, communicating the importance of Finance to Innovate UK staff at all levels - presenting insightful information to stimulate longer-term thinking.
Application Deadline: 06-01-2025
Closing Date: 5th January 2024 at 23.59pm
Title: Senior Finance Business Partner
Band: UKRI Band F (UKRI Ts & Cs)
Salary: £56,745 gross per annum
Reports to: Deputy Director - Risk & Governance
Location: Swindon (Hybrid Working)
Contract: Permanent
Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance, and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements.
Job Purpose:
This role provides Finance support to the Products and Services Investment (Innovation Finance) Directorate and is specifically focused on Innovate UK's Innovation Loans programme, Investor Partnerships, and other Non-Grant Products. We seek an individual with the skills and experience to achieve a balance of financial insight and analysis, strategic financial advice, and statutory compliance in the context of an unregulated lending business.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
1. Creation of Financial and Business Performance Information in conjunction with IUKL data and insights team to report to SLT, Committees, and Board to inform decision making and ensure resources are managed within allocations.
2. Develop, manage and maintain exceptional working partnerships with senior managers, Directors, and stakeholders across Innovate UK providing strategic financial advice.
3. Assist in the development of Innovate UK Investment strategy and spending review process by evaluating financial options/scenarios, impacts, potential risks, and solutions.
4. Liaise with UKRI Central and DSIT to ensure reporting is submitted on time and the financial risks of managing a loan book are understood.
5. Ensure compliance with HMT Loans Financial Framework, agree allocations across multiple budget categories, and complete Supplementary Estimates.
6. Support IUK Management reporting Team to ensure Innovation Finance forecasting, variance analysis, and submission of risks and opportunities are aligned and understood.
7. Work closely with budget holders to advise on available funding across all budget categories (Financial Transactions, OpEx, RDEL (ringfenced and non-ringfenced, AME).
8. Support on budgeting and accounting treatment for the development of new innovation finance products.
9. Knowledge of technical accounting for financial instruments and ability to work closely with colleagues in the financial reporting team to analyse future budget implications based on current levels of credit provisions and fair value adjustments.
10. Stay up to date with the latest requirements in the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance and the relevant accounting standards to feed into the process.
This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post.
Person Specification:
Experience & Qualifications:
1. Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA) or Qualified by Experience.
2. Competent IT skills, including knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
3. Understanding of financial controls.
4. Experience of month and year-end processes and reporting, such as accruals and prepayment calculations and variance analysis.
5. Preparation of budgets, forecasts, and financial plans.
6. Experience of working as part of a wider business, consulting with many stakeholders, demonstrating an understanding of business priorities and working with partners to meet organisational and financial objectives.
7. Experience in provision of written and oral advice suitable for senior level decision makers.
8. Understanding of Financial Instruments and IFRS 9 and 16.
9. Familiar with requirements in the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance for Financial Transactions.
Skills & Abilities:
1. Ability to build relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
2. Line management skills.
3. Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a proactive approach.
4. Personal resilience and confidence to apply good judgment to find solutions independently.
5. Team working skills, able to form effective working relationships quickly.
6. Ability to respond calmly under pressure and to make well-considered judgments in different situations.
7. Good organisational skills, able to manage and prioritise own and others' workloads and meet deadlines in a timely manner.
8. Ability to see the big picture, having an appreciation for the wider context.
9. Continuous improvement approach, with practical implementation of ideas.
Interview Criteria:
1. Qualified Accountant.
2. Experience in financial management and analysis of financial products.
3. Strong Management accounting, budgeting & forecasting experience, including month-end processes.
4. Numeracy and analytical skills with the ability to interpret and present financial information.
5. Clear, demonstrable relationship management, with the ability to instill confidence within stakeholders.
6. Strong written and oral communication skills.
7. Personal resilience approach to solve issues in short timescales.
Competencies:
All team members demonstrate compatibility with and capability against our Core Competencies such as:
1. Thinking and Problem Solving
2. Stakeholder management
3. Communication skills
4. Influencing
5. Self-awareness/self-management
6. Strategic awareness
7. Working with others
8. Project management
Travel Requirements:
Swindon-based: There may be the occasional requirement for national travel.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:
Innovate UK is a diverse workforce of people. We believe that encouraging these differences and drawing the best from them will build a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where talents are fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met.
Equal Opportunities:
We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to employing any person who meets the criteria for our roles. When undertaking recruitment we may require applicants to undertake certain tests or assessments, some of which will be online and others may be in-person.
Employee Benefits:
We offer a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance. This includes 30 days' annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, flexible working hours, an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme, and access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes.
Pre-employment Screening:
To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a comprehensive pre-employment check on successful applicants as part of the recruitment process.
Applications must be submitted by 06-01-2025.
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