Job Description

Finance Business Partner - Programmes Directorate

Salary: 45,272 per annum (dependent on skills and experience).

Hours: Full/Part time (minimum 0.6 FTE)

Contract Type: Open Ended.

Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire/Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot (Hybrid Working)

Closing date: 7th September 2025

Purpose of the role

Provide dedicated finance expertise, insight and business partnering to STFC Programmes Directorate, working closely with stakeholders to add financial awareness to decision making, and deliver outcomes that are in line with Council and UKRI priorities.

Key Areas of Accountability

Leadership / teamwork / collaboration

Build & maintain good working relationships with colleagues & partners and provide input and advice Support Programme Managers and Senior Leadership Teams to effectively manage their programmes through the provision of timely, accurate and complete financial information, advice, and constructive challenge Understand the linkages and dependencies between the different Councils within UKRI by actively working with other Finance Business Partners and colleagues across UKRI to seek opportunities for improvement, change and efficiency within Finance, strengthening internal controls, financial analysis, and effective management of programmes and promoting a culture of teamwork To deputise for the Head of Finance on a range of issues, if and when required

Delivery / programmes / projects / process

Perform a range of reporting and control functions, positioning Finance to work with the business and link budgets to delivery plans and business cases Communicate the importance of Finance to partners at all levels, and use strong business awareness to present insightful information and analysis to support effective longer-term decision-making and deliver outcomes in line with Council/UKRI priorities Manage annual and multi-year budget setting and forecasting cycles Develop the finance case within business cases Manage applications for additional budget cover Ensure compliance with internal financial, DSIT and HMG controls within assigned business areas

Other

This job description is intended to provide a broad outline of the main duties and responsibilities only. The post holder will need to be flexible in developing the role in conjunction with their line manager. The post holder may be asked to carry out any other delegated duty or task that is in line with the post.


The post is advertised as a full time role but we welcome applications for part-time / flexible working patterns, ideally for a minimum of 0.6FTE.


Essential skills, qualifications & experience


(S) - Assessed at shortlisting


(I) - Assessed at interview


(S&I) - Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

Qualifications:

Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA), actively working towards qualification, or equivalent experience (QBE) (S)

Experience & knowledge:

Strong understanding of accounting and finance and demonstrable experience of working in delivering effective financial management & reporting (S & I) Very good IT skills, including good knowledge of Microsoft Office, in particular Excel (S & I) Experience of financial modelling & controls (I) Demonstrable experience of month and year-end processes - accruals and prepayment calculations, variance analyses etc. (S & I) Demonstrable experience of working as part of a wider-business, consulting with senior stakeholders, utilising an in-depth understanding of business priorities and effectively working with partners to meet organisational and financial objectives (S & I) Experience in provision of high quality written and oral advice suitable for senior level decision makers (S & I) Proven experience in the preparation of complex budgets, forecasts and financial plans (S & I) Understanding of the role of governance, risk management and assurance in project delivery (S & I)

Skills & abilities/Desirable:

Ability to build relationships with senior partners and influence them with impact and professional credibility Strong experience of developing effective working partnerships and offering challenges where necessary to senior decision-making groups Line management and leadership skills Excellent written and oral communication skills Personal resilience and a confident approach, willing to apply good judgement to solve issues and find solutions independently Highly developed team working skills, able to form effective working relationships quickly Ability to respond calmly under pressure and to make impartial and well-considered judgments in complex situations Good organisational skills, able to manage and prioritise own and others' workloads and meet deadlines in a very timely manner.

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package! We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning! A list of benefits below;


An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent) Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice Flexible working options
Please click here for more details on the Benefits of working for UKRI - UKRI