Head of Finance Business Partnering

Robertson Bell is delighted to be partnering with a growing organisation to recruit a newly created Head of Finance Business Partnering on a permanent basis.

Following recent growth and during an exciting period of transformation, this organisation is investing further in its finance business partnering function through the creation of this strategically important leadership role. Reporting to the Director of Finance Business Partnering, this position will become the dedicated finance lead for one of the organisation's largest and most complex directorates, partnering closely with Executive Directors and senior operational leaders.

This is far more than a traditional business partnering role. You'll combine strategic finance leadership with commercial challenge, helping shape multi-million-pound investment decisions across repairs, compliance, strategic asset management, estates, retrofit and capital programmes.

You'll also play a key role in developing the finance business partnering function, leading a small but capable team while helping establish a robust reporting rhythm during a significant period of organisational change. This opportunity would suit an ambitious finance leader who enjoys influencing senior stakeholders, challenging thinking, improving performance and delivering meaningful outcomes within a purpose-driven organisation.

The Role

• Act as the senior finance partner to the Executive Directors and wider Leadership Team.
• Provide strategic financial leadership, insight and challenge to support operational and long-term investment decisions.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning across a substantial Property Services portfolio.
• Deliver meaningful financial analysis, business cases and scenario modelling to support Executive and Board-level decision making.
• Provide financial oversight across repairs, compliance, planned investment, strategic asset management, estates and retrofit programmes.
• Drive value for money by identifying efficiencies, challenging assumptions and influencing investment priorities.
• Lead and develop the Finance Business Partnering team, creating a high-performing and customer-focused culture.
• Improve financial reporting, forecasting and performance insight while supporting ongoing systems and process improvements.
• Build trusted relationships across the business, increasing financial capability and supporting informed decision making.

The Organisation

This organisation is entering an exciting new chapter with a renewed focus on strategic investment, service improvement and delivering greater value for customers. Finance sits at the heart of these ambitions, with business partnering playing an increasingly influential role in shaping decisions across the organisation.

Joining at this stage offers a genuine opportunity to influence how the function evolves. Alongside a newly appointed Director of Finance Business Partnering, you'll help establish new ways of working, strengthen relationships with senior operational stakeholders and improve the quality of financial insight available to support major investment decisions.

The Successful Candidate

The successful candidate will be a fully qualified CCAB accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with significant post-qualification experience in a commercially focused business partnering environment.

You'll also demonstrate:

• A proven track record of partnering with senior operational leaders and influencing strategic decision making.
• Strong leadership experience, with the ability to develop and motivate high-performing finance teams.
• Significant experience leading budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and investment appraisal.
• The confidence to challenge constructively, ask difficult questions and influence stakeholders at Executive level.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial information into meaningful commercial insight.
• Experience delivering change, driving continuous improvement and improving financial performance.

Experience within social housing or another regulated environment would be highly advantageous and is strongly preferred given the technical nature of the stakeholder group.

This role offers an excellent benefits package and a hybrid working pattern, with two days per week in the office based in either south Buckinghamshire or Hertfordshire.