WHSmith
Finance Business Partner
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Finance Business Partner
PLEASE NOTE: As part of our organisational changes, our ongoing structure and roles continue to be reviewed. While this role is being advertised, circumstances may change and the role could be withdrawn/amended.
At WHSmith Europe our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are the ones that go the extra mile for our customers, the ones that enable our growth. The team are seeking a strategic and analytical Finance Business Partner to support our IT, Procurement, and Group Functions. In this role, you will act as a financial advisor to functional leaders, driving cost optimization, strategic budget management, and insightful monthly financial reporting and quarterly forecasting.
What you will be doing:
- Partner with IT, Procurement, and Group leadership to manage operational and capital expenditure budgets.
- Lead the month-end process for central cost centres, ensuring accurate accruals, prepayments, and variance analysis.
- Deliver comprehensive monthly variance analysis, identifying cost drivers and corrective action plans.
- Prepare annual budgeting, mid-term planning, and quarterly forecasting cycles for supported portfolios.
- Evaluate business cases for technology investments, vendor contracts, and internal transformation projects.
- Evaluate procurement savings and validate assumptions and outcomes
- Implement robust financial controls and KPI tracking to measure efficiency and ROI across functions.
- Collaborate with the central accounting team during month-end close to ensure accurate accruals and reporting.
- Assist with Finance transformation seeking to streamline and simplify procedures and processes
- Work with global finance partners to consolidate submissions to report global costs for functional areas.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
What we are looking for:
- Fully or part-qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent) with strong financial modelling skills.
- Demonstrated experience in financial business partnering, preferably within IT, procurement, or corporate functions.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and business intelligence reporting tools.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial data for non-finance stakeholders.
- A proactive, inquisitive mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement.
How we reward our teams:
- Hybrid Working Model from home and in the office
- 4pm Friday Finish
- Flexible Working
- 25 Days holiday, plus your Birthday off, plus Bank Holidays with an opportunity to buy extra days holiday
- Family Friendly Leave
- Company Pension scheme
- Annual Bonus based on company and personal performance
- Competitive Salary and Car Allowance
- Private Medical
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff Discount Card for railway stores (subject to policy)
About us:
Celebrating over 230 years, we’re proud to have grown into a globally recognised brand present in over 30 countries – the air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey. As a diverse group of over 6,000 colleagues, we’re all on the same journey to a better business through our commitments to our planet, people and the communities we serve.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Our business operates from two key locations, In a vibrant area of London, close to Aldgate and Liverpool Street Station, while the other is located at Swindon's International Business Park, just off the M4 with excellent transport links and over 100 on-site parking spaces.
For WHSmith Europe, our mission is simple – to create value for our stakeholders by providing a platform for global brands across airports, hospitals, rail stations and other markets. Our operational environment is fast-paced and highly regulated, requiring exceptional standards of maintenance, compliance, health & safety and colleague welfare across every location.
We’re all about creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone can be themselves and do their best. No matter your background, age, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, race or ethnicity, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation or anything else that makes you, you—you’re welcome here.
We’re also open to flexible working where possible, so if that’s something you need, let’s chat. And if you need any adjustments during the selection process, just let our Talent Acquisition team know—we’re happy to help!
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Location