Durham University
Finance Business Partner (Faculties)
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The Role and Department
The Finance Business Partner (Faculties) is part of the Strategic Finance team and reports to the Head of Finance (Faculties). The role provides high-quality strategic financial support, insight, and challenge to senior leaders across the University, helping to inform decision-making, support the delivery of strategic objectives, and optimize the use of University resources.
Working closely with senior budget holders, senior management teams, and key stakeholders, the postholder will build strong and trusted relationships to support financial planning, investment appraisal, business case development, scenario modeling, and long-term financial sustainability.
The Finance Business Partner acts as a strategic adviser, translating complex financial information into meaningful insight and supporting evidence-based decision-making. The role works collaboratively across Strategic Finance and the wider University to ensure financial considerations are effectively integrated into planning and delivery of institutional priorities.
The base location for this role is Boldon House, our exciting new professional services hub. Boldon House is situated on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Boldon House brings a number of professional services teams together in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working. The post holder is expected to travel to other university sites as required to meet stakeholders.
Working at Durham
- Competitive salary
- 42 days annual leave per year
- Generous pension scheme with automatic enrollment in the University Superannuation Scheme (USS)
- Various travel benefits including ample parking, cycle to work scheme, and discounts with local bus and train companies
- Tusker Car Benefit Scheme for leasing a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance
- Comprehensive professional and personal development opportunities
- Wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for sport and gym facilities and access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
- On-site nursery rated Outstanding by Ofsted and access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16
- Generous family-friendly policies including maternity and adoption leave
- Opportunity to participate in volunteering activities
- Exclusive discounts via our benefits portal
- Various salary sacrifice schemes for tax savings on benefits
- Assistance with removal costs and visa support
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion
Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our workforce including people with disabilities, women, and black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application.
What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification
Your application should cover the following criteria:
Essential Criteria
Qualifications/Experience
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- Professionally qualified accountant, or able to demonstrate significant equivalent experience, with experience working in a senior finance role operating at a strategic level
- Professional practitioner with specialist knowledge and expertise to influence service delivery, events, and activities within the organisation
- Experience of providing specialist advice and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues
- Experience of participating in internal or external networks to share and discuss good practice, develop strong and productive working relationships, and positively influence the University’s reputation
- Experience of implementing policies and procedures and supporting service improvements
- Extensive experience of business partnering role and influencing senior stakeholders
- Extensive experience of budgeting and forecasting, with the ability to turn complex financial data into actionable insights
Skills/Abilities/Knowledge
- Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally
- Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including Microsoft 365 applications (advanced excel), financial & non-financial business systems
- Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition
- Extensive knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines
- Ability to contribute to planning at operational and strategic levels
- Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions
- Ability to influence and constructively challenge senior stakeholders through the presentation of complex financial and commercial information
- Ability to operate effectively in complex environments, working collaboratively across functions and managing competing stakeholder priorities
How to apply
To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. Please don’t forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above).
Submitting your application
We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.
What you need to submit
- A CV
- A supporting statement which outlines how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification
Contact details
For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Jill Nesbitt, Head of Finance (Faculties) jill.nesbitt@durham.ac.uk.
Typical Role Requirements
Service Delivery/Development
- Contribute to equality, diversity, and inclusion and the University’s values
- Develop and promote an in-depth understanding of university policy and external developments relevant to your role
- Ensure that policy and regulatory standards are met by ensuring all colleagues adhere to approved financial and procurement activities and processes that are carried out in services you are responsible for
- Use your professional knowledge and experience as a qualified Finance professional to understand, explain, and contribute to improved University performance and provide subject matter expertise and advice
- Provide specialist advice on the analysis and interpretation of complex data and information relevant to your area
- Responsible for operational activity across faculties
- Look for ways to continually improve services and take a lead role in the development and implementation of assigned policies, processes, and standards
- Instigate and manage business process reviews to improve the service in your area
- Meet the professional development needs of your stakeholders, providing training when required
- Ensure data (commercially sensitive and/or personal) is appropriately stored and managed
- Manage quality and regulatory audits of systems and procedures
- Support the welfare, wellbeing, and employment of your staff by providing professional guidance
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Planning and Organisation
- Contribute to operational leadership teams to influence the type and level of services that are provided by your area
- Contribute to the development of operational and strategic-level plans relevant to your area
- Scope, plan, and implement large-scale/University-wide initiatives
- Oversee projects to deliver agreed objectives while solving any problems which are encountered
- Provide oversight for short term/temporary project teams
- Analyse data about the service levels provided by your area and make recommendations for improvement in reports to senior managers and committees
- Allocate and monitor designated budgets, expenditure, and resources
Communication/Liaison
- Use your professional knowledge to identify and recommend priorities for long-term business plans
- Provide professional guidance and advice when managing Finance services
- Design creative and innovative communications to promote and increase engagement relating to Finance services
- Influence University policy and standards by leading operational business meetings, working groups, and sub-committees
- Design and deliver training to your stakeholders to support their development and information needs
- Create strong working relationships, including internal and external networks, using your networks to increase your knowledge and skills, swap information with peers, and positively influence the University’s reputation
- Represent Finance and University at promotional events
- Identify opportunities to develop and increase participation in special interest groups
- Any other reasonable duties
Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Privacy Notice which provides information on the collation, storing, and use of data.
Durham University is a UKVI sponsor. Applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK should note that not all roles are eligible. Further information on visa requirements and eligibility can be found on the UKVI website.
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