Rathbones
Finance Business Partner / Strategic Cost Accountant

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Role Title: Finance Business Partner / Strategic Cost Accountant
Division: Finance
Location: Glasgow, Liverpool, London
Contract: Fixed Term
Working pattern: Hybrid
About the Role
Support the Head of Strategic Costs Insight (and wider Strategic Finance team) across a range of projects and regular reporting.
What you’ll be responsible for
- Support the provision of high-quality, insight-led reporting on cost performance, efficiency opportunities, and cost impact of strategic projects
- Cost-savings target delivery tracked against business cases/plans, with risks and variances flagged
- Identification, quantification, and communication of cost-optimisation opportunities to decision-makers
- Opportunities to gain direct exposure to Executive members through ongoing work
- Ability to challenge cost owners on costs incurred and delivery of savings
- Long-term potential for more autonomous work and development of skillset and profile within the organisation
- Timely delivery of high-quality Executive-level cost reporting with positive stakeholder feedback
- Delivery of agreed cost-savings targets or timely reporting on savings shortfalls
- Clear tracking and explanation of synergy realisation, including early identification and escalation of delivery risks or shortfalls
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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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.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
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Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
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.
About you
- Challenging the business on optimisation of the cost base to support strategic decision-making — ongoing and via special projects
- Strong communication skills with the ability to challenge and influence senior stakeholders
- Ability to work collaboratively across the Finance team and wider business
- Driving continuous cost improvement aligned to corporate strategy
- Experience of synergy tracking and modelling
- Assisting with preparation of Executive-level reporting on cost base and opportunities
- High level of attention to detail, with strong organisational and prioritisation skills
- Ensuring cost performance, efficiency opportunities, and financial impacts of strategic initiatives are clearly understood by senior leadership
- Strong presentation and report-writing skills
- Ability to adjust quickly to shifting priorities and organisational change
- Working with the core Accounting team to provide Finance Business Partnering services to the business as required
- Strong financial analysis experience, ideally within FP&A, commercial finance, cost management, or strategic finance
- Ability to interpret complex financial data and turn it into clear, actionable insight
- Involvement in synergy/CTA business cases
- Ability to work on confidential cost-optimisation projects as required


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Professional Experience and Qualifications
- Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
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