Now Student Living
Senior 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
?%
Senior Finance Business Partner – Your Role
The Senior Finance Business Partner is a key role within the operational finance team, sitting between the Finance Business Partner and the Financial Controller. The postholder provides day-to-day coordination, technical supervision and quality assurance across the Finance Business Partner team, while continuing to deliver high-quality business partnering, reporting and analysis in their own right.
The role carries greater responsibility than the Finance Business Partner role – in particular for reviewing the work of others, owning the consistency and quality of team outputs, and acting as a first point of escalation – but does not hold the full breadth of financial control, treasury, audit and team-leadership accountabilities of the Financial Controller. It is well suited to an accountant ready to take a step up into a more senior role.
The role is fast paced, encompassing a breadth of duties for which strong technical, organisational and interpersonal skills are required. The postholder must be a self-starter who works accurately and methodically, communicates effectively at all levels, and continually strives for process improvements that improve service delivery for the department and the wider organisation.
Key Responsibilities & Activities
Management Accounts & Reporting
- Coordinate the production of monthly management accounts and Finance Packs across the team, ensuring outputs are accurate, consistent and delivered to the agreed reporting timetable.
- Carry out first-line review of Finance Business Partners’ reporting, variance analysis and reconciliations before submission to the Financial Controller.
- Provide in-depth variance analysis and clear commentary to support informed decision-making.
- Act as a point of escalation for the Business Partner team on technical and reporting queries.
Team Involvement
- Provide support and guidance to the Finance Business Partners whilst acting as a point of reporting review across the reporting cycles.
- Monitor workload and progress to ensure deadlines and quality standards are met.
- Support the onboarding, mentoring and development of Finance Business Partners, sharing knowledge and good practice.
- Support the Financial Controller with input around objective-setting, performance feedback and development planning for the FBP team (full line-management accountability sits with the Financial Controller / Operational Finance Director).
- Promote a collaborative, high-performing and supportive team environment.
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.
Budgeting & Forecasting
- Coordinate and consolidate the team’s input into the annual budgeting and forecasting process, working with cross-functional teams to align financial goals with business objectives.
- Sense-check and challenge budget and forecast inputs for reasonableness and consistency.
- Support the Finance team in the delivery of budgets, reforecasts and cash flow projections.
Business Partnering & Commercial Insight
- Act as a senior business partner to Operations, Regional and Residence teams and to Generation Partners, providing financial insight and guidance to optimise outcomes.
- Support the development of commercial strategies to enhance the financial performance of properties, evaluating trends and key drivers.
- Build an understanding of the business and translate financial information clearly for non-finance stakeholders.
Data, Systems & Process Improvement
- Interrogate and analyse data to extract meaningful insights and produce timely, accurate reporting for internal and external stakeholders.
- Drive process, reporting and quality improvements across the Finance function, embedding consistent ways of working.
- Support finance systems and reporting development led by the Financial Controller, helping to implement and embed changes within the team.
Quality & Controls
- Support consistent application of financial procedures, controls and quality standards across the team.
- Quality-control outputs, identifying and resolving errors and inconsistencies before sign-off.
- Escalate control weaknesses and process inefficiencies to the Financial Controller with recommendations for improvement.
Stakeholder Support & Ad Hoc
- Deputise for the Financial Controller on defined reporting and business-partnering matters where required.
- Support ad hoc financial analysis, modelling, reporting and projects to meet the evolving needs of the business.
- Contribute to finance training for non-finance colleagues to improve financial awareness across the business.
Person Specification and Role Specific Skills and Abilities
Education and Experience
- An experienced accountant with relevant and comprehensive experience, particularly of reviewing, coordinating or supervising the work of others.
- Proven experience across both business partnering and traditional accounting.
- Familiarity with the UK real estate / PBSA sector is an advantage.
IT
- IT literate with advanced Excel skills.
- A working knowledge of Xero and Power BI would be an advantage.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Leadership & Supervision
- Able to coordinate, guide and develop a small team, set a positive example, and support colleagues to deliver to a high standard.
- Comfortable providing first-line review and constructive feedback, while working within the leadership framework set by the Financial Controller and Operational Finance Director.
Teamwork
- Excellent team player able to thrive in, and foster, a collaborative environment.
- Able to work with senior stakeholders, recognise the strengths each individual brings, and ensure the needs of the internal client are consistently met.
Communication (verbal & written)
- Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills.
- A strong communicator with a direct and open style, able to communicate with stakeholders at all levels and exchange information clearly, concisely and articulately, with the ability to influence and inspire others.
Customer Focus
- Continually demonstrates enthusiasm and drive to “go the extra mile” coupled with strong client focus, and an understanding of the business and the requirement for excellent customer service at all times.
Analytical Thinking
- Strong problem-solver.
- Able to interpret complex financial data and trends, identify and assess key issues, and recommend the best course of action.
Results Focused & Commercial
- Comfortable working to routine tasks and regular deadlines.
- Commercially minded, with the ability to align financial objectives with broader business goals.
Planning & Organising
- Demonstrates excellent prioritising and organisational skills.
- Manages own and others’ workload effectively against deadlines, adopts a methodical approach, and is capable of re-planning and re-prioritising in response to business priorities.
- Self-motivated and able to work without constant supervision.
High attention to detail & Innovation
- Able to manage change, deal with ambiguity and handle challenging situations effectively.
- Regularly searches for and recommends new approaches to improve quality and efficiency.
Reporting to: Financial Controller
Key Relationships
- Financial Controller and Operational Finance Director
- Head Office / Generation Partners Team
- Finance Business Partners (coordination & support)
- Outsourced Third Party Finance Provider
- Lead Asset Managers & Operations Management
- Central Now Student Living team members
Salary
50000 - 55000 GBP (yearly)
“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
Skills
Location