Finance Business Partner

We’re Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, responsible for regulating water and wastewater services in England and Wales. Our role is to help the sector build trust and confidence with customers, the environment and wider society: keeping water flowing, bills affordable and helping ensure the health of our rivers and waterways. We push hard to improve day-to-day water company performance for customers, including on leakage, sewer flooding and customer service.

We drive the sector to take a longer-term view and to take steps now to protect and enhance the environment, using digital and data innovations and making sure our water supplies are secure for future generations. Through our five yearly price reviews we oversee billions of pounds of investment into the water sector across England and Wales.

You can find out more about Ofwat, our Values and our Framework for Success in the attached Information for Candidates Pack. 

We are looking for a Finance Business Partner to join our Finance team within the Corporate Enablers Directorate at Ofwat.

The Finance Business Partner at Ofwat has a key role in providing analysis and reporting to inform successful decision making. In this role, you will support Ofwat budget managers with their expenditure, ensuring they are effectively planning and forecasting to accurately monitor their budget. 

You can find more information about the responsibilities of the Finance Business Partner role in the attached Candidate Information Pack.

Key deliverables:

Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will be responsible for:

• Month end preparation and closedown
• Budget forecasting, analysis, and reporting
• Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with budget manager and 
  other stakeholders
• Supporting budget managers with financial processes including purchasing 
  activity
• Budget setting for new financial years
• Allocation of new funding and supporting budget managers with mobilising spending plans
• Year-end completion, including accruals, audit preparation
• Liaising with internal and external auditors
• Development and delivery of finance training for the business
• Reporting development
• Continuous improvement of processes
• Ad hoc reporting such as FOI requests
• May also involve support for financial control activities, including:
  • Financial accounts preparation & year end closedown 
  • Fixed asset accounting 
  • Government data returns preparation and submission
  • Support for Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions
  • Finance system administration

To be successful in this role you will need the below essential attributes, experience, skills and knowledge:

Experience, skills and knowledge 

• Lead criterion: Experience in a finance business partner role
• CCAB qualified or part-qualified.
• Technical expertise in Excel.
• Experience of finance processes and systems with a focus on continuous 
  improvement.
• Public Sector finance experience including knowledge of managing public money
• Ability to influence business performance through analysis and presentation of financial information to senior decision makers
• Experience of horizon scanning – proactively highlighting risks and opportunities; and developing actions to mitigate, correct or explore as appropriate with senior decision makers
• Experience in supporting budget holders to monitor and capitalise assets
• Effective communication skills with the ability to deliver messages to non-technical audiences.
• Experience of successfully building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders.

Attributes 

• You can deliver outcomes
• You are a champion and a leader of change
• You can make relationships count
• You are an adaptable thinker

Attributes as per Ofwat’s Framework for Success for Senior Associate Band. You can read more about Attributes here.

Why You Should Join Us: 

We are forward-thinking, creative, innovative and ambitious. We actively encourage autonomy, collaboration and innovation and we have a unique culture fostered by trust, flexibility and respect.

We strive to ensure our people feel connected and valued, where their voice matters. You will be provided with the space and support to shape your future while taking greater control of your own growth and development.

You will also benefit from:

• Excellent employer pension contributions, for this role ranging from £10,004 to £12,743. You can find further details about pension schemes under Terms and Conditions in the Candidate Pack.
• 25 days’ annual leave (increasing to 30 with each year of service) plus bank holidays and an extra 2.5 days of privilege leave.
• Access to exclusive discounts on a variety of goods and services, including retail outlets, theatre tickets, holidays, insurance, and a gym membership.
• Flexible working arrangements that suit your lifestyle.
• Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies.
• Up to 3 volunteering days per year.
• Recognition vouchers scheme.
• Generous shared parental leave and pay.
• Enhanced sick pay.
• Free eye tests and contribution to lenses/spectacles for VDU users.
• Regular development opportunities.
• Health and wellbeing initiatives.
• Season ticket loan for home-to-office travel.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.

Job contact :

• Name : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk
• Email : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk