Manager Finance Business Partner

Overview

Responsible for providing the Head of Finance, the VP Financial Planning & Strategy, and relevant business area stakeholders with high‑quality financial analyses, reporting, and insights to drive informed decision making while challenging their thinking and seeking further financial improvements. Partner with and challenge supported business areas, analysing financial performance, financial planning, and driving revision of processes and tools in alignment with both Business and Finance.

This role is part of the Financial Planning & Strategy team and reports to the Head of Finance.

• Partner with the relevant portfolio area, establishing trust‑based relationships with key stakeholders within portfolio business areas and their appointees, as well as with the VP FP & Strategy.
• Operate independently and autonomously as the primary interface with senior stakeholders, conducting business‑as‑usual operations with minimal supervision.
• Lead strategic finance partnering with business areas, cascading financial priorities set by respective Chiefs with support from the VP FP & Strategy and line manager; plan actions and drive implementation.
• Support and challenge business areas to understand the financial impact of options, communicate it to stakeholders, and grasp Finance operations and governance.
• Support business areas in understanding Finance operations and governance and any other finance‑related topics.

• Validate business cases, laying out alternatives and reviewing financial evaluation of supplier bids prior to submission to the Investment Committee.
• Guide business areas in structuring supplier bids and articulate recommendations and underlying finance rationale.
• Seek alternative ways of improving the company’s profitability and drive business areas to do the same.
• Answer day‑to‑day queries of supported business areas (e.g., mapping of cost centres, budget relaxations, quick reports).
• Connect portfolio business areas with Finance stakeholders (Procurement, Accounts Payable, etc.) when needed.
• Partner with other Finance departments to develop a deep understanding of finance operations flow and governance, guide business areas through it, and propose improvements.
• Monthly reporting and analysis of financial performance; ensure actuals and differences versus expectations are fully understood; prepare and explain reports.
• Work closely with Financial Reporting & Control so that monthly financials reflect actuals accurately, ensuring relevant accruals are estimated effectively and reviewing actual postings versus expectations.
• Disseminate and discuss reports on actuals vs budget and forecast with cost owners, providing further information and alignment with stakeholders.
• Own presentation on the monthly financial performance review vs budget, collaborating and aligning with business area stakeholders.
• Track impact and status of implementation of profit‑improvement initiatives, raising flags to leadership when required.
• Conduct deep dives into relevant costs with business areas, constantly challenging for improvement.
• Provide relevant KPIs to Corporate Strategy.
• Support line manager, VP, and wider FP & Strategy team in additional analyses.

• Prepare and manage all aspects of annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting for supported business areas (procedures, timelines, activities, content, format, templates, reviews, consolidations, presentations, system updates and distribution).
• Ensure linkage to top‑down targets and divisional goals; propose profit‑improvement initiatives and estimate impact.
• Prepare the budget and 5‑year plan with business areas, challenging proposals based on key cost and revenue drivers and strategic priorities.
• Identify further initiatives to improve results and work alongside Corporate Strategy estimating impact, preparing implementation plans, and following through.
• Jointly defend the budget to the VP FP & Strategy and to the CFO.
• Update forecasts regularly as required by the Integrated Financial Planning team or business needs.
• Influence the budgeting and forecasting calendar, ensuring timely and detailed information.

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