Finance Business Partner

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

We are looking for a Finance Business Partner to support our academies with clear financial insight, smart budgeting and data‑driven decision-making. You will work closely with Principals and senior leaders, acting as a trusted advisor and helping drive efficiencies across our schools.

If you are an analytical, confident finance professional with strong stakeholder skills, we would welcome your application.

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high‑quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the Why Work For Us page.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Producing financial reports, dashboards and analysis to assess performance against targets and trends
• Analysing financial data, margins, cost drivers and overheads to identify efficiencies and savings opportunities
• Preparing balance sheet reconciliations and ensuring the accuracy of financial reporting
• Providing insightful commentary and translating financial data into clear, actionable recommendations
• Identifying and investigating data anomalies, validating results and reconciling source data
• Partnering with schools, departments and budget holders to support budgeting, planning and performance management
• Building strong stakeholder relationships and providing expert financial advice and guidance
• Developing financial models to support business cases, forecasting and commercial decisions
• Supporting managers to improve financial performance, efficiency and value for money
• Ensuring compliance with financial regulations, internal controls and organisational policies
• Monitoring adherence to financial procedures, delegated authorities and governance requirements

For a full list of responsibilities, please download the Job Pack.

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• A Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related discipline
• Part or full accountancy qualification (e.g. ACCA, CIMA, ACA)
• Commitment to ongoing professional development to remain current with UK financial regulations and best practices.
• A minimum of three years' experience in a finance role, ideally with exposure to financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting
• Demonstrable experience working with financial systems such as Oracle, SAP, or equivalent ERP solutions for financial reporting and analysis

Experience in a commercial or multi-site operational environment is advantageous.

For a full job specification, please download the Job Pack.

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide…