London South Bank University are partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell to recruit to a Finance Business Partner position on a permanent basis. London South Bank University (LSBU) is a modern, dynamic university with a long history of leading the way in applied education and practice-led earning. With over 17000 students and 2000 staff from over 130 countries, we work together to foster the development of graduates, ready to address business and societal challenges.
Are you ready to play a pivotal role in shaping financial decisions? As a Finance Business Partner, you will support key stakeholders through detailed reporting, insightful analysis, and actionable financial insights. In this role, you’ll provide strategic recommendations on critical financial decisions, ensuring that finance is central to decision-making at LSBU.
Key Responsibilities Include:
- Following the agreed process, conduct the annual budget setting process for the partnered units.
- Deliver finance business partnering services, including: budget setting, business case review, aiding comprehension of financial reports, financial approver maintenance, monthly forecasting, and providing advice and insight to budget holders.
- Provide ad hoc analysis to stakeholders in the partnered units. This will often include a combination of financial and non-financial data to deliver information that improves decision making and planning.
- Following the agreed timetable, produce accurate monthly forecasts for the partnered units. Follow consistent processes and templates, and engage constructively with efforts to improve the efficiency of those processes.
- For the partnered units, maintain an accurate record of financial approvers on the finance system. This includes making any necessary changes, and regularly monitoring the financial approvers to ensure they are correct.
- Review, and seek regular feedback from stakeholders on, the usefulness of the suite of financial reports available to budget holders. Pass feedback to the Head of Financial Planning & Business Partnering and the Head of Financial Reporting & Analysis.
- Using the suite of training materials developed by senior members of the team, deliver regular training to budget holders in the partnered units.
Our fantastic campus in central London is based around the historic, vibrant, and unique Elephant and Castle in the best student city in the world (QS World University Rankings, 2023). We also have specialist health campuses in Croydon and Havering.
We are highly commended as an Outstanding Entrepreneurial University (Times Higher Awards, 2022) and ranked third in the world for Reducing Inequality (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, 2024). We are proud that our graduates are the highest paid amongst all London modern universities one year after completing their course (LEO, 2022).
The successful candidate will:
- In the final stages of becoming qualified with a professional accountancy body (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent).
- Finance business partnering to non-finance professionals.
- Working in close partnership with other professional functions (e.g. HR, IT), with a supportive and collegiate style.
- Closely following defined processes, including complex processes, requiring a keen eye for detail.
- Ability to conduct basic financial modelling, combining data from multiple sources to provide useful information for decision making purposes.
- Interpersonal skills, and the ability to put across financial information clearly to diverse audiences.
- Strong IT skills, including MS Excel.
- Good technical accounting knowledge and the ability to apply it to practical scenarios.
- Good time management skills.
The successful candidate will be based in their central London office and benefit from a hybrid working pattern.
Applications will be under constant review before the closing date so please submit your application to our exclusive agent Robertson Bell. Apply now to be considered!
Client Finance Manager
(SEO)
£42,450 - £46,636 (National)
+ £5,000 Accountancy Allowance or £2,500 Part Qualification Allowance
The Government Property Agency is the largest property holder in government, with more than £2.1 billion in property assets and over 50% of the government’s office estate. We are transforming the way the Civil Service works by creating great places to work, leading the largest commercial office programme in the UK, working towards halving carbon emissions from government offices, and achieving greater value for taxpayers. We are looking for innovative, solutions-focused people to join our team.
Representing the best covenant in the UK – His Majesty’s Government – we are leading ground-breaking programmes such as the Government Hubs Programme, Whitehall Campus Programme and Net Zero Programme, as well as delivering modern and cost-effective real estate service solutions.
Innovation and progress are at the heart of our behaviours. We foster a culture of lifelong learning, where curiosity and self-improvement are encouraged, and we’re dedicated to becoming a leading, inclusive employer both in the external market and throughout the Civil Service. Our strong emphasis on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is not just about driving inclusion across our organisation, it is also about ensuring our services meet the needs of government departments and the civil servants who use our spaces.
Join our dynamic and diverse team that leads with purpose, improving sustainability, nurturing social value, driving inclusivity and flexibility, and kickstarting economic growth. We are driven by purpose, and you can be part of it too: where you make a meaningful impact; where you influence; where your voice really matters; where you help to shape our future direction.
The responsibilities of the Client Finance Manager will include:
- Delivering budgets and forecasts for each client, property and tenancy, using complex data from the MRI Horizon general ledger and other systems, Hyperion and Excel tools to provide accurate and meaningful financial information
- Being accountable for financial control over property services accounting, ensuring high levels of client satisfaction by providing accurate forecasting, explanations and billing
- Maintaining a focus on process improvement, including planning and establishing new systems and processes for quarterly financial reporting to ensure clients understand their costs and bills, delivering an ongoing service that meets and exceeds expectations
- Being the key liaison between senior finance and property staff for client meetings, involving being acutely aware of the customers’ needs and acting upon them, and being proactive in problem solving and finding solutions
- Leading the service delivery to clients alongside management accountants and other colleagues, supporting the growth of the GPA, and matching resources to client demand
- Manage due diligence exercises on estate-related financial information provided by the client and interrogate to identify material financial risks to GPA and ensure correct account treatments are applied.
Key Skills & Experience
- Be proficient in Microsoft Excel skills and able to manipulate complex data sets.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to analyse and interpret significant amounts of financial data
- Ideally, have experience in client finance, including reporting to clients, managing systems and processes, working in partnership with clients to deliver results
- Experience with property management systems such as MRI Horizon, Yardi Voyager, or similar systems, in addition to Excel and PowerBI (or similar) for financial reporting is desirable
- Ideally have experience in the property industry within medium to large organisations where customer service is a priority
For more information, please apply using the link, or contact Emma Fuller at our retained search agent, Robertson Bell.
The GPA is committed to representing the communities we serve by making Diversity, Equality and Inclusion part of everything we do. To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
UK-based/ Colchester or Home-based with monthly travel to Colchester office. Overseas travel with trips lasting from 10-14 days.
This post requires the candidates to have independent rights to live and work in the UK
Background
Lepra is dedicated to addressing leprosy and lymphatic filariasis (LF) and their consequences through direct support, advocacy, and the promotion of inclusive communities. We work in Bangladesh and in India, through our sister organisation, LEPRA Society. We work in partnership with people affected by leprosy and LF to improve detection, ensure access to treatment and care, and promote inclusion and wellbeing. Last year we finalised our new Global Strategy for 2024-30, which will guide us in our efforts to accelerate progress towards global targets for leprosy and LF, and towards our vision of a world free from leprosy and LF.
Job Context
Our Global Strategy marks a significant evolution in our organisational direction, introducing innovative approaches and renewed priorities. This includes our first-ever global Theory of Change (ToC), our most comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) framework to date, a Research and Innovation strategy, and a dedicated Advocacy sub-strategy to guide our influencing efforts.
With the Lepra Advocacy Strategy, we will be working over the next 6 years to strengthen our approaches to our advocacy efforts. The post holder will play a key role in supporting the roll out of the Advocacy strategy working closely with the Director of Programmes and Advocacy, the Head of Research, the Senior Programme Manager, the Programme Officer and the teams where we work.
Job Purpose
This role is an exciting role within the programmes team in response to evolving needs. The incoming post holder will work within the 5 person UK’s Programme and Advocacy team and will drive, advise and support the team in relation to Lepra’s advocacy profile. We are looking for an enthusiastic, motivated, strategic and creative person who has outstanding skills to engage and work with a diverse team. We are looking for someone to work with a clear strategy and then develop, grow and successfully shape the future of Lepra’s advocacy efforts.
Working Relationships
Reports to Lepra UK’s Director of Programmes and Advocacy (DPA)
Works closely with the Programmes and Advocacy Team
Close working links with colleagues in India and in Bangladesh and the UK’s communications team
International travel as needed for programmes oversight and support, and external representation.
Key responsibilities
Advocacy Delivery (50%)
Under the supervision of the DPA implement Lepra’s global Advocacy strategy and coordinate advocacy initiatives.
Serve as the driver of advocacy efforts, facilitating the transitional year of implementation including coordinating the Advocacy Steering Group; advocacy toolkit development; action planning.
Represent Lepra in specific fora and advocacy networks and within the broader leprosy and NTD community in close coordination with the DPA.
Produce quarterly advocacy newsletters
Maintain quarterly reports on flagging areas of concern and actioning steering committee advice.
Assist in the preparation of policy documents and the presentation of papers for publication, conferences, or specific institutions and/or individuals - identifying and targeting the most appropriate audiences.
Support and contribute to the development and implementation of initiatives that foster an inclusive, equitable, and diverse environment across organisational programmes, policies, and advocacy efforts.
Support and contribute to initiatives that promote inclusion and equity, with a strong focus on developing the leadership and advocacy capacity of people with lived experience of leprosy, ensuring their voices are central in decision-making and programme design.
Knowledge management / Learning and Development (20%)
Support the preparation of Lepra advocacy and policy documents.
Disseminate knowledge so that it is integrated into Lepra’s portfolio to amplify the impact for target audiences and improve their outcomes.
Facilitate the new knowledge and learning hub and forge a clear path for its evolution.
Facilitate knowledge sharing through updating the communications team with relevant materials for the new programme folder on the website.
Organise and develop advocacy training.
Develop and take ownership of the new programme’ s team knowledge sharing approaches.
Develop a workplan of knowledge sharing events.
Support annual review meetings.
Communications (10%)
Assist the programmes team with the documentation of Lepra examples and models of best practice, at the same time identifying and developing mechanisms and avenues for the effective dissemination of this knowledge – internally and externally.
Assist the programmes team, DPO, Chief Executive and Country Programme staff in the synthesis of complex technical/scientific information adapting it to language and formats easily used by target audiences.
Contribute to content development of community engagement materials (public information, brochures, leaflets) that help explain the operations and impact of Lepra’s work to LF and/or leprosy affected communities.
Maintain good working links with Lepra’s UK Fundraising and Communications Team, contributing towards UK facing communications materials as and when required.
Prepare updates, papers, and reports for trustee meetings, funding partners, and wherever else applicable.
External representation (10%)
Support the Chief Executive, DPA and programmes team to maintain and expand existing strategic relationships with key international stakeholders to further Lepra’s advocacy strategy and advance Lepra’s agenda.
Ensure Lepra’s external profile is raised and become the go-to organisation for the leprosy community in terms of advocacy and policy briefings.
Support the preparation of documents for presentation, publication or dissemination at international fora.
Develop/support the development of country specific briefing notes/press kits with the communications team.
Represent Lepra at key events, conferences, and meetings to enhance our visibility and opportunity for impact.
Safeguarding (5%)
Promote a culture of respect, transparency, and accountability within Lepra’s implemented projects.
Ensuring that safeguarding mechanisms are in place and remain at the heart of all activities.
Support the integration of strong safeguarding and PSEA practices into project design and delivery.
Monitoring, evaluation, and impact (5%)
Ensure that all advocacy and knowledge transfer efforts are captured and embedded in appropriate results frameworks, objectives, outputs, indicators and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Provide inputs to Lepra’s reports, according to Lepra’s needs.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Relevant degree level of education in Public Health, Social Sciences, Global Health, Human Rights, Political Sciences or equivalent experience.
Desirable
Relevant post-graduate qualification
Relevant professional health-related qualification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
Minimum of 2 yrs experience of advocacy/campaigning/policy work with an overseas development organisation
Experience of working to advance the rights of excluded populations
Extensive knowledge of global health issues and an up-to-date familiarity with issues and practice in the international development sector
Experience in planning and implementing successful strategies/campaigns/advocacy in Asia.
Experience in programme/project planning, budgeting, M&E and reporting, within a non-governmental organisation, including the preparation of reports for institutional donors.
Ability to analyse and act on data.
Experience of working on issues in relation to disability, mental health, gender, human rights and social inclusion.
Experience in project coordination and management.
Desirable
At least two years’ experience as an advocacy manager, preferably gained with an overseas development organisation or in academia, in a similar health focused role.
Familiarity with data visualisation tools and packages.
Proficiency in one or more Indian languages (e.g., Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, etc.) is an asset.
Skills, Attitudes and Personal Qualities
Highly motivated individual with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal to build strong relationships, negotiate and persuade a wide range of audiences, with confidence at presenting and representing.
Proven strength in both written and verbal communication
Able to reach, network with and communicate to a wide range of stakeholders and potential stakeholders.
Excellent attention to detail, and organisational and time management skills
Ability to manipulate and analyse data to draw useful conclusions to improve programme delivery.
Ability to use databases, Word, excel, PowerPoint and other Office packages
Ability to work independently, be flexible and prioritise workload.
Ability to travel within the UK and overseas.
The right to work in the UK.
We operate a non-bias recruitment process and run our job advertisements through anonymous recruitment methods.
We offer a lot of flexibility in working practices and there is free reserved parking available at our Colchester office. We also offer 26 days annual leave plus public holidays (pro-rated), pension, Employee Assistance Programme and support from an in-house well-being team.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for interview. Please check your email inbox and spam/junk mail folder for any email correspondence for this vacancy.
If you require any reasonable considerations such as access or information in an alternative format, please inform us soon as you are able so that we can make the appropriate adjustments.
Please do not use AI to help you write cover letters, CVs and responses to any screening questions. We want to hear your original voice.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.