Finance Business Partner

Finance Business Partner (Commercial & Investment) Salary: Up to £77,800 Location: Luton Borough Council Contract: Permanent, Full-time Why Join Luton As a dynamic authority at the heart of a thriving and diverse borough, Luton Council is driving forward ambitious regeneration plans, delivering vital public services, and making a measurable difference to the lives of its residents. Few places can offer the same blend of scale, community impact, and opportunity for leaders across finance, HR, transformation, and other key corporate functions. Joining Luton means contributing to a clear and compelling vision for a town where everyone can thrive and being part of an organisation that truly puts people and place at its heart. A distinctive part of that story is London Luton Airport, one of the UK’s busiest airports and a critical economic engine for the town. Uniquely, the airport is wholly owned by the council, generating significant revenue that is reinvested back into local services, regeneration projects, and community wellbeing. It symbolises Luton’s ambition and financial resilience, providing employees with the rare opportunity to work for an authority that not only delivers for residents but also benefits from and shapes a major national asset. At Luton Council, colleagues are supported to develop, grow, and achieve their ambitions. The organisation promotes a flexible and inclusive culture, with hybrid working options, generous leave, and strong wellbeing support. There’s a clear commitment to professional development through training, mentoring, and opportunities to lead high-profile projects that deliver visible change. Staff are empowered to innovate, collaborate, and lead, knowing their contribution makes a real difference both locally and nationally. About the Role As a Finance Business Partner, you’ll be the strategic finance lead for several Council departments, working hand-in-hand with Corporate and Service Directors to ensure every financial decision supports outstanding, efficient service delivery within our approved financial framework. This role would be an excellent opportunity for a finance professional from a commercial or corporate background who’s ready to apply their strategic, analytical, and business partnering skills in a purpose-driven public sector setting. Experience working with subsidiary companies, joint ventures, or commercial entities will be especially valuable, as the role involves supporting and influencing similar partnership models within the Council. While prior local authority experience is not essential, what matters most is the ability to think commercially, manage complex budgets, and provide insightful financial leadership that drives performance and value for money across diverse services. Key Responsibilities Provide strategic financial leadership, offering insight, challenge, and advice to senior management teams to deliver sustainable, high-quality services within constrained budgets. Ensure sound financial governance, leading on budget management, reporting, and compliance with legislation, accounting standards, and corporate financial policy. Lead and develop your finance team, fostering excellence, collaboration, and professional growth across the service. Drive performance and value for money, overseeing financial planning, business case development, and the delivery of innovative savings and improvement programmes. Support corporate priorities, contributing to the Medium-Term Financial Plan, budget strategy, and wider transformation initiatives. Champion continuous improvement, developing financial systems, reporting, and processes to enhance efficiency and insight. Engage with Members and senior stakeholders, representing Finance at key committees and meetings, and providing clear, evidence-based advice to support decision-making. About You You’ll be a qualified accountant (CCAB / CIMA) with substantial post-qualification experience in financial management, ideally within a local authority or large, complex organisation. You bring both strategic vision and hands-on capability, comfortable working across corporate boundaries and advising senior leaders. We’re looking for someone who can combine technical excellence with emotional intelligence, influencing, guiding, and leading in an environment of change. You’ll be analytical yet pragmatic, a confident communicator who can turn financial information into meaningful insight and action. Essential experience includes: Leading budget planning, monitoring, and reporting at a strategic level. Building and maintaining strong relationships with senior stakeholders. Managing and developing finance teams. Contributing to corporate financial planning and governance. Driving change and efficiency through commercial and financial initiatives. Desirable experience includes: Working with subsidiary companies, partnerships, or external funding arrangements. Developing financial policies, governance frameworks, and long-term business plans. A Great Career Move At Luton, they’re transforming how they deliver public services, focused on innovation, collaboration, and improving lives. As part of their finance leadership team, you’ll be at the heart of that transformation, shaping strategy, building financial resilience, and supporting key projects such as housing, regeneration, and infrastructure. You’ll enjoy: A culture that values inclusion, learning, and wellbeing. Hybrid and flexible working arrangements. Access to generous local government pension and annual leave schemes. Opportunities for professional development and leadership growth. To discuss this opportunity in more detail, please reach out to Thomas Porter on , or email