Finance Business Partner

.**Who are we?**

Thames Water is the UK’s largest water and wastewater company. We make a daily difference to our 15 million customers by supplying 2.6 billion litres of water through 32,000 km of pipes_,_ keeping taps flowing and toilets flushing.

At Thames Water, every one of our actions, big and small, matters every day. Water is essential to life, so our business is always open.

**What you will be doing?**

Reporting to the Retail Finance Director you will be responsible for completeness and accuracy of financial judgements in line with Financial Control policies and operating requirements.

**Key Responsibilities**:
**Business performance management**
- Develop a deep understanding of the cost drivers, risks, opportunities and levers across the Group Services and Digital cost base to drive improvements in operational and financial performance; delivering quality performance reporting and robust projections of future performance.
- Develop performance reporting and forecasting based around the critical KPIs that drive financial outcomes. Use this reporting to monitor and advise senior stakeholders and change activities in support of performance improvement in line with targeted commitments.
- Work with the relevant Executive Leaders to develop, monitor and successfully deliver actions to ensure financial and operational targets are delivered.
- Actively monitor the operational business and wider macroeconomic landscape to capture, evaluate and monitor risks and opportunities, acting as the catalyst for risk mitigation and opportunity realisation to ensure delivery of the targeted outcomes.
- Provide independent support and assurance on the quality of Executive business plans and associated financial cases for change / investment.
- Present, collaborate and provide constructive challenge to business leadership on financial matters including performance, budgets, forecasts, business plans and business cases.
- Actively challenge the Business on the outputs, value and benefits associated with the Capital Investment plans.
- Support the Business in contractual negotiations and their understanding of the financial implications of commercial decisions.

**Business partnering**
- Build strong, influential relationships with senior management teams to support the achievement of shared business performance objectives.
- Be a critical adviser to relevant accountable leaders on financially important operational matters including financial target setting.
- Work collaboratively with operational, procurement and strategy teams to add financial value and drive improved performance outcomes.
- Provide coaching and training to business users to improve financial self-serve capability and understanding of the linkage from operational performance to financial outcomes.

**Financial Planning, Analysis, Accounting & Reporting management (relating to the relevant business area under management)**
- Responsible for the core financial assumptions that underpin budgets, forecasts, in-AMP and longer-term business plans.
- Collaborate with FP&A to align on operational KPIs and insight, ensuring insightful value add performance reporting at all levels of the organisation.
- Pro-actively support financial planning, analysis and reporting processes to ensure accurate and timely completion.

**Financial close management**
- Responsible for providing business relevant input to Controller on material accounting judgements to ensure effective representation of business practice and compliance with the relevant accounting standards.

**Change management**
- Key contributor and adviser to business leaders on significant business change and the resultant financial consequences.
- Key contributor to process improvement initiatives across Finance, Legal & Commercial, work with colleagues to share and agree best practice and promote communication and engagement across all areas of the finance function.

**Financial process**
- Ensure all relevant financial activities and processes align with Control Operating Requirements.
- Continually seek out and deliver opportunities for simplification and efficiency of the financial processes used to support and challenge business performance.

**Financial Leadership**
- Leadership accountability for creating an engaging and positive working environment in collaboration with the wider Finance Leadership team, proactively identifying and developing talent.
- Role model collaborative ways of working and innovative problem resolution techniques across the retail finance and wider business teams.

**What you will bring to the role ?**
- You will possess first class interpersonal and communication skills
- Excellent presentation skills
- A strong commercial mindset with a solid grounding in financial management and reporting
- Ideally a Qualified Accountant, however this is not essential.

**What's in it for you?**

Our competitive salary and package include a bonus, car allowance, private healthcare, a