Finance Business Partner

Finance Business Partner [Maintenance] - Darlington Park Lane (12 Month Fixed-Term)

**Location**:
Darlington, GB

**Department Name**:
Eastern Region

**About Network Rail**:
Join Our Team at Network Rail

Investing in our people is key to enhancing the safety, reliability, and efficiency of our railway system. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact, then this opportunity is for you

**Brief Description**:
To work with the supported business leadership team, under the direction of the Financial Controller/Senior Finance Business Partner, to deliver professional finance and accounting advise. Provides proactive, value add finance support to the business leaders across the function/route.

**Please note that this is a 12 month fixed-term opportunity.**

**About the role (External)**:
**Key Accountabilities**

1. Lead and provide financial advice and guidance to senior budget holders in understanding the impact of the period results and forecasts against budges so they can understand their business better.

2. Be the expert in the function on accounting practices and advise on financial results and forecasts for budget holders, including preparing period accruals, transfers and adjustments to validate accounts are reflective, relevant.

3. Manage corporate governance throughout the cost centres they manage, conducting deep dives and reviewing compliance with financial regulations to protect the business from legal or negative consequences.

4. Deliver expert and accurate business review information and reporting and highlight any significant issues with financial and other business results to enable informed decision making by the business area.

5. Engage and influence senior members of the team to help them understand their financial position and use professional expertise to guide in initiatives to improve business performance

6. Build bottom up, detailed plans to manage and develop the production of business plans and budgets to enable good corporate governance and value add analysis for senior leaders

7. Identify and proactively manage commercial risks, including the financial suitability of new customers or suppliers reducing the potential risk impact on the business area and influencing decision makers.

8. Manage the performance of central accounting functions to deliver for the cost centre area to enable an efficiently and effective accounting service.

9. Collate, investigate and make recommendation for investment appraisals and business case analysis to aid business decisions.

10. Model and analyse cost base and identify and drive opportunities and efficiencies to achieve area targets.

**Job Skills, Experience and Qualifications**

Essential
- Membership (Or working towards a membership) of a relevant accounting body (CIMA/ACCA) or equivalent experience
- Expert knowledge and experience of creating and maintaining accounts and annual budget
- Significant experience within relevant finance disciplines
- Strong excel skills and use of data manipulation
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Ability to interpret technical accounting regulations into everyday language
- Demonstrable effective influencing skills at a senior level
- Significant understanding of financial control and risk
- Excellent technical finance and accounting knowledge

Desirable
- Understanding of project management principles and experience of managing complex projects
- Membership of a relevant accounting body
- Extensive experience of Oracle based systems
- Degree or equivalent qualification in finance and accounting or business management or experience

We adhere to a structured pay framework, **any salary offered will be within the following pay range**: starting at £41,711 per annum and increasing to £46,925 per annum.

**Salary**: £41,711 - £46,925

**Please note that this is a 12 month fixed-term opportunity.**

**Drugs and Alcohol Standard**: