Senior Finance Business Partner (Milton Keynes, ENG, GB, MK7 6AA)

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About the Role

This role will head up a Finance Business Partnering team; responsible for providing strategic finance and commercial advice, decision making and leadership, to a range of unit / faculty and University wide senior stakeholders; the role is positioned as a full member of the unit or faculty executive leadership team.

This high profile and vital role provides wide ranging support on strategic, business and financial matters across the University.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will build partnerships and maintain strong relationships with executive and senior leadership teams and their reports. You will be expected to lead and influence on financial and resource matters, positively affect decision making and improve the understanding of business performance. Your proactive involvement in developing and delivering unit strategy, delivering analysis and insight on business opportunities, and providing options and scenarios for business decisions, while driving financial sustainability and performance will be key.

You will be expected to work with your peers and other finance colleagues to ensure consistency of practice and continuous improvement activity across the University. Finance should be seen to be fundamentally important business partners whose input is required on strategically important decisions.

• Provide financial and business leadership and direction into unit / faculty
• Active member of pan-OU, faculty / unit governance groups
• Input and contribution to the VCE / governance papers
• Communication and interpretation of commentaries and business performance as required
• Input to and critical review of strategic business cases and /or pan-OU initiatives
• Consideration of faculty / unit and University priorities and strategic ambition at all times
• Pricing, contract / bidding and commercial negotiations, both internal and external
• Provide input and direction to high level budget, forecast and outturn, including presentations and review
• Produce and review input for year-end reporting and statements, and communicate as necessary
• Explore financial solutions, providing critical analysis and direction
• Assess robustness of financial plan and forecasts, considering variable aspects and expenditure to date
• Inspire, lead, and develop a high performing and inclusive Finance Business Partnering team to oversee the financial performance management across core finance disciplines

About You

Essential:

• Experience of working in a Business Partnering role within a complex organisation.
• Demonstrable understanding of negotiation, relationship building, and conflict resolution skills.
• Evidenced excellent written and verbal communication skills, ensuring clarity of messages, ideas and facts.
• Proven track record of developing and empowering individuals to realise their potential, leading teams through change.
• Experience of influencing senior stakeholders and challenging to uphold financial management standards.
• Significant years, post qualification, extensive accounting experience
• Qualified in CCAB / CIMA

Desirable: 

• Experience of working within Higher Education sector.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Please note: This is a hybrid role with an expectation that the successful candidate will work from our office in Milton Keynes for a minimum 2 days per week (however we do ask for flexibility in response to business needs). 

Next steps in the Recruitment process

The the selection process is likely to take place over the course of two interviews, with the first round scheduled to take place over the 13 November 2025 and 14 November 2025. 

Early closing date notification

We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.

How to apply

To apply for this role please submit the following document(s):

• CV
• A supporting statement of no more than 1000 words outlining how you meet the essential criteria for this role. 

You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.