Rutherford Cross is delighted to be working with Calmac to appoint a Finance Business Partner in the newly created Asset Management division.  The role is well suited to a qualified accountant who enjoys influencing a variety of stakeholders, pushing through change.  The role not only benefits from a generous salary and excellent holiday entitlement, the company also provide a final salary pension scheme (DC equivalent 24% employer contribution).  Salary on offer £48,000-£54,000.

Role Overview

The Finance Business Partner provides support to the Asset Management Executive Director and their department. The role should be performed at a level alongside the Executive’s direct management team acting as a key trusted advisor. This is a varied and challenging role supporting department core business and Transition Programme projects.

Business Area Supported – Asset Mgt Vision statement

Asset Management supports and maintains our Ferry fleet. We will deliver world class operational excellence, evolving through the life of the CHFS and AFL contracts. It will embrace a continuous improvement ethos; restructure relationships with key partners and suppliers; provide the organisation and technology, and empower colleagues to efficiently, effectively and proactively maintain the operational fleet.

Role attributes

• Understand the business. Spend time in, and with, supported teams, get out on the network and develop deep understanding of business drivers and challenges.
• Challenge the business, be brave to speak up when necessary, hold a mirror up to the supported department and ask the right questions.
• Influence and build relationships with effective communication. Get the message across, get a discussion going when needed and target closure of issues.
• Support and persist with issues until solutions are reached. Provide a balance of commercial insight and financial control to support decision making. Be a trusted advisor.
• Translate the numbers into a business story. Provide variance analysis commentary that is insightful and delivers the key messages.
• Have a desire to be successful, help create a brand and reputation for finance team that delivers on time with quality outputs.
• Perform the role displaying behaviours and values of a senior manager in the organisation including communication and collaboration. Lead by example.

Key Role Deliverables

• Ensure Month end tasks are completed on time as defined by Accounting team.
• Deliver insightful monthly reporting pack to Executive area tracking financial performance against business plan and budget.

• Key support function for Executive area Business Plan and Budget delivering outputs aligned to defined Planning & Reporting Team process.
• Supporting Headcount planning, key expenditure phasing by providing end to end commercial finance support for business area.

• Planning Forecast updates supporting content for Quarterly Business Review presentation packs reviewed with Executive and delivered to deadlines.
• Support Change Programme, provide governance and lead commercial finance work-stream for project implementation lifecycle tracking ROI benefits as part of business case.
• Track project spend during delivery and align benefit realisation impact into forecast cycle.
• Provide ad-hoc support to Change Programme Board as leader of commercial finance support work-stream aligning benefits to departmental budgets.

Key stakeholder responsibilities

• Be a trusted business partner for assigned Executive Director and other stakeholders, adding value through insight, challenge and support. Awareness of key commercial and financial risks impacting department, supporting mitigating actions or activities as required.
• Support Finance colleagues in Planning & Reporting and Accounting with shared commitment to meet deadlines.
• Working closely with other Business Support Leads within Finance team driving continuous process improvement, standardisation and innovation.

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Qualified Accountant with at least 5 years post qualification experience.
• Demonstrable experience and success within a similar business partnering role.
• The ability to input content into financial reporting that presents financial information in a clear, professional and corporate manner for Executive level review.
• Track record of meeting meet deadlines and to deliver professional outputs within challenging timelines.
• Strong character skills to challenge Executive on business critical matters.
• Desire to support Change Project initiatives to successful outcome, innovative thinking to find solutions to issues.
• Excellent communication skills, influencing and building relationships with finance colleagues within a positive environment of professional development and success..