Senior Finance Business Partner (Corporate Services) – Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office sits at the very centre of UK government, supporting the Prime Minister and ensuring the effective delivery of government priorities. As the Senior Finance Business Partner for Corporate Services, you will lead a professional team providing high-stakes financial counsel to Directors General and Directors. You will be a strategic enabler, overseeing budgets for high-priority programmes like Digital ID and IBCA. If you are a fully qualified accountant who excels at translating complex data into strategic influence, this role offers a platform to shape the fiscal health and operational success of the department.

Role Purpose

You will act as a bridge between the Finance function and the business, embedding yourself within senior management teams to drive value for money. Your mission is twofold: ensuring robust financial control and governance in the short term, while leading long-term resource allocation and workforce planning. You will be a key player in the investment appraisal of business cases, engaging early in policy development to ensure financial risks are mitigated and opportunities are seized.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership: Set the direction for a high-performing team, fostering a culture of inclusion and ensuring finance is seen as a proactive business enabler.
Investment Appraisal: Engage early in pipeline reviews and policy development to provide rigorous financial appraisal for business cases.
Commercial Collaboration: Partner with senior commercial colleagues to shape decision-making throughout the programme delivery cycle.
Financial Strategy: Lead directorate-level exercises including business planning, resource allocation, and workforce planning in line with Spending Reviews.
Risk & Opportunity Management: Identify and communicate potential financial risks to leadership, enabling data-driven decisions on investments.
Professional Development: Champion talent management across the finance function, supporting the professional growth and career planning of your team.
Stakeholder Influence: Act as a core member of budget-holder management teams, providing independent advice based on robust financial analysis.

Person Specification (Essential Criteria)

Qualified Accountant: You must be fully qualified with a recognised professional body (e.g., ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, CIPFA).
Business Partnering Expertise: Proven experience (or a demonstrable passion) for finance business partnering within a complex organization.
Senior Advising: Exceptional interpersonal skills with experience advising and influencing at the Director General and Director level.
Analytical Insight: Excellent analytical and Excel skills, with the ability to translate “raw data” into strategic insight.
Leadership in Matrix Environments: Proven ability to lead diverse teams in a matrix structure while fostering honesty and reliability.
Governance Knowledge: Experience in financial control and governance within a large public or private sector organisation.
Government Finance: Understanding of government fiscal events, such as Spending Reviews and resource allocation frameworks.

Key Skills & Attributes

Negotiation & Presentation: Ability to present complex financial data clearly and negotiate outcomes under pressure.
Strategic Thinking: Building a comprehensive understanding of the business vision and its relation to the wider department.
Relationship Management: Ability to build trust with a wide range of stakeholders in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

Working Arrangements & Benefits

Attendance: A minimum of 60% of your working time must be spent at your principal workplace (or other locations for official business).
Professional Community: Access to the wider Government Finance Profession network for training and development.
Impact: Direct involvement in “high priority” departmental programmes that affect the whole of government.

To apply for this job please visit restless.co.uk.