Assistant Finance Business Partner

About us

Children's services are responsible for the delivery of high quality services to children and young people, funded through income from local authorities, government agencies, etc., as well as Barnardo's voluntary funds. Family placement (FP) and Employment, Training and Skills (ETS) services, which are known as business lines, are centrally managed and locally delivered.

Other services are predominantly delivered in a locality with strong links to local authorities and communities. An Assistant Director of Children's Services leads each locality and is the budget holder for all income and expenditure within it. Localities are grouped into three nations and five English regions, each headed by a Nation or Region Director and supported by an Assistant Director of Finance (ADF). The ADF is responsible for overseeing the financial management of the region / nation and all of its localities.

The Assistant Finance Business Managers (AFBM) are responsible for assisting the ADF and the Finance Business Managers (FBM) in providing effective and efficient financial and resource management services. The Finance Officers (FO) provide transactional support to the regional finance team.

About the role

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• The AFBM will assist the Assistant Director Finance and the Finance Business Managers in the development and management of the region/nation and its localities, through the provision of excellent financial analysis, advice and guidance.

• Provide financial summaries and financial analysis for the ADF and the FBMs.
• Provide financial analysis, advice and guidance to budget holders.
• Support the ADF and FBMs in ensuring financial targets are monitored, reported against, variances are addressed and any changes that may impact on the region/nation plan or locality plan are incorporated into the budget, forecast and monthly reports to the ADF and Head of Children's Services Accounting (HoCSA).
• Support the operational management of the localities' resources including:,
  
  • Supporting FBMs with budget review including contribution to the annual budget process
  • Supporting FBMs with forecasting, within the financial year and longer term including the uploading of budgets and forecasts
  • Supporting FBMs Monitoring and reporting of financial performance against budgets
  • Supporting FBMs with the provision of financial analysis, advice and guidance to the locality management team, other managers and administrators and Finance Officers
• Support the FBM in the management of service contracts and tenders including:,
  
  • Support the FBMs in producing costings and pricing for tenders and contracts
  • Development and maintenance of effective working relationships with local authorities and other agency partners.
  • Preparation of financial reports to funding partners in a mutually agreed format.
• Process month-end and year-end entries, including accruals, prepayments, journal adjustments, management charges, internal recharges, provision of balance sheet reconciliations and supporting documentation for audit.
• Maintain cost centres and parent values.
• Support the development, implementation, monitoring and review all financial and budgetary systems and procedures within localities in accordance with organisation and region/nation requirements.
• Implement and monitor financial policies and procedures to ensure compliance.
• Provide training on financial systems and procedures to ensure that National and Regional requirements are met by locality staff.
• Complete internal audits and quality assurance checks, as directed in the regional audit programme and undertake special investigations as required.

About you

Applicants must demonstrate in their application form that they currently use the skills outlined below or have used them previously in employment, education, training, volunteering or in another role.

Education/Knowledge

• Part qualified accountant or AAT (D)

Experience

• 3 years' experience of working within a finance function.
• Providing managers with solutions to financial problems.
• Demonstrable experience in using financial systems
• Producing budgets, forecasts and monthly management accounts, including variance analysis.
• Proven written and verbal communication skills, including with managers.
• IT literate

Skills/Abilities

• Ability to model required behaviours
• Dynamic, energetic and enthusiastic approach to work
• Ability to identify issues at an early stage and highlight potential risks to budget holders, FBM's and ADF.

Circumstances

• Flexibility in working hours and location, as per contract of employment.
• Travel to services including some overnight stays.

Managing Diversity

Able to recognise the unique potential that individuals from differing backgrounds, experiences and perspectives bring to Barnardo's.

Barnardo's Basis and Values

Ability to work within Barnardo's basis and values, together with a commitment to and an understanding of equality and diversity.

Please see the attached role profile for further information.