Finance Business Partner - South West

VIVO, a 50:50 joint venture between Serco and EQUANS, has been awarded places on the Defence FM and Housing Maintenance framework contracts.
VIVO embodies both experience and innovation. It combines Serco's comprehensive track record delivering engineering, technical and FM services to the UK MOD for over 55 years with EQUANS' market leading FM, energy, asset optimisation and regeneration capabilities.
Finance Business Partner
South West - Remote Based
Salary £60,000 - £70,000 + Car Allowance
VIVO is a new business, formed to deliver infrastructure, asset and facilities management services into the UK Defence Sector. VIVO is a 50:50 Joint Venture between Serco and Engie.
A key interface between operations and finance, this role will be integral to the success of the Built Estate South West contract. The Finance Business Partner is there to support VIVO business leaders to deliver profitable and sustainable growth, providing dedicated commercial and financial decision support aligned to strategic and customer priorities, improving shareholder value. .
Key Accountabilities
The role will report to the VIVO Head of Finance (Business Partnering), and also be accountable to the Operations Director for the relevant portfolio.
This role has an assistant role reporting into it and there will be a requirement to co-ordinate input from peers within the finance team, and wider business, along with liaising with Accenture (an offshore outsourced service) for specific financial information.

• Working with business units and departments to establish what an 'effective Business Partner' is, and what is expected from the relationship between finance and the rest of the business.
• Ownership of a subset of management accounts (portfolio) within VIVO's overall remit, with a key role in preparation of monthly reports for management information and decision making.
• Undertake annual budget and target setting exercises, underpinned with periodic rolling forecasting, informed by budget holders and supported with information and experience gleaned from successful Business Partnering.
• Creation and development of KPIs and management reporting mechanisms built from the data available within the current system set up, along with ability to ensure that data collected within the systems is appropriate and accurate for effective decision making.
• Continuous review of operational performance through financial performance and related KPIs to provide understanding of profitability and strategic delivery with a view to maximising commercial success and minimising financial risk.
• Active role in regular review of risks and opportunities arising from commercial and operational activities; working with business leads to mitigate and maximise as required and highlighting where to watch.
• Active role in the Operation's Directors Senior Team, attending relevant team meetings and building strong and supportive relationships across the wide spectrum of departments.
• Work closely with the commercial and billable work's teams in particular, understanding the way that revenues and costs are earned / incurred and ensuring accounting records report accurately both work complete and work in progress.
• Ensure billing and cash collection remains centre stage on the contract and across the SLT at all times, putting measures in place to report on any delays in billing or cash collection and supporting the contract in commercial and financial discussions to get resolution should any cash issues arise.
• Taking a supportive role in the review of annual statutory accounts.
• Accountable for the accuracy, completeness and compliance of financial records (including balance sheet, profit and loss, cash flow and forecasts) that are produced for VIVO Defence, particularly in relation to the portfolio assigned to the Business Partner.
• Effective partnership with financial stakeholders including shareholders, external auditors, tax advisors and regulatory bodies as required from time to time.
• Establish, monitor, challenge and ultimately act when necessary to ensure that VIVO operates with the highest levels of financial control and integrity.
• Ensure VIVO group reporting requirements are met and in line with group deadlines.
• Provision of ad hoc analyses as required for business evaluation and strategy planning.
• An active participant in varying projects, bids and change programmes arising across the business, as required from time to time, including support for business cases and submissions.
• Continuous process improvement; working to drive business efficiencies through automation and effective review of controls.
• Development and effective management of any direct reports, to meet business needs, provide opportunities for personal development and to add value to VIVO Defence.

Qualifications:

• A relevant professional accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with 5 years PQE.

Knowledge & Experience:

• Ability to traverse the detail of the portfolio within immediate remit of the role, without losing sight of the overall strategic position for VIVO Defence.
• Strong technical ability and experience of accounting under IFRS.
• Confident individual with commercial and strategic awareness, ability to communicate with influence and question and challenge where needed.
• Experience of delivering effective budget setting and forecasting outcomes.
• Prior Business Partnering experience.
• Prior experience in a Defence/Asset Management setting preferred.
• Strong excel user able to manipulate and present complex data concisely.
• Experience of SAP systems and interfaces valuable but not essential, however ability to quickly assimilate knowledge of new systems will be key.

Location will be flexible, with a mixture of home working and a regular requirement for travel (weekly) within the UK to support VIVO Leadership, the teams this role manages, and meet customer and business needs. The ability to flex this pattern, sometimes on short notice, is essential. Given the location of the contract, this role would best suit someone located in the West Midlands, or North but given the hybrid nature, other locations will also be considered.
VIVO Defence Services
The role you have applied for is with VIVO Defence Services, a joint venture between Serco and EQUANS. By applying for this role, please be aware that information contained within your CV may be shared between VIVO Defence Services, Serco and EQUANS during the recruitment process.
At VIVO, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. Therefore, we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool.
We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working and operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly a Disability Confident Employer. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. If candidates wish to request extra time to apply then they should contact 0345 010 4000 and ask to speak to a VIVO Recruiter.