Senior Finance Business Partner

Mace combines construction expertise with consultancy to unlock potential in every person or project and redefine the boundaries of ambition. Our values shape the way we consult and define the people we want to join us on our journey.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially focused Senior Finance Business Partner to support our Enabling Functions, partnering with leaders across People, Digital, Finance, Marketing, Legal and Corporate Services.

Operating as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders, the role will provide financial leadership, challenge and insight to support strategic decision making and maximise value creation. The successful candidate will lead budgeting, forecasting and performance management across the functional cost base, driving transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.

This role requires a highly capable finance professional who can operate independently, influence stakeholders at all levels and proactively identify opportunities to improve performance and financial decision making. The successful candidate will be expected to challenge existing ways of working, implement improvements and act as a catalyst for change across both Finance and the wider business.

You’ll be responsible for:

Business partnering

• Acting as the primary finance lead for designated Enabling Functions, operating with a high degree of autonomy.
• Building strong relationships with senior stakeholders and act as a trusted advisor.
• Supporting strategic decision making through commercial insight, financial analysis and robust challenge.
• Influencing decision making by providing objective recommendations and constructive challenge to investment decisions, business cases and expenditure proposals.
• Proactively identifying and help leaders understand financial performance, risks and opportunities, as well as strategic challenges.
• Driving cost transparency and accountability across functions, ensuring expenditure is clearly linked to strategic priorities, value creation initiatives and measurable outcomes.

Planning, forecasting and cost management

• Directing annual budgeting, forecasting and long-term planning processes for enabling functions.
• Implementing and maintaining zero-based budgeting principles, challenging spend requirements and ensuring resources are allocated effectively.
• Delivering timely, accurate and insightful management information and performance reporting.
• Analysing actual performance against budget and forecast, providing clear commentary, root cause analysis and actionable recommendations.
• Monitoring key cost drivers, workforce trends and supplier expenditure.
• Identifying and tracking productivity, efficiency and optimisation opportunities across the functions.

Financial analysis and decision support

• Developing robust financial models, forecasts, scenario analysis and sensitivity assessments to support strategic decision making.
• Evaluating strategic initiatives, transformation programmes and investment opportunities.
• Directing the financial assessment of business cases, including return on investment and value creation analysis.
• Assessing the financial, cash flow and working capital implications of investment decisions, supplier arrangements and operating model changes.
• Supporting management in balancing growth, investment and cash generation objectives.
• Presenting financial recommendations confidently to senior leadership teams and executive stakeholders.
• Providing ad-hoc commercial analysis to support key business decisions and strategic initiatives.

Process improvement and finance transformation

• Proactively identifying opportunities to improve financial planning, reporting and control processes.
• Simplifying, standardising and automating financial activities to improve efficiency and insight.
• Directing the implementation of process improvements that enhance financial performance, governance and decision support.
• Driving adoption of best-practice budgeting, forecasting and reporting methodologies.
• Leveraging technology, systems and data analytics to improve reporting capabilities and decision-making effectiveness.
• Establishing and monitoring key performance indicators to improve financial visibility, accountability and operational performance.

You’ll need to have:

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Minimum five years post qualification experience in Finance Business Partnering, FP&A, Commercial Finance or a related role.
• Proven ability to operate independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast paced, complex environment.
• Experience managing significant indirect cost bases, shared services or corporate functions.
• Strong understanding of overhead management, cost allocation methodologies and recharge models.
• Experience implementing zero-based budgeting, cost transformation or efficiency programmes.
• Commercial understanding of the relationship between P&L performance, cash generation and working capital.
• Advanced financial modelling, forecasting and scenario planning skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience operating in a private equity backed or performance focused environment.
• Experience using Oracle and TM1.

Our values

Safety first - Going home safe and well: We champion a safe, diverse and inclusive working environment, understanding the importance of wellbeing in every team.

Client focus - Deliver on our promise: We own the quality of deliverables, strategic outcomes and build long term relationships with our clients.

Integrity - Always do the right thing: We influence positive outcomes within our industry, while always aligning with our compliance obligations.

Create opportunity - For our people to excel: We champion a continuous improvement culture throughout all activities, inspiring our people and teams to develop.

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates. Even if you feel you do not fulfil all the criteria, please apply as you may still be the best candidate for this role or another role within our organisation.

We are also open to discussing part time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable with-in the role.

#LI-Onsite