Job Description

The Role

The Senior Finance Business Partner is a senior finance leadership role responsible for partnering with the Global Strategic Partnerships team to drive commercial performance, support strategic decision-making and improve financial outcomes across the business. Working closely with the VP Commercial Finance, Partnerships & Overheads and senior stakeholders across Global Strategic Partnerships, the role provides financial leadership on strategic partner relationships, investment decisions, commercial initiatives and growth opportunities. It ensures decisions are supported by robust financial analysis, commercial insight and a clear focus on value creation.

The role acts as a trusted deputy to the VP Commercial Finance, Partnerships & Overheads, supporting engagement with executive stakeholders and business leadership through meaningful financial insight, strategic challenge and performance recommendations. It plays a key part in shaping commercial strategy for strategically important Tier 1 and Tier 1A partnerships and driving accountability for financial performance across the organisation.

Alongside its business partnering responsibilities, the role leads the ongoing evolution of the Partnerships Finance function and manages three Finance Business Partners. This includes establishing consistent ways of working across regions, improving the quality, timeliness and relevance of financial reporting, strengthening governance, standardising processes and driving continuous improvement across planning, forecasting and performance management.

The role works closely with FP&A, Commercial Finance, Tax, Operations, Product, Legal and Contracting teams to improve financial insight, develop meaningful performance measures and create scalable finance processes that support strategic decision-making and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the senior finance partner to the Global Strategic Partnerships team.
• Partner closely with the VP Commercial Finance, Partnerships & Overheads to support strategic planning, executive stakeholder engagement and business performance management.
• Support the development and execution of growth strategies for strategically important Tier 1 and Tier 1A partnerships.
• Influence business decisions through commercial insight, financial analysis and constructive challenge.
• Support commercial negotiations, contract discussions and strategic partner reviews.
• Develop compelling financial insights, recommendations and performance narratives for senior leadership.
• Drive improved understanding of partner economics, profitability drivers and value creation opportunities.
• Partner with the Finance Analytics team to improve partnership financial analytics and KPIs, including the development of models such as lounge profitability.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of three regional Finance Business Partners.
• Establish consistent expectations, deliverables and operating standards across regions.
• Build organisational capability across the Finance Business Partnering team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, curiosity and continuous improvement.
• Lead the continuous improvement agenda across the global Partnerships Finance function.
• Drive standardisation of forecasting, budgeting, month-end analysis and performance reporting across all regions.
• Improve the efficiency, quality and scalability of Finance Business Partnering activity.
• Develop strong partnerships with subject matter experts across Finance, including FP&A, Commercial Finance and Tax.
• Drive improvements in management reporting to deliver more relevant, actionable and timely insight.
• Develop and implement meaningful KPIs aligned with business strategy and operational objectives.
• Partner with FP&A to improve the design, usability and accuracy of financial reporting.
• Simplify and refine forecasting processes while maintaining appropriate controls.
• Own governance processes and financial stewardship across the Partnerships Finance function.
• Ensure appropriate financial controls are embedded within planning, forecasting, reporting and decision-making.
• Improve the visibility, accessibility and governance of business cases and investment decisions.
• Champion operational improvements that enhance business performance and Finance effectiveness.
• Lead initiatives that improve contracting, reporting, forecasting inputs, information flows and operational controls.
• Collaborate with Operations, Contracting, Tax, Commercial Finance and other specialist teams to deliver sustainable improvements.

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours

Essential

• Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience, with a recognised accountancy qualification such as ACA or ACCA.
• Advanced financial performance analysis, spend management, budgeting and forecasting capability.
• Experience developing, analysing and assuring robust business cases for investment decisions, commercial initiatives and new products.
• High level of commercial acumen and strong analytical capability, with the ability to translate complex financial information into clear recommendations.
• Demonstrable experience of driving value through effective analysis and management of financial information.
• Experience working in a complex matrix environment with senior stakeholders, including the ability to challenge constructively, collaborate and influence decisions.
• Experience building effective relationships at senior management level and across internal and external stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated success in leading process improvement and change, with a focus on strengthening controls, processes and governance.
• Experience leading, coaching and developing finance professionals across regions or business areas.
• Strong organisation and planning skills, with close attention to detail and the ability to manage ambiguity.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including listening, influencing and presenting at senior level.
• Fluent English.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Proactive, forward-looking and delivery-focused, with the confidence to challenge and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Desirable

• Additional language skills.

Reward & Benefits: What's in it for me?

We want our people to feel recognised, supported and able to thrive both at work and beyond it.

We offer a competitive reward package designed to support your financial, physical and mental wellbeing, alongside opportunities to learn, develop and be recognised for the contribution you make. Benefits vary by role and location, and full details will be shared as part of the application process.

Equal opportunities: Our commitment to inclusion

Collinson Group is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences, and believe that different perspectives make our business stronger.