Finance Associate Business Partner

Finance Associate Business Partner, London Borough of Havering X 4

Romford | Contract: Permanent | Grade: G8 | Salary: £50,676 to £54,927pa

About the Role

Reporting to the Finance Business Partnering Manager financial support and advice to Council services. Your focus will be on ensuring effective resource management, accountability, control and compliance with statutory obligations and corporate standards.

You will interpret and interrogate financial data, align it with operational information and explain what the results mean for services. Working closely with budget holders and senior managers, you will support revenue and capital budget management, develop mitigation plans and maintain a strong control framework.

The role also contributes to budget preparation, project boards, year-end accounts, grant claims and bids, business cases and continuous improvement. You will build financial capability by training and supporting budget holders and may provide matrix management or supervision for graduate trainees.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a confident and collaborative finance professional who can turn complex data into clear advice and support sound operational decisions. You will bring:

• Part-qualified CCAB accountant status, or AAT qualification with significant relevant experience

• An active commitment to personal and professional development, including meeting continuing professional development requirements

• Extensive accountancy experience, ideally in the public sector, local government or another large and complex organisation

• Experience of providing financial management support and working constructively with budget holders

• A proven record of delivering reliable and accurate financial information and contributing significantly to corporate budget processes and final accounts

• Experience of challenging financial forecasts and developing less complex business cases

• A strong understanding of financial management, governance and control

• Advanced Excel skills, strong Word and PowerPoint capability and experience of large computerisedfinance systems

• The ability to interpret large data sets and explain technical financial matters clearly to non-finance professionals

• Strong relationship-building, influencing, negotiation and problem-solving skills

• The initiative and flexibility to drive improvement and deliver to deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Key Responsibilities

• Lead financial reporting and analytical review across the performance cycle

• Advise budget holders and senior managers on the management of revenue and capital budgets in line with financial regulations and value-for-money principles

• Report actual performance against budgets, benchmarks and forecasts, linking financial results to operational outcomes

• Develop robust in-year forecasts and provide insight that enables services to change direction, mitigate risk and make the most of opportunities

• Train and support budget holders so they can monitor expenditure, produce monthly forecasts and fulfil their financial responsibilities

• Interpret financial and operational information to support sound decisions and challenge weak financial management or poor value for money

• Take accountability for the accuracy, integrity and completeness of financial data and reporting

• Work with Corporate Finance, business support teams and managers to ensure transactions follow the correct processes and are accurately recorded

• Lead the preparation of budgets, year-end accounts, grant claims and funding bids

• Develop and deliver accessible, up-to-date financial training materials, including content for online platforms

• Lead less complex business cases, providing directional data and professional financial advice

• Contribute to improvement projects across Finance, Procurement and the wider Council

• Maintain current knowledge of developments in local government finance and accounting

• Provide matrix management or supervision for graduate trainees where required

In carrying out the role, you will comply with relevant legislation, Council policies and good practice, including safeguarding, information security and confidentiality, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and safety. You will embrace change, work flexibly and demonstrate the Council’s iCare values and behaviours in all aspects of service delivery.

Why Havering?

Working for Havering means joining an ambitious, forward-thinking Council committed to delivering excellent services for residents. We offer:

• A supportive and inclusive working environment guided by our ICARE values

• Local Government Pension Scheme

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements

• Generous annual leave with the option to purchase additional leave

• Extensive learning and professional development opportunities

• A comprehensive health, wellbeing and employee support programme

We're committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from candidates who reflect the communities we serve.

How to Apply

For more information about the position and the full requirements, please review the Job Profile.

Please attach your CV and a supporting statement explaining how your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills meet the requirements of the role.

Closing Date: 29th November 2026

For recruitment enquiries regarding the role, please email [email protected], quoting REF 4266Associate Business Partner in the subject line.

The hiring manager will be available for informal discussions about the role. Please contact the Finance Business Partnering Service via [email protected].

We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents you upload.

Additional Information

The recruitment process will assess the professional, technical and behavioural requirements set out in the Job Profile.

We want everyone to choose Havering. When you apply for a job with us, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. Our residents and service users come from all walks of life, and so do our employees. Find out what it means to be part of creating London’s super suburb.

A Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check may be required where the role involves working with social care or education data.

Havering is a Disability Confident employer - candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

Internal candidates and redeployees will be given priority consideration.

Please attach your supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.

We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload.