Finance Business Partner / Strategic Cost Accountant

About the Role

Support the Head of Strategic Costs Insight (and wider Strategic Finance team) across a range of projects and regular reporting.

What you’ll be responsible for

• Support the provision of high-quality, insight-led reporting on cost performance, efficiency opportunities, and cost impact of strategic projects
• Cost-savings target delivery tracked against business cases/plans, with risks and variances flagged
• Identification, quantification, and communication of cost-optimisation opportunities to decision-makers
• Opportunities to gain direct exposure to Executive members through ongoing work
• Ability to challenge cost owners on costs incurred and delivery of savings
• Long-term potential for more autonomous work and development of skillset and profile within the organisation
• Timely delivery of high-quality Executive-level cost reporting with positive stakeholder feedback
• Delivery of agreed cost-savings targets or timely reporting on savings shortfalls
• Clear tracking and explanation of synergy realisation, including early identification and escalation of delivery risks or shortfalls

About you

• Challenging the business on optimisation of the cost base to support strategic decision-making — ongoing and via special projects
• Strong communication skills with the ability to challenge and influence senior stakeholders
• Ability to work collaboratively across the Finance team and wider business
• Driving continuous cost improvement aligned to corporate strategy
• Experience of synergy tracking and modelling
• Assisting with preparation of Executive-level reporting on cost base and opportunities
• High level of attention to detail, with strong organisational and prioritisation skills
• Ensuring cost performance, efficiency opportunities, and financial impacts of strategic initiatives are clearly understood by senior leadership
• Strong presentation and report-writing skills
• Ability to adjust quickly to shifting priorities and organisational change
• Working with the core Accounting team to provide Finance Business Partnering services to the business as required
• Strong financial analysis experience, ideally within FP&A, commercial finance, cost management, or strategic finance
• Ability to interpret complex financial data and turn it into clear, actionable insight
• Involvement in synergy/CTA business cases
• Ability to work on confidential cost-optimisation projects as required

Professional Experience and Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)