Senior Finance Business Partner

Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom (Hybrid)

Job Info

• Job Category Finance
• Apply Before 01/04/2026, 11:55 PM
• Job Identification 1625
• Posting Date 11/20/2025, 04:14 PM
• Job Shift Day
• Hours Full Time

Job Description

Salary: £58,589 per annum

Band: UKRI Band F

Hours: Full-time (flexible working available)

Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Min 1 day per week in the office. (Hybrid working available)

Closing Date: 4th January 2026

About the role

We are seeking a highly motivated and proactive individual to join our team as a Senior Finance Business Partner. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to play a key role in supporting the NERC Strategic Delivery Plan. Additionally, they will drive transformational changes within the NERC Finance Business Partner team and wider UKRI Finance environment, leveraging new operating systems to support the overarching UKRI Strategy.

The main purpose of this role is to provide senior level leadership and technical financial expertise to support the business. You will ensure that external stakeholders including Institute Management and Professional Partners receive high quality service, oversee all assurance processes and support the Head of Finance on longer term financial planning and reporting.

Within our collaborative team environment, you will have the ideal platform to develop your leadership skills and deliver meaningful outcomes. The experience and expertise you gain in this role will be invaluable for advancing your career.

This role will be pivotal in driving forward our change activity and supporting how NERC delivers its services to the wider UKRI business. The role also offers exposure to senior leadership and the opportunity to contribute to multi disciplinary projects of strategic significance.

Your Responsibilities

We are seeking candidates with proven experience of working within a complex operational environment, collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including Senior Management and Professional Advisors.

The role involves close collaboration with many staff across the UKRI business, including strategically funded NERC Institutes, to provide robust support, advice and guidance on finance related matters. We are looking for an individual with strong communication skills, both verbal and written, as the role requires regular engagement with a wide range of external stakeholders at senior and operational levels.

Personal Specification

• Qualified Accountant (ACA/CIMA/ACCA/CIPFA), or equivalent experience (QBE). (S&I)
• Well developed leadership, team management, organisational and motivational skills. (S&I)
• Effective interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusting relationships with internal and external stakeholders, at all levels of an organisation. (S&I)
• Experience of working strategically to balance the conflicting demands of multiple stakeholders whilst protecting the integrity and ownership of financial processes (S&I)
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to present financial information effectively to non finance staff. (S&I)
• High level competency of IT systems and applications including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access, with a focus on strong Excel skills. (S&I)
• Ability to provide insightful analysis on complex issues, communicating the key elements to effectively deliver projects and influence decision making at a strategic level. (S&I)

Benefits

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent)
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice
• Flexible working options
• Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

About Us

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world class research, skills and business led innovation.

More information can be found at .

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit How we support EDI in the workforce.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all applicants with a disability who opt into the disability confident scheme and meet the minimum criteria for the role. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the 'experience' section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

Additional Information

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, visit or contact .