Deputy Head of Financial Planning & Analysis

The Finance department is a shared services function working across the NCIs to provide a comprehensive, cost-effective finance service to each organisation, and helping to co-ordinate joint projects where appropriate. The team also provides support to, and promotes best practice across the wider Church in relation to financial matters, including monitoring the financial health of Dioceses, Cathedrals, Theological Education Institutions etc.

The Finance team is currently supporting their NCI clients with some major change and transformation projects, as well as undergoing significant changes to their own ways of working to ensure they can deliver a high-quality Finance service which meets the needs of the NCIs. This includes undertaking a Finance Transformation Programme to help Finance develop their service (replacing an ageing finance system as well as associated process improvement and changes to ways of working) and supporting the Church of England Governance Programme which will reshape the National Church Institutions themselves.

As one of two deputies in the team, the Deputy Head of FP&A (Finance Business Partnering) has a key role to play in supporting the management of the day to day cycle of the Financial Planning and Analysis function for a period of 12 months, whilst the Finance Transformation Programme is ongoing and the Head of FP&A takes on a wider transformational role. The role will directly line manage the 5 Finance Business Partners supporting each NCI to deliver core business partnering, management accounting and reporting services. The role will also help to support the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis by leading on business-as-usual including any ad hoc analysis requirements, change initiatives and efficiency and process improvements to further embed Finance Business Partnering across the NCIs and to bring a greater level of consistency, efficiency and quality to financial reporting and planning processes until the Finance Transformation Programme is complete.

Strong capabilities in leading and line managing a business partnering team will be needed as well as the ability to independently take initiative to deliver on day-to-day operational requirements including setting overall timetables and processes, ensuring delivery of reporting to required KPIs and supporting the development and management of the team.

We are seeking a dynamic, self-motivated, CCAB or equivalent qualified finance professional with strong experience of people management and leadership skills, to play a key leadership role in the Financial Planning and Analysis Team. The Deputy Head of FP&A (Finance Business Partnering) will directly lead a team of Finance Business Partners (5 direct reports) to provide excellent core financial reporting and planning activities and co-ordination across the NCIs of the budgeting and planning cycle, ensuring the Finance Business Partnering team are well supported to deliver high quality strategic partnering to each of the NCIs.

Together with the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis and the Deputy Head of FP&A (Management Accounting and Analysis), you will ensure the delivery of timely and accurate financial planning and reporting processes and annual cycle across all of the NCIs, maintaining consistent service levels and leading on business as usual change, particularly addressing any immediate internal audit change requirements and managing risk of the current manual processes.
You will work collaboratively with the Head of Financial Planning and Analysis to ensure high quality seamless Finance support to each of the NCIs as well as to a range of projects, programmes and analysis requirements within the NCIs.

You will specifically act to support and oversee the work across the Finance Business Partnering team including developing the capabilities of newer Finance Business Partners and their underlying teams across their work, understanding the business and providing leadership, meaningful financial insight and advice to support the delivery of strategic and operational objectives. You will also specifically support Church of England Central Services (ChECS) and its subsidiaries (CHECS Trading and PGS) to deliver high quality financial reporting and support to the Chief Operating Officer and Board.

You will have excellent interpersonal skills, able to build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. You will also have highly developed analytical skills, and be able to provide value-added strategic decision support to your internal clients. You will be passionate about delivering best practice and growing a high performing team. You will also promote collaborative working across the Finance department to ensure high standards of service for our customers.