The Role
Our Finance team is looking for an experienced Finance Business Partner to join us in our Bristol office. You`ll play a key role in driving the financial performance of one of our operational regions, providing commercial insight, analysis and challenge to support decision-making and maximise returns.
As the Finance representative on the Regional Leadership Team, you`ll partner with senior operational leaders to identify risks and opportunities, influence performance, and help deliver net operating income targets. Working closely with Finance Business Partners across the business, you`ll ensure a consistent approach and translate regional performance into meaningful national insights.
This role includes travel to your region approximately one day per week, with monthly overnight stays.
What You`ll Be Doing
- Partner with the Regional Leadership Team, providing financial insight, challenge and strategic support to drive informed decision-making.
- Support Regional General Managers and Heads of Operations to deliver financial targets, identifying and tracking key risks and opportunities across income and costs.
- Analyse monthly P&L performance, explaining variances and providing clear, actionable recommendations.
- Lead the regional budgeting and forecasting process to ensure accurate financial planning.
- Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, influencing strategic decisions through commercial insight.
- Consolidate cash flow forecasts and provide regular commentary on financial performance and outlook.
- Work closely with Group Reporting and Management Accounting teams to ensure accurate financial reporting, including accruals, prepayments and adjustments.
- Stay informed on wider business activity, market trends and competitor performance to provide commercially relevant insights.
What We`re Looking for in You
- Qualified Accountant (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with excellent communication skills
- Experience of working in Oracle EPM preferred
- Ability to travel within the region for RLT meetings or other regional requirements
- Evidence of working in a fast paced, high change environment and able to manage multiple demands effectively whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy, quality and attention to detail
- An ability to develop and influence effective working relationships with senior business stakeholders
- Ability to provide challenge and hold to account teams in order to drive performance
- Possesses and promotes a positive attitude, with the ability to adapt swiftly and a willingness to undertake challenging tasks
- Ability to manage own time effectively, prioritising tasks, multitasking, and meeting deadlines
What You`ll Get in Return
- A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company`s success
- 25 days` paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service
- A generous pension scheme - employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save
- Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends
- Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents
- Lots of other great benefits including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!
About Unite Students
Founded in 1991, Unite Students is the UK`s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 25 leading university towns and cities, with 74,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.
Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn`t just what we do but who we are.
People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.
Room for Everyone
We`re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we`re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.
We are US.
