The Finance Business Partner is a key member of the Group Shared Services Finance Function, supporting the link to the overall Group. The role provides strategic financial business partnering and management accounting support to MKC Training, working collaboratively with Executive Teams, Senior Leaders and budget holders to support effective financial planning, decision-making and organisational performance.
Reporting to the Chief Finance Officer, the post holder will act as a trusted financial adviser, translating financial information into meaningful business insight, challenging assumptions, identifying opportunities and supporting the delivery of strategic priorities set out by Company and the wider Group.
Working closely with the Chief Finance Officer, Group Financial Controller, Head of Finance and wider Finance Team, the Finance Business Partner will ensure robust financial management, forecasting, budgeting and compliance with financial regulations, policies and procedures. The role will also develop strong working relationships with the wider corporate services including People, Estates, ICT and Procurement to support informed decision-making across the organisation and wider Group.
The post holder will provide leadership to the Management Accountant and contribute to the continuous improvement of financial processes, reporting and business partnering across MKC Training.
Please note that although this position is employed by MidKent College, the role will be based at MKC Training. Please visit their website to learn more about the organisation - MKC Training
The following outlines the key duties expected of this role as directed by the Executive Director or relevant Director. It is not an exhaustive list but represents the primary responsibilities:
1. Act as the Finance Business Partner for designated areas across MidKent College Training Services, providing strategic financial advice, challenge and support to Executive Directors, Directors, senior managers and budget holders.
2. Build and maintain effective working relationships across the Group, ensuring financial considerations are embedded within strategic and operational decision-making.
3. Lead the preparation of annual budgets, financial forecasts and medium to long-term financial plans, ensuring assumptions are robust, evidence-based and aligned with organisational priorities.
4. Support the Group Financial Controller in producing accurate and timely monthly management accounts for MKC Training and its collation into the Group, including forecasts and financial commentary, analysing performance, identifying key variances, risks and opportunities, and recommending appropriate actions.
5. Lead budget monitoring and financial review meetings with budget holders, providing meaningful financial insight, challenge and support to improve financial performance and accountability.
6. Prepare and review management accounting adjustments, including journals, accruals, prepayments, recharges and other month-end accounting activities, ensuring compliance with Group financial procedures and reporting deadlines.
7. Work collaboratively with the Chief Finance Officer, Group Financial Controller, Head of Finance and wider Finance Team to support long-term financial planning, statutory reporting, audit requirements and continuous improvement across MKC Training and the Group Finance function.
8. Prepare financial analysis, modelling and business cases to support MKC Training strategic projects, tenders, commercial opportunities, capital investment, lease assessments and other organisational initiatives, ensuring sound financial governance and value for money.
9. Maintain accurate staffing establishments and workforce financial forecasts in partnership with the People Team, ensuring staffing changes and workforce plans are appropriately reflected within budgets and forecasts.
10. Represent the Finance function at MKC Training Executive Team, Senior Leadership Team and other management meetings, presenting complex financial information clearly and supporting informed decision-making across MKC Training with consideration of the wider Group model.
11. Identify opportunities to improve financial performance, deliver efficiencies, strengthen financial controls and enhance financial reporting, systems and business processes.
12. Line manage, coach and develop the Management Accountant, promoting high performance, professional development and effective delivery of finance services.
13. Deputise for the Chief Finance Officer where required, representing the Finance function internally and externally and providing leadership across the wider Group Finance Team.
14. Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations, accounting standards, funding requirements, Group policies and audit expectations, maintaining high standards of financial governance and control.
15. Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as may reasonably be required by the Chief Finance Officer.
To ensure compliance with safeguarding guidelines, all applicants must complete the application form in full. This includes providing:
- A full employment history from the time you left full-time education, with details of any gaps in employment explained.
- Information on all relevant education and qualifications.
Please note, incomplete applications will not be considered. Your co-operation helps us maintain the highest standards of safety and care for children and young people.
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A GOOD local College for Maidstone and Medway
Every year over 6000 students from Medway, Maidstone and beyond choose MidKent College to continue their studies and prepare for their future career.
Our sparkling campuses in Maidstone and Medway boast some of the best vocational training facilities in the country as well as staff and student social zones and more. Our University Centre Maidstone campus provides a valuable higher education and professional training centre for Maidstone, including South East Institute of Technology and the College's Home Energy Centre. Additionally, in September 2024 we proudly opened Medway School of Arts in Chatham's Historic Dockyard.
All of our campuses benefit from ongoing investment programmes so that we can provide fantastic learning environments for our students.
For over 100 years we've been providing high-quality technical training and apprenticeships in a range of subject areas.
In October 2024 Ofsted rated the College as 'Good'.
Commitment to Safeguarding
We are committed to the safeguarding of all our students and staff. This means everyone who works here is required to actively protect them from preventable harm. Our recruitment and selection process includes background checks which will be undertaken on the successful applicant, including an enhanced DBS, and in your application you are required to demonstrate how you meet the Colleges requirements on safeguarding.
The background checks will be carried-out in accordance with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Code of Practice. The DBS helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. We operate in accordance with the DBS Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy. You can access both of these documents at https://www.midkent.ac.uk/about-us/policy-and-privacy-information
MidKent College is committed to safeguarding and the Prevent Agenda and to promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff to share this commitment. MKC complies fully with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Code of Practice regarding the correct handling, storage, retention and disposal of Disclosures and Disclosure information, and undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a disclosure on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed.
Since the post for which you are applying may involve unsupervised access to children and vulnerable adults, it will be exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children or young people. Candidates who are preliminarily offered a position for such posts will be required to disclose details, cautions (including final warnings or reprimands), or convictions which are not "protected" as defined by the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020 or any other matters that may be relevant to their suitability to work for the College including sanctions relating to work with children in any country outside of the UK.
Please note that the College is unable to consider an application further if the candidate declines to complete the Disclosure form.
Commitment to Equal Opportunities
As a proud user of the disability confident scheme the College is committed to equal opportunities and celebrates the diversity of staff and students. As part of our commitment to the scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy.
We welcome applications from anyone wishing to work flexibly and those considering a return to work from a career break.
