On behalf of AWE, we are looking for a Senior Finance Business Partner (Inside IR35) for a 12 Months (Potential extension) contract based Reading On site 2 days per week.
What if you could work on something that you can’t test… but cannot afford to fail? Something that could have spent years on a submarine, is launched into outer space (where the temperature is below -250c), comes hurtling through the atmosphere, being heated up and shaken and then must work? Some challenge. That’s exactly what the team of over 6,500 people at AWE do every day delivering important work, in support of the most important mission - keeping the nation safe.
AWE plays a crucial role in national nuclear security. Their role in nuclear deterrence and their specialist technical assistance to nuclear threat reduction is vital in the defence against the most serious threats faced by the UK. Working to support the defence of our country, AWE has a clear mission to keep everyone, the environment, their products and information, sites, and everything around them, safe and secure.
We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Finance Business Partner Lead to join our team. This is a senior leadership role where you will act as a trusted advisor to key stakeholders, driving financial performance, influencing strategic decisions, and leading high-performing finance teams.
You’ll play a critical role in shaping business outcomes by delivering insightful financial analysis, ensuring strong governance, and embedding financial awareness across the organisation.
As a Finance Business Partner, your main responsibilities will be:
- Represent finance in key governance forums, providing clear, insightful financial guidance
- Lead delivery of budgets, forecasts, procurement plans, and variance analysis to agreed timelines and quality standards
- Ensure financial plans are affordable, strategically aligned, and deliver value for money
- Lead, inspire, and develop teams to deliver high-quality outputs aligned to business priorities
- Review, challenge, and approve business cases, ensuring robust investment decisions and risk management
- Collaborate cross-functionally to drive performance, improve processes, and enhance financial capability across the business
- Oversee resource capacity, ensuring effective deployment and proactively managing risks to delivery
Essential:
- Strong experience in stakeholder management and engagement at a Senior/Director level
- Proven ability to influence and challenge constructively
- Experience leading finance teams delivering planning, forecasting, and analysis
- Qualified Accountant or equivalent
- SC Clearance (or willingness/eligibility to obtain)
Desirable:
- Experience working on Large scale infrastructure projects or similar.
- Experience working in complex, regulated or public sector environments
- Strong background in business case development and investment appraisal
Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.
AWE’s ambition is to create workplaces that recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and where people feel able to be themselves at work. They strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.
Disability Confident
As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, AWE guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.
Armed Forces Covenant
AWE guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.
In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".
