Senior Strategic Finance Business Partner( UK Visa Sponsorship available)

Job Description

About the Role

We are seeking a senior finance professional to lead the Academic Faculties Finance Business Partnering team at the University of Sussex. In this leadership role, you will deliver high-quality financial business partnering to the Provost, Executive Deans, Heads of School, and the Director of Strategic Planning and Performance.

You will be responsible for:

Overseeing financial planning and strategic support across academic faculties

Advising on faculty and university-wide financial performance and sustainability

Leading the development of Five-Year Financial Plans and input into the academic planning cycle

Building financial capability across academic departments and senior leadership

Enhancing financial reporting, forecasting, and analytical tools

Ensuring financial strategies support the University’s broader goals and value-for-money principles

This role plays a key part in enabling informed, strategic financial decisions across academic leadership.

About You

We are looking for an experienced, strategic finance leader with:

A strong track record in financial management and business partnering

Proven ability to lead high-performing teams and develop effective services

Excellent strategic thinking, planning, and communication skills

Experience working with senior stakeholders to influence and guide financial decision-making

A commitment to continuous improvement and service excellence

You should be confident in using data and financial tools to drive insights and innovation in financial planning.

About the Finance Division

The Finance Division at Sussex, led by the Chief Financial Officer, includes approximately 80 staff delivering a full range of financial and commercial services. The division plays a key role in enabling academic and professional service teams to:

Manage budgets and financial risk effectively

Identify and pursue strategic and commercial opportunities

Strengthen financial literacy and accountability

Improve value-for-money and contract performance

We work in close partnership with schools, departments, and leadership to ensure financial services align with institutional priorities.

Why Work at Sussex?

The University of Sussex offers:

A beautiful 150-acre campus near the South Downs

Excellent public transport connections (Falmer Station is a five-minute walk)

A cycle-to-work scheme and on-campus cycle infrastructure

A diverse, inclusive, and research-led working environment

Opportunities for career development in a forward-thinking university

Learn more about our equality, diversity and inclusion commitments

Further Information

The University of Sussex values diversity and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from individuals in underrepresented groups in senior leadership roles.

Please note: Work for this position must be undertaken within the UK.