Senior Finance Business Partner(UK Visa Sponsorship)

Job Description

The Opportunity

The University of Sussex is seeking a Senior Finance Business Partner to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering major strategic development initiatives across the institution.

This is a newly created role designed to strengthen financial leadership at the heart of decision-making. Working closely with senior leaders, you will provide strategic financial insight that supports delivery of the University’s long-term ambitions under Strategy 2035, ensuring growth plans are both credible and financially sustainable.

You will act as a trusted advisor, helping translate strategic ideas into robust, investable business cases and supporting the University to grow and diversify its income while safeguarding financial resilience.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

In this influential role, you will:

• Provide high-level financial advice and challenge to senior leaders, directors, and academic business leads
• Lead financial planning and appraisal for new strategic initiatives and business development opportunities
• Evaluate, model, and prioritise proposals for consideration by the University Executive
• Develop and assess financially sustainable business plans for implementation across academic and professional service portfolios
• Support the enhancement of existing income-generating initiatives, alongside the development of new opportunities
• Build strong partnerships with budget holders and senior stakeholders to improve financial capability and decision-making
• Your work will align with national expectations for financial governance and sustainability in higher education, as set out by the Office for Students (OfS)

How You’ll Work

You will operate as a senior member of the finance business partnering team, collaborating closely with colleagues to ensure consistent, high-quality financial advice across the University.

You will be expected to:

• Present complex financial information clearly and confidently to non-financial audiences
• Produce concise, decision-focused analysis to support strategic choices
• Build sophisticated financial models and business cases to assess risk, return, and long-term value
• Promote strong financial governance and value-for-money principles in line with HM Treasury guidance

About You

You will be an experienced finance professional with a strong background in business partnering, ideally within higher education or a similarly complex organisation.

You will bring:

• Proven experience supporting senior leaders with strategic financial planning and decision-making
• Strong analytical capability, with confidence in forecasting, budgeting, and long-term financial modelling
• The ability to explain complex financial concepts clearly to non-finance colleagues
• A collaborative mindset, with the confidence to challenge constructively and influence at senior level
• Experience using data and reporting tools to support evidence-based decision-making
• Your approach will reflect best practice in public sector financial management, consistent with standards promoted by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

About the Finance Division

The Finance Division is led by the Director of Finance, reporting directly to the Vice-Chancellor, and comprises around 80 staff delivering expert financial and commercial services across the University.

• The team works in close partnership with academic schools, professional services, and students to:
• Support strategic planning and institutional sustainability
• Identify and develop commercial and income-generating opportunities
• Manage financial risk and improve value for money
• Strengthen financial capability and confidence across the organisation
• This work supports the responsible stewardship of public funding, aligned with expectations from the National Audit Office (NAO)

Why Join the University of Sussex?

• A beautiful 150-acre campus on the edge of the South Downs
• Excellent transport links, including Falmer train station and on-campus bus services
• Dedicated cycling infrastructure and cycle-to-work scheme
• A values-led, research-intensive international university
• Comprehensive reward, pension, and benefits package
• Our commitment to fairness and opportunity is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010

Visa and Right to Work Information

All work for the University must be undertaken in the UK.

This role may be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship, subject to salary level and individual circumstances. The assigned SOC code is 1131, with a going rate of £75,100. Eligibility may depend on whether the applicant holds existing Skilled Worker permission issued before 4 April 2024.

Applicants are advised to review official UK Government guidance