Manager - Finance Business Partnering

A leading public sector organisation is seeking a Manager Finance Business Partnering to play a pivotal role in shaping financial strategy and performance. This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by guiding budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and responsibly.

Key Responsibilities:

As Manager Finance Business Partnering you will be responsible for steering the organisation’s financial planning activities with precision and care. Your day-to-day work will involve close collaboration with various teams to ensure budgets are prepared accurately and forecasts are aligned with strategic objectives. You will provide insightful analysis that supports key decision-makers in delivering improved outcomes for both internal stakeholders and the wider community.

• Lead the preparation of comprehensive budgets, financial forecasts, and long-term financial plans in accordance with Treasury guidelines and public sector management frameworks.
• Monitor financial performance across the organisation by analysing variances against budget and forecast, providing actionable insights to improve fiscal responsibility and enhance service delivery.
• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight to ensure coordinated enterprise activity focused on efficiency outcomes, policy development, and maintaining organisational financial health.
• Manage the Finance Business Partnership function by coaching and mentoring Finance Business Partners to uplift financial capability throughout the organisation.
• Deliver robust financial modelling and analysis to support operational planning, funding proposals, and strategic initiatives that align with public value objectives.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to understand the financial impacts of programme and policy decisions, ensuring alignment with broader organisational goals.
• Prepare detailed financial reports, briefing materials, and dashboards for senior leadership teams, board members, and government stakeholders.
• Ensure that all financial planning and reporting activities support statutory requirements such as Statements of Intent and Performance Expectations.
• Oversee the development of systems, processes, structures, and procedures that improve financial accountability at leadership level for efficient resource use.
• Develop performance metrics focused on effectiveness, efficiency, and alignment with government priorities while collaborating closely with Finance, Policy, and Operations teams.

Key Experience Required:

You will have demonstrated success managing teams within complex environments where collaboration is key. Your background includes not only deep knowledge of budgeting and forecasting but also an ability to communicate effectively across all levels—ensuring clarity even when presenting intricate data or policy recommendations.

• Minimum five years’ experience post professional accounting qualification demonstrating proven achievement in high-quality financial services delivery within complex organisations.
• Experience leading high-performing teams with a focus on coaching, mentoring, and uplifting capability across diverse groups.
• Ability to provide technical guidance as well as influencing leadership at all organisational levels in environments undergoing change.
• Excellent understanding of core financial management disciplines including budgeting, forecasting, reporting, business case development, modelling, and generally accepted accounting practice.
• Advanced analytical skills combined with sound judgement for evidence-based decision making in commercial or public sector settings.
• Exceptional communication abilities including facilitation skills for policy development; report writing; formal presentations; informal briefings; stakeholder engagement; interpersonal relationship building.
• Sound appreciation of commercial management disciplines alongside general management techniques relevant to large-scale organisations.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement practices aimed at enhancing organisational performance through innovation or process refinement.
• Good understanding of government decision-making processes including operating procedures relevant to public sector accountability frameworks.
• Tertiary qualification in business/accounting plus professional accounting qualification (Chartered Accountant or recognised equivalent) required.

Please feel free to reach out to Luke Gilbert on 021 084 85188 or luke.gilbert@robertwalters.co.nz for more information or a confidential discussion.