Senior Finance Business Partner

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South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

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Senior Finance Business Partner - Wastewater

Location: Exeter
Salary: £60,000- £70,000 + company car or car allowance + bonus + excellent benefits package
Contract: Permanent, full time

Lead Financial Performance. Influence Strategic Decisions. Shape the Future of Wastewater Services.

We're looking for an exceptional Senior Finance Business Partner to become the trusted financial advisor to our Wastewater business. This is a highly visible role where you'll work directly with directors and senior operational leaders, driving financial performance, influencing strategic decisions and ensuring the successful delivery of ambitious business objectives.

As the subject matter expert for Wastewater financial performance and planning, you'll own the budgeting and forecasting process, provide meaningful financial insight and help operational teams translate complex financial information into clear, actionable decisions. You'll challenge, support and influence stakeholders at all levels, ensuring performance targets are met while maintaining strong financial governance and control.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a commercially minded, qualified accountant who enjoys partnering with the business, leading through influence and making a tangible impact on organisational performance.

What You'll Be Doing

As Senior Finance Business Partner, you will:

• Partner with directors and senior operational leaders to drive financial performance and deliver key business targets.

• Influence and challenge stakeholders to improve cost performance, efficiency and value creation.

• Develop, own and continually improve budgeting, forecasting and long-term planning processes.

• Create and maintain robust driver-based financial models that support informed decision making.

• Produce high-quality management information, financial analysis and performance reporting.

• Deliver clear, insightful monthly commentary for Executive and Board audiences.

• Identify financial risks and opportunities, ensuring proactive actions are taken across the planning horizon.

• Ensure appropriate financial controls, governance and accounting treatments are in place.

• Collaborate closely with FP&A teams to enhance systems, reporting capability, data quality and business insight.

• Support external and internal audit requirements through timely and accurate information provision.

• Build strong relationships across finance and operations, becoming the go-to financial expert within your business area.

What We're Looking For

Essential Experience

• Significant experience managing large-scale budgets and multiple cost centres.

• Proven success partnering with operational and senior leadership teams.

• Experience managing complex forecasting, budgeting and financial planning processes.

• Demonstrable track record of identifying and delivering cost-saving opportunities and operational efficiencies.

• Experience influencing decision-making through financial insight and commercial analysis.

• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to challenge constructively and build credibility quickly.

Essential Skills

• Outstanding analytical and problem-solving abilities.

• Strong financial modelling, forecasting and variance analysis experience.

• Ability to interpret large and complex data sets and translate findings into clear business recommendations.

• Excellent commercial awareness and business acumen.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines within a complex matrix environment.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain financial concepts to non-finance audiences.

Qualifications

Required

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).

Desirable

• Advanced Excel skills.

• Experience using Business Intelligence and reporting tools such as Power BI or similar platforms.

• Experience working within the utilities sector or another regulated industry environment.

• Understanding of regulatory frameworks and the financial challenges associated with operating within a regulated business.

• Experience partnering with operational teams in asset-intensive organisations would be advantageous.

Why Join Us?

This is more than a finance role. It's an opportunity to become a key strategic partner within a vital operational area, influencing decisions that affect performance, investment, efficiency and customer outcomes. You'll work alongside senior leaders, tackle complex challenges and help shape the future direction of an essential service.

If you're a commercially astute finance professional who enjoys partnering with the business, driving performance and making a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Closing Date: Friday 23rd October 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.