What if you could work with remarkable people on extraordinary things? What if the end result was something a little bit special? What if your role was mission critical?

For nearly 70 years, AWE has been at the forefront of nuclear weapons research and development. We have a critical mission: to provide the warheads for the UK’s ultimate deterrent - Trident. We also use our unique skills to provide wider UK government with counter-terrorism and nuclear threat reduction solutions.

It takes a special sort of person to work at AWE. What if that person was you?

We are currently looking for a Lead Finance Business Partner to join our growing finance team.

The Lead Finance Business Partner will support and deliver the strategic direction and enable the Executive Director’s organisation to deliver against its plan, objectives and outcomes and will operate as a member of the accountable Executive’s Leadership Team.

Location - Reading / Basingstoke area

Package - Competitive leadership salary depending on experience, performance related bonus, flexible benefit scheme.

As part of our People Promise, AWE (one of the best 25 big companies to work for in the UK) has a range of benefits to suit you. These include:

• Time to recharge your batteries with 270 hours of annual leave (plus every other Friday off work)
• Consideration for flexible working arrangements so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development that include funding for the annual membership of a relevant professional body, access to mentors and training
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
• A generous defined contribution Group Personal Pension (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your own contribution)
• Life Assurance
• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring for your family
• A host of voluntary & core benefits to suit your health and wellbeing - more information available on our careers site

What will you be required to do?

• Build and maintain relationships with directors, accountable leads, customer budget holders and wider (both internal and external) stakeholders, steering and influencing senior leadership to make informed decisions that balance short term priorities with longer term business requirements
• Working as part of the executive lead team, business, other functions, customers and wider stakeholders to enable the delivery of the accountable executive business plan and objectives, providing financial insight that drives performance and decisions across £1bn+ programmes and portfolios whilst retaining the flexibility to support other complex business problems
• Lead on providing over-arching financial governance and controls to enable constructive challenge, scrutiny, insight and analysis on the financial plans and programmes to ensure ambitions are sustainable, affordable, aligned to strategy, maximise value for money to benefit and support the strategic direction of the organisation
• Drive and lead improvements within the finance organisation and wider business, drawing on supports from other business areas to ensure that the right structures, processes, systems and governance are in place to support the strategic direction of their programmes and AWE
• Lead their teams, wider function and business to set the direction, empower, motivate teams and embed a culture based on desired behaviours including role modelling how these should be practiced to enable the team to deliver and support the functions and programmes strategic direction and continuously improve within AWE

Whilst not to be considered a check list, candidates should be able to demonstrate some of the following:

• Experienced communicator, with the ability to influence at all levels
• Highly developed facilitation, presentational, leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to identify, investigate, evaluate and implement improved ways of working
• Ability to take decisions and solve complex business problems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience in a business leadership role, leading, managing and integrating different financial teams
• Experience of influencing sound business strategies to deliver savings and efficiencies
• Critical and analytical skills that lead to recommendations for operating unit benefits
• Working use of a cost management tool / business system

The following experience would be desirable but not essential:

• Experience in Government or in a regulated business would be helpful but not absolutely necessary

This job role is suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station) and working from home as a personal choice. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

All candidates must be willing and able to apply for and maintain the correct security clearance for this role.

#LI-SW

#LI-Hybrid

Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.