FP&A Manager - Operations

The Role

Our fantastic Finance team are looking for an experienced FP&A Manager to support the financial performance of our Operations business, providing quality analysis and challenge to optimise our returns in an engaging and enthusiastic team based in our Bristol office.

This is a vital role in delivering accurate and timely financial analysis and forecasting for the business, decision support to Operations` leadership and high quality line management of the Operations FP&A team (three direct reports). The role works closely with FP&A managers for Property and Corporate areas and reports to Head of FP&A, having overall responsibility for Group financial planning.

What You`ll Be Doing

• Managing the delivery of national Net Operating Income (NOI) budget and reforecasts for Unite Students, combining performance of three regional businesses (North, South, London) and three operating segments (Student, Commercial, Build To Rent)
• Ensure financial year and academic year income performance and outturn expectation is understood and shared around the business
• Working in collaboration with the Group Commercial Director to ensure appropriate challenge is given to income performance from an overall NOI perspective
• Driving a cost-conscious discipline through constructive challenging cost centre budget holders on expenditure, identifying areas of spend increases andcomparing expenditure between cost centres to ensure suitable levels of expenditure are recorded
• Challenging Group Operations Director, Group Commercial Director and Chief Operating Officer on performance, helping to deliver the most efficient operating model nationwide that delivers the required level of service
• Deliver multi-year projections for financial performance of NOI
• Managing cashflow projections for areas of responsibility, liaising with finance stakeholders
• Benchmarking performance of assets / cities regularly to feed into portfolio performance analysis - use this to recommend areas of further investigation for increasing or decreasing portfolio sizes in different locations
• Effective line management of team of three regional Business Partners, including managing performance, consistent use of 1-1 meetings, identifying personal development needs and supporting and coaching the three direct reports
• Empower and develop regional Business Partners to own the financial performance of their respective regions, challenging performance and providing appropriate support to their Head of Operations
• Share operational best practice to allow regions to benefit from optimal performance
• Co-managing the relationship between FP&A, Insights and Commercial to ensure Operations receive seamless support across these three insight and reporting providers

What We`re Looking for in You

• Qualified Accountant (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with excellent communication skills
• Experience of working in Oracle EPM preferred
• Understanding of Finance and Accounting business processes, including forecasting and budgeting cycles and actual corporate reporting requirements
• Effective communicator with the ability to work well with multiple teams and individuals
• Ability to articulate ideas, both written and verbal, to technical and non-technical teams
• Able to work independently as well as in a team environment

What You`ll Get in Return

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company`s success
• 25 days` paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service
• A generous pension scheme - employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents
• Lots of other great benefits including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is a FTSE 100business and the UK`s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 25 leading university towns and cities, with 74,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn`t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone

We`re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we`re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what`s right, keeping US safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.

We are US.