Finance Business Partner

Extons Foods Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food company in Manchester is seeking a qualified accountant for a financial insight role. You will partner with Operational and Commercial teams to support decision-making and performance improvement. The ideal candidate should have experience in business partnering within FMCG or manufacturing, with strong analytical skills and the ability to communicate financial insights effectively. This role offers hybrid working options and a comprehensive benefits package including a company profit share scheme and employee assistance programs.

Benefits

Company profit share scheme

Car allowance

Sales commission

Health cash plan

Company pension scheme

Employee Assistance Program

Discounted staff cheese shop

Qualifications

• Experience in business partnering, ideally in manufacturing or FMCG.
• Proven track record of working with Operational and/or Commercial stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial insight and challenge to Operational and Commercial teams.
• Lead budgeting and forecasting process for assigned functions/customers.
• Produce customer and product profitability analysis.

Skills

Analytical skills

Financial modelling capability

Excellent communication skills

Curiosity and proactivity

Education

Qualified accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA)

Job description

Role Purpose

Provide high-quality financial insight and challenge to Operational and Commercial teams. Support decision-making, drive performance improvement and ensure that financial implications are fully understood in planning and execution.

Key Responsibilities

Business Partnering – Operations & Supply Chain

• Work closely with Production, Planning and Supply Chain teams to understand performance drivers.
• Analyse and report on standard costs, yield, waste, labour efficiency, machine utilisation, and other factory KPIs.
• Support S&OP process with financial input (demand, capacity, margins, scenarios).

Business Partnering – Commercial & Customer

• Work with Commercial team on pricing, tenders, contract renewals and promotional activity.
• Produce customer and product profitability analysis; highlight margin opportunities and issues.
• Support decisions on product mix, delists, NPD and channel strategy.

Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead the detailed budgeting and forecasting process for assigned functions/customers.
• Prepare weekly/monthly forecast updates, including P&L bridges (volume, price, mix, efficiency, overheads).
• Ensure assumptions are robust, documented and aligned with operational plans.

Insight & Decision Support

• Build models and scenarios to evaluate capex, cost-saving initiatives and strategic projects.
• Develop dashboards and reports, present financial insight to non-finance stakeholders in a clear and compelling way.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve data quality, reporting and decision-making.
• Support deployment of new tools, systems or KPIs to enhance performance management.

The ideal candidate must have

• Qualified accountant (CIMA/ACCA/ACA) or equivalent commercial finance experience.
• Experience in a business partnering role, ideally in manufacturing or FMCG.
• Proven track record of working with Operational and/or Commercial stakeholders.

Personal Attributes

• Strong analytical skills and financial modelling capability.
• Ability to challenge constructively and influence decisions.
• Excellent communication skills; can translate financials into actionable business insight.
• Curious, proactive and comfortable working with incomplete data.

Indicative KPIs

• Accuracy and quality of forecasts for supported areas.
• Identified and delivered cost savings / margin improvements.
• Stakeholder feedback on quality of support and challenge.
• Adoption of KPIs and decision-support tools.

Working Hours

• 40 hours per week Monday to Friday.
• Office based (hybrid working considered) travel expected for client visits.

Benefits

• Company profit share scheme
• Car allowance
• Sales commission (up to 20% of salary per Anum)
• Free parking, within proximity to all major travel networks
• 31 days holiday, inclusive of bank holiday, increasing with service
• An extra day off for your birthday!
• Health cash plan, after 3 months – claim money back on essential healthcare such as dental and eye care, for you and your children.
• Employee Assistance Program
• Company pension scheme (4% employer contributions)
• Company paid events throughout the year.
• FREE pack of cheese every week
• Discounted staff cheese shop

If this sounds like it could be the role for you then please email [e-mail]

Learn more about Extons Foods at https://www.extonsfoods.com/