Finance Analyst (Hybrid)

Finance Analyst (Hybrid)

Hybrid Working with 2 days in Preston, Lancashire

£43,000–£48,000 depending on experience, plus benefits | 37 hours a week

This role would suit a newly qualified or part-qualified accountant with strong analytical capability, or an experienced finance analyst looking to take the next step into a broad business partnering and commercial finance role.

A glance at the role

As Finance Analyst, you will provide financial insight, analysis and support to budget holders and operational leaders across LPPA. Working closely with the Finance Lead, you will translate complex financial and operational information into clear, meaningful business insights that support effective decision-making, financial accountability and delivery of organisational objectives.

This is more than a reporting role. You will identify trends, risks and opportunities, help explain the story behind the numbers and support the development of robust financial plans, forecasts and business cases.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join our fast-paced, collaborative and member-focused business. You will join a friendly, welcoming and sociable work culture where there are many opportunities for continuous personal and professional development, and you will be supported to reach your full potential.

A bit about us

Local Pensions Partnership Administration (LPPA) is a multi-award-winning organisation and one of the UK’s leading pension administration companies. We strive to deliver the best experience for over 1,500 employers and more than 738,000 members of Local Government, Police and Firefighter pension schemes, keeping them fully informed about their pensions whilst working closely with employers to continuously educate and support them.

What we can offer you

- Competitive salary of £43,000–£48,000 depending on experience.

- 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays, 2 additional concessionary days and 1 day for your birthday, with the ability to ‘buy and sell’ leave.

- Access to an excellent pension scheme (Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contributions.

- Access to Health or Dental Plan

- Access to our Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme for when you might need some support.

- The opportunity to earn through our Employee Referral Scheme.

- Access to our bespoke Reward Discount Scheme – ‘Your Perk Site.’

- Opportunities to attend Wellbeing webinars and social events.

- Daily free fruit and snacks available to you in our office.

- Free Car Parking in Preston City Centre.

What you’ll be doing

- Produce reporting packs and performance dashboards for budget holders to support decision-making.

- Analyse financial and operational data, identifying trends, risks and opportunities and translating these into meaningful insight and recommendations.

- Deliver insightful variance analysis, helping stakeholders understand the key drivers behind financial and operational performance.

- Build effective relationships with budget holders and operational leaders, providing financial support, challenge and guidance.

- Support annual budget setting and periodic forecasting.

- Support project costing, cost modelling and the tracking of expenditure and anticipated financial benefits.

- Analyse service delivery costs, cost-to-serve and cost-per-member metrics, and support pricing and cost recovery analysis.

- Develop scenario planning, sensitivity analysis, reporting tools and management information to inform decisions.

- Support automation, process improvement and finance transformation activity while maintaining accurate reporting and audit trails.

What we need from you

- Part-qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA, or equivalent experience.

- Experience in management reporting, financial analysis or business partnering.

- Strong commercial awareness and analytical skills.

- Experience of budgeting and forecasting processes.

- The ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.

- Advanced Excel skills and confidence handling large datasets.

- Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with a proactive and solution-focused approach.

Nice to have

- Knowledge of Business Central.

- Experience supporting project costing or business cases.

- Experience producing management information and dashboards.

Qualifications

- Part-qualified ACA, ACCA or CIMA, or equivalent experience.

Working with and upholding our values

- Working together

- Committed to excellence

- Doing the right thing

- Forward thinking