Finance Business Partner (Grade E3)


Company:	Scottish Funding Council
Salary:	£49,938 - £58,134
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Edinburgh, EH12 5HD
Working pattern:	Hybrid - 4 days remote
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	22 Jul 2026
Closing date:	9 Aug 2026

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Summary

Our ambition is for Scotland to be the best place in the world to learn, educate, research and innovate, so that all of our nation can flourish.

Our purpose is to create and sustain a world-leading system of tertiary education, research and innovation that changes lives for the better, enriches society and supports sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Provide financial insight and support for Scotland’s colleges and universities. Act as a trusted finance partner within the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), offering expert advice and constructive challenge to institutions, SFC colleagues, and the Scottish Government. Monitor and report on the financial health and governance of colleges and universities to help deliver Scotland’s education and economic goals.

This is a hugely valuable post within the SFC portfolio, and due to portfolio re-alignment and an opportunity to expand the team, we are looking to hire 2 further FBP's to our team.

Virtual interviews will be held week commencing 17 August 2026 (via Teams).

Key Responsibilities

Provide high-quality financial analysis and insight to assess the risks to the financial health (viability and long-term financial sustainability) of colleges and universities, to support decision-making, robust financial planning and investment appraisals.

Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with colleges and universities and other stakeholders through a finance business partnering approach.

Provide advice on financial governance and risk management, and on compliance with the SFC Financial Memorandum (FM), Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) and other relevant governance and financial frameworks.

Prepare and present clear, concise internal and external financial advice, to institutions and to the Scottish Government, on specific matters within the remit of the role.

Review and provide feedback on the financial strategies of colleges and universities to ensure that they are credible, deliver value for money and contribute to national outcomes.

Review and consider colleges’ and universities’ requests for approvals under the SFC Financial Memorandum (FM), Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM)

Represent SFC in discussions with external bodies, including Audit Scotland, UK funding bodies, and government departments.

Ensure continuous professional development including maintaining up-to-date knowledge of technical accounting standards, public sector finance developments, and governance codes.

Contribute to continuous improvement across the SFC, including taking the lead on developmental areas such as engaging with Universities’ Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) data.

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