Finance Business Partner

Grade and SalaryGrade D D €62,259 - €93,388

Job Description

We are Uisce Éireann. Every day, we are responsible for the delivery of secure, safe, and sustainable water services for the people of Ireland. As Ireland’s national regulated water utility, our vision is a sustainable Ireland where water is respected and protected, for the planet and all the lives it supports. Our purpose at Uisce Éireann is to rise to the challenge of delivering transformative water services that enable communities to thrive. That means we are proud to take on the responsibility of protecting our water supply and passing on a safe and secure water system to a rapidly growing population and empowering Ireland’s social and economic growth. 

We are passionate about empowering our people, enabling them to make a positive impact on communities across Ireland. We are guided by a shared vision and purpose, grounded in values that define who we are and shape how we work, where we deliver for customers and communities, we work better together, we do the right thing, we aim high, and we keep each other safe. Our behaviours define how we interact, communicate, and succeed together. These values and behaviours apply to each one of us, across every role, location, and level. 

Our goal is to attract and develop skilled and talented people from diverse backgrounds, who bring a dynamic range of expertise and insights to our work. With a strong, values-driven workforce, we ensure Uisce Éireann can continue advancing Ireland’s water services and meeting the needs of the communities we serve for generations to come. 

The Role:

The Revenue and Financial Operations function is responsible for the effective and successful delivery of all Revenue, Business Performance & Project Reporting activities along with the delivery of all Reporting and Accounting processes and activities. The function is a strategic advisor and a lead interface between the CFO, the Uisce Éireann business areas and the finance teams, managing, shaping and supporting a consistent finance service provision.

The Finance Business Partnering Team for Uisce Eireann ensures effective financial management of the organisation and provides the expertise, services and information to support the business in achieving its required business outcomes, including supporting the financial and information requirements of Uisce Eireann. The Revenue Business Partner is responsible for all Subvention Income, Non-Domestic and New Connection Revenue financial reporting requirements to include the month end postings and analytics and Business Partners activities and support for the Customer team. They will also be responsible for ensuring the adequacy of the controls across the end-to-end order to cash process and provide a vision for future system integration.

Reporting to the Senior Business Partner-Customer, the Finance Business Partner – Customer will be responsible for providing analytical and month end support to the Senior Business Partners within the overall Finance Partnering team in respect of all revenue including Subvention, Non-Domestic Revenue and Connections and Customer Opex, including associated postings and balance sheet Reconciliations. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage the monthly Non-Domestic, Domestic Subvention, Connection Revenue and Customer Opex Spend transactional month end postings and reporting process.Support the preparation of all the forecast, budget and SFP submissions for the Non-Domestic, Domestic Subvention and Connection Revenue streams, together with the Customer Opex Spend.
• Build strong working relationship with operational departments within Customer, Asset Delivery, Asset Operations and CDS teams
• Perform Business Partner activities with CDS and Customer Ops team on all aspect of new connection revenue and Opex Cost streams
• Review the daily and monthly account reconciliations between CC&B and the GL for Non-Domestic Revenue and all other revenue streams, escalating issues to the relevant team or Senior Business Partner in a timely manner
• Review all revenue and opex related Balance Sheet reconciliation reports in line with month end timetable & report findings to the Senior Business PartnersDelivering actionable insights and specific recommendations to the Senior Business Partners on how to improve finance processes (automation) & controls around revenue & opex recognition and reporting
• Participate in any system testing which will have an impact on revenue reporting
• Review of reporting for New Connections and Development Levy Income
• Review of the reporting of OPEX and capital costs for Customer area
• Supporting the Senior Business Partners to champion accurate revenue, opex and cash flow forecasting
• Liaising with Customer and CDS teams to verify revenue streams billed/adjusted/cash collected and reconcile Uisce Éireann debtor ledger control accounts to the debtors aged listing
• Liaising with Customer and CDS teams to verify all opex costs and ensure that all accruals are correctly stated in the Balance Sheet have substantiated back up.
• Assisting the Senior Business Partners with completion of monthly management reporting revenue & opex packs, for distribution to the Uisce Éireann management team including the analysis of performance versus planned budget and KPIs, and identification of variances and root causes
• Supporting the Senior Business Partner for Customer by enforcing compliance of the Development Levy Protocol with the Local Authorities for the collection of
• Development levies monies billed and collected by the LAs on behalf of Uisce Éireann from 2014
• Support the raising of the Subvention invoice as per the agreed schedule and collate the quarterly data to be provided to the DHPCLG within the agreed timelines
• Ensuring adherence to Uisce Éireann accounting policies
• Liaising with all external auditors regarding reporting activities as required
• Keeping up to date with best practice
• Support the team in shaping and implementing efficient and effective finance processes and adoption of best practices
• Escalating risks and issues to the relevant Business Partner
• Other duties as required from time to time.

General Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaboration with key internal stakeholders across the UÉ business
• Responsible for promoting and delivering health and safety commitments across UÉ and its supply chain, reinforcing positive behaviours and delivering health and safety objectives and requirements to the highest industry standards
• Support the delivery of the Uisce Éireann Transformation Programme, driving results required within the Directorate and supporting organisation-wide objectives
• Conducts duties and responsibilities in accordance with Uisce Éireann’s Information Security policies, standards, processes and controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UÉ business information and delivery of critical services, in accordance with the NIS Directive and any other relevant cybersecurity regulation
• Other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• A recognised accounting qualification (ACA; ACMA; ACCA) or equivalent related experience
• Relevant third level qualification and or accreditation is desirable 
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in the water, utilities or similar industries is desirable and or relevant experience
• Experience in managing end-to-end processes to ensure delivery meets customer expectations
• Ability to develop and maintain effective strategic partnerships with key stakeholders internally and externally and offer guidance and support to make the right decisions
• Proven track record with dealing with complex issues, proactively and in a timely fashion along with the ability to communicate complex information to others
• Strong analytical skills and ability to identify and analyse problems and potential improvements, and propose and implement solutions
• Demonstrate adaptability and the ability to change focus and direction in line with business strategy and requirements
• Proactively identifying new areas of improvement and using newly gained knowledge and skill on the job 
• Experience in contributing to a safe working environment by checking regularly that safety and wellbeing practices are being followed.

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