The Finance Business Partner

• Understand the role of the finance business partner and how it differs from traditional transactional and management accounting
• Become a core part of management decision-making, using financial information to influence and shape outcomes
• Help your business interpret the internal and external environment through good information sources so that both financial and strategic targets can be achieved
• Identify and overcome the challenges involved with the finance function and finance business partnering
• Understand how best to implement a successful finance business partner approach that results in an effective and respected finance business partner role

What a business needs from finance is evolving. Increasingly, back-office functions have become automated and a different role, that of the finance business partner, has emerged.

The finance business partner plays a key strategic role in a business, and, has the opportunity to become a trusted business advisor. This requires a different set of skills to the traditional finance back-office function. You will be expected to be strategic, focusing on the value of the information you provide, and extracting and correlating financial figures to help your business make relevant decisions, which are closely aligned with your strategic outcomes.

As a finance business partner, you need: to have credibility and influence within the management team, to be articulate and proactive in your approach and, most importantly, to have a thorough understanding of where your business can create value. This course explores the finance business partner role, and how you can develop your skills to become a trusted advisor in your or your clients' businesses.