Director - Development Finance Business Partner (CORS321)

About the Role

The Director - Development Finance Business Partner (CORS321) is a pivotal leadership position within the organization, responsible for driving financial excellence and strategic alignment across assigned business units and development portfolios. This role serves as a trusted financial advisor to senior leadership, providing critical insights into financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance management to support the achievement of operational and strategic objectives. The Director will collaborate closely with development, delivery, and corporate teams to translate business strategies into actionable financial plans, monitor performance against targets, and identify risks and opportunities to enhance value creation. With a focus on commercial acumen, analytical rigor, and stakeholder influence, this role ensures that financial decisions are aligned with the organization’s long-term goals.

Key Responsibilities

The Director will oversee a comprehensive range of financial and business partnering responsibilities, including:

• Financial Planning and Analysis: Lead the preparation and consolidation of annual budgets, periodic forecasts, and long-term business plans to support strategic decision-making and resource allocation.
• Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Conduct in-depth financial analysis to evaluate business performance, identify trends, assess risks, and uncover opportunities. Develop and deliver management reports, dashboards, and KPI reporting to executive leadership for informed decision-making.
• Budgeting and Forecasting: Monitor actual performance against budgets and forecasts, providing detailed variance analysis and actionable recommendations to address deviations and drive corrective action.
• Project and Asset Evaluation: Partner with project and development teams to assess project economics, funding requirements, and financial viability, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
• Commercial and Contract Review: Evaluate commercial contracts, procurement strategies, and major commitments from a financial perspective to mitigate risks and optimize value.
• Financial Reporting and Compliance: Support month-end and quarter-end reporting processes, providing financial analysis and performance commentary. Collaborate with accounting, treasury, tax, procurement, and other finance functions to ensure consistency, accuracy, and compliance with financial standards.
• Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement initiatives in financial reporting, planning processes, data quality, and financial systems to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as a liaison for internal and external stakeholders, including Board members, PIF, auditors, and advisors, to address financial inquiries and provide strategic insights.

People Management and Leadership

The Director will lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of finance professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. Key responsibilities include:

• Setting clear performance objectives and monitoring achievement against agreed KPIs to drive individual and team success.
• Building and enhancing finance business partnering capabilities across the team to strengthen financial leadership and decision support.
• Supporting talent development, succession planning, and knowledge-sharing initiatives to cultivate a pipeline of future-ready finance professionals.

Qualifications and Experience

To excel in this role, candidates must possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field is required. A Master’s degree, such as an MBA or a Finance-related discipline, is preferred.
• Professional Qualifications: Candidates should hold a recognized professional qualification such as CFA, CA, ACA, ACCA, CPA, or an equivalent credential.
• Experience: A minimum of 12 years of progressive finance experience, including at least 5 years in a leadership role within finance business partnering, FP&A, corporate finance, or commercial finance. Experience in large-scale development, construction, infrastructure, real estate, or asset management is highly desirable.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong commercial acumen, analytical prowess, and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels while ensuring alignment with the organization’s financial objectives. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the financial strategy of a dynamic and growing organization, driving value creation and sustainable growth.