Finance Business Partner

Closing Date

2026-07-10

Finance Business Partner – Wastewater Capital Delivery

Location: Durrington, Worthing Hybrid

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full time, Monday to Friday, (flexible working options considered)

Salary: Up to £65,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience, plus benefits

About the role:

There has never been a more important time to join Southern Water. As we move into AMP8, we are delivering one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes in the industry, focused on improving environmental performance, service resilience and long‑term affordability for customers.

As a Finance Business Partner – Wastewater Capital Delivery, you will play a critical role supporting the delivery of this multi‑year, regulated capital programme. Working at the heart of the Wastewater Capital Delivery function, you will help ensure investment decisions are robust, efficient and aligned to regulatory commitments, while actively supporting the business to challenge costs, drive efficiencies and deliver value for money.

This is a fast‑paced, delivery‑focused environment where regulatory scrutiny, performance commitments and cost pressures require strong financial leadership. You will work closely with senior operational, engineering and programme leaders, acting as the trusted finance voice across AMP8 delivery, providing clear insight, constructive challenge and forward‑looking analysis to support confident decision‑making.

What you will be responsible for

• Acting as the Finance Lead for Wastewater Capital Delivery, providing trusted financial advice and insight to senior stakeholders across AMP8 programmes and portfolios.
• Owning the AMP8 wastewater CAPEX budget, including profiling, in‑year forecasting and long‑term outlook, with clear articulation of risks, opportunities and delivery confidence.
• Supporting the business to challenge costs and drive efficiencies, ensuring capital solutions are affordable, efficient and aligned to Ofwat’s value for money expectations.
• Providing robust financial input into investment decisions, business cases and change control, ensuring spend remains aligned to regulatory allowances and outcomes.
• Delivering high‑quality financial analysis, including scenario modelling, cost sensitivity and options appraisal, to support prioritisation and delivery trade‑offs.
• Producing, developing and improving AMP‑focused CAPEX and performance reporting, providing clear insight into spend, forecast outturn, efficiency delivery and regulatory performance.
• • Providing strong financial governance and cost assurance across capital programmes and projects, recommending corrective actions where delivery or affordability risks arise.
• Partnering with engineering, delivery, commercial and asset teams to embed strong cost management, control assurance and efficient ways of working.
• Supporting continuous improvement of forecasting, reporting and financial processes to enhance transparency, challenge and responsiveness throughout AMP8.

What you’ll bring to the role

Essential

• Experience in Finance Business Partnering, Management Accounting, FP&A or a similar commercial finance role, with demonstrable exposure to capital investment or regulated delivery environments.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interrogate complex, imperfect data and provide clear, credible insight and challenge.
• Proven ability to constructively challenge costs, influence delivery decisions and support efficiency opportunities without compromising outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills, with confidence engaging senior operational, engineering and programme stakeholders.
• Ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities and make sound judgements in a fast‑moving AMP delivery environment.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of project, programme or asset‑based delivery drivers.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and strong capability across core Microsoft Office tools.

Desirable

• A professional accounting qualification (or qualification in progress); qualified by experience will also be considered.
• Experience within utilities, regulated environments, infrastructure or asset‑intensive industries, particularly CAPEX‑heavy organisations.
• Understanding of Ofwat regulation, AMP frameworks, cost assessment principles.
• Experience using Power BI or similar financial reporting and visualisation tools, or a strong willingness to learn.

About Southern Water

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025–2030, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in how water services are managed.

You’ll be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions and help shape long‑term outcomes.

At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you — even if you don’t tick every box.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additional information:

In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years.

Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre‑employment checks, including security vetting.

Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.