Finance Business Partner - FTC

Tokamak Energy is a global leader in fusion energy and high temperature superconducting (HTS) technologies. We work with governments and industry to develop and bring fusion and HTS solutions to market through innovation and strategic partnerships. A major part of this is our end to end capability in HTS systems, from design to manufacturing. We are the Magnet Systems Partner for the UK Government's STEP Fusion programme, under a £70 million contract running to 2029, working with UK Fusion Energy to deliver HTS magnet systems for the STEP prototype power plant, while also contributing to tokamak systems and plasma integration. Founded in 2009 as a spin-out from the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Tokamak Energy is headquartered in Oxfordshire, with subsidiaries in the United States and Japan. Today, we employ over 300 people and have secured more than £280 million in investment. We operate through three divisions: Fusion Fusion energy technologies, expertise and testbeds for government and private fusion programmes, including ST40, the world’s highest field spherical tokamak. TE Magnetics HTS systems for commercial applications including fusion energy, power distribution, life sciences, and propulsion. Ridgway Machines Manufacturing equipment for the superconducting, electrical and wider energy sectors, enabling the rapid industrialisation of HTS products. Help shape the financial foundations of a major UK fusion programme Contract: Fixed-term contract, until September 2027 We are looking for an experienced Finance Business Partner to lead the financial management of a significant government-funded contract and establish the frameworks, controls and processes that will support its long-term success. This is a unique opportunity to join at a critical stage. As the organisation's Finance Business Partner for one of our major programmes, you will take ownership of complex contract accounting requirements, work closely with senior stakeholders across the business, and build the financial approach that will underpin future contract delivery. The role is ideally suited to someone who enjoys creating structure from ambiguity, influencing non-finance stakeholders, and taking ownership of complex challenges in a fast-paced environment. What you'll be doing Contract Accounting & Financial Management Determine and implement the appropriate accounting treatment for contract income and R&D expenditure. Own the ongoing accounting for the contract, including revenue recognition, milestone billing, contract assets and liabilities. Ensure compliance with contractual financial reporting obligations. Monitor profitability, cost recovery and margin performance. Support external audits and assurance activities. Act as a key financial contact for contract stakeholders. Finance Business Partnering Partner with programme leaders, budget holders and technical teams. Translate complex technical and programme activity into meaningful financial insight. Provide challenge, guidance and support to aid commercial decision-making. Drive greater engagement between finance and the wider business. Build trusted relationships across multiple functions. Planning, Reporting & Analysis Support budgeting and forecasting activities. Produce management reporting, KPI packs and financial analysis. Support cash flow forecasting and working capital management. Deliver insights that improve business performance and decision-making. Process Improvement & Controls Design and establish robust financial processes and controls. Create clear documentation, policies and operating procedures. Improve the organisation's capability to manage complex government-funded contracts. Leave a sustainable framework that can be adopted as business-as-usual. What success looks like Financial processes and controls are fully established and operating effectively. Contract accounting is robust, compliant and audit-ready. Revenue, billing and cash collection opportunities are maximised. Stakeholders actively engage with finance as a trusted business partner. Management has clear visibility of programme performance and financial risks. The organisation is well positioned for future growth in government-funded programmes. Requirements Essential ACA or ACCA qualified accountant. Strong experience in contract accounting and revenue recognition. Experience of grant accounting and government-funded or public sector contracts. Proven ability to work independently and take ownership of complex problems. Strong finance business partnering experience with non-finance stakeholders. Experience implementing processes, controls and ways of working from the ground up. Excellent communication and influencing skills. Desirable Experience within engineering, advanced manufacturing, R&D, technology or scale-up environments. Exposure to IFRS reporting. Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups and financial modelling. Experience u…