Finance Business Partner

Hybrid role - 3 days a week in the Tower Bridge office

Zoopla is one of the UK’s most instantly recognisable property brands. In fact, we’re known and loved by over 91% of the nation (and we’re working hard on the other 9%). Our mission is to help the nation make better home decisions - by connecting everyone to their home and giving them personalised insights to help with moving, managing or financing. Over 50 million people visit Zoopla every month to access exclusive data and information on every UK property, search over 500,000 homes for sale and rent, find the best agents and secure the latest mortgage deals.

We’re a growing, dynamic team that embraces innovation and isn’t afraid to push the boundaries. We’re only just starting our journey to redefine the digital property landscape, with much more to explore and achieve. Join us, and transform the way the nation makes home decisions.

We are seeking a dynamic and detail-oriented and commercially-minded Finance Business Partner to join our core finance team. This is a broad and vital role responsible for the end-to-end financial management of all staff costs, our largest operational expense, while also providing key support to our commercial finance function.

You will be the go-to expert for all people-related costs, from intricate month-end accounting to long-term forecasting. At the same time, you will assist in producing key performance reporting that drives the business forward. You'll partner closely with HR, Recruitment, and other leaders  across the business to provide the financial insight needed to support our growth and drive informed decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Staff Cost Planning & Accounting

• Planning, Forecasting and ad hoc analysis: Own and manage the annual budgeting and monthly re-forecasting process for all staff costs across Zoopla, including salaries, bonuses, commission, benefits, employer taxes and capex.

• Month-End Close: Manage the complete month-end accounting process for all elements of staff costs, ensuring accuracy and adherence to deadlines. This includes preparing and posting all monthly payroll journals, bonus accruals, and capex.

• Capitalised Labour (Capex): Take responsibility for the correct accounting treatment of capitalised staff costs. You will also be expected to critically review and improve the current capitalised development expenditure process and its related reporting.

Commercial Business Partnering 

• HR Business Partnering: Collaborate effectively with HR and departmental heads to accurately model headcount changes, salary reviews, new hires, and attrition.

• Stream Ownership: Act as the key finance stakeholder for the HR, Tech and Marketing partnering with departmental heads to support informed decision-making.

• Trading & KPI Reporting: Assist the Head of Commercial Finance with key performance indicator (KPI) and weekly trading reporting, providing timely and accurate data to the leadership team.

• Pacing Model: Maintain the monthly pacing model, tracking actual results against forecast to monitor real time performance

• Ad-Hoc Analysis: Support the commercial finance team with other tasks and ad-hoc commercial analysis as may be required to drive business performance.

AI & Process Innovation

• Identify and implement AI-driven analytical tools, automation technologies, and advanced data models to streamline forecasting, variance analysis, and routine reporting.
• Drive continuous process improvements across capitalised labor (Capex) frameworks and financial reporting systems.

Compliance 

• Audit Management: Manage all aspects of the external audit in relation to staff costs, acting as the primary point of contact for auditors' queries in this area.
• Tax Compliance Support: Provide support for the Tax team in annual payroll-related processes such as the preparation of P11D and PSA returns.
• General Support: Assist the wider finance team with other month-end and year-end tasks as required to ensure departmental goals are met.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Qualified accountant (CIMA, ACCA, or equivalent) or Qualified by experience
• Proven experience in a finance analyst or finance business partnering role with exposure to both management accounting/month-end and FP&A.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, with strong financial modelling skills.  High level of accuracy and unwavering attention to detail.
• Proven track record in process improvement, particularly in relation to automation of model inputs and updates
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to partner with and challenge senior, non-finance stakeholders.
• A proactive and inquisitive mindset, with a desire to understand the "why" behind the numbers.
• Experience in a fast-paced, technology-driven or private equity-backed environment.

Desirable

• Direct experience with the accounting and forecasting of staff costs.
• Experience with commercial finance tasks, such as KPI tracking and performance reporting.
• Knowledge of accounting for capitalised labour.
• Experience supporting external audits.
• Familiarity with UK payroll tax compliance (P11D, PSA).

Where you’ll be 

At Zoopla, we embrace hybrid working but emphasise the importance of also spending time together. You’ll have the opportunity to work remotely (at home) for two days per week with Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays as all-Zoopla days in the office together. 

Our home in Tower Bridge is a buzzing hub for collaborative and individual working, with areas to socialise and exercise - within easy reach of London Bridge, Tower Hill and Bermondsey stations. On our doorstep there are plenty of great food spots including a new indoor street food market and landscaped areas to sit by the riverside.

We want to make Zoopla more welcoming, fair and representative every day. We’ll consider everyone who applies for this role in the same way, regardless of your ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, physical disability, neurodiversity status, family or parental status, or how long you’ve spent unemployed. We’re reimagining the property industry for everyone, so we want our team to represent people from all walks of life. We actively welcome your application if your demographics or background are underrepresented in the technology or property sectors.

Benefits

• Our hybrid setup means you’ll join us in the Tower Bridge office 3 days each week
• 25 days annual leave + extra days for years of service
• Day off for volunteering & Digital detox day
• Festive Closure - business closed for period between Christmas and New Year
• Cycle to work and electric car schemes
• Free Calm App membership
• Enhanced Parental leave
• Fertility Treatment Financial Support
• Group Income Protection and private medical insurance
• Gym on-site in London – or membership in regional offices
• 7.5% pension contribution by the company
• Discretionary annual bonus up to 10% of base salary