40316 - Finance Business Partners
We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity
Overview
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the provision of legal aid, administration of justice through courts and tribunals, and detention and rehabilitation of offenders. Within the MoJ you will provide Finance Business Partnering to senior business leaders responsible for delivery of prison services in England. Our business colleagues operating within Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (an Agency within the MoJ), are highly committed professionals who seek to protect the public and rehabilitate offenders.
More information can be found at: www.justice.gov.uk
There are eight Band B roles available:
Vacancies 1 - 5: Finance Business Partner: Public Sector Prisons
As a Finance Business Partner, you will be key member of the finance team, working with other members of the team, wider MoJ Finance colleagues and key stakeholders from the Business Area we support – HM Prisons.
You will provide support to the strategic finance lead of one of these geographical areas: Yorkshire, Midlands, East, South West and South East (women’s prisons). You will support specific prisons as well as working flexibly across the region as required.
You will have a level of authority and respect to proactively influence decision making and help drive continuous improvement. You will be a trusted adviser to stakeholders, providing support and independent challenge.
This role will build on your experience of finance fundamentals and provide the opportunity to help in managing finances within Public Sector Prisons.
Post location is flexible within each region. It is expected that each successful candidate will live in or near their region. Travel will be required within the region on average once or twice a week.
Vacancy 6: Finance Business Partner: Reducing Reoffending (Prisons)
This post will assist the Grade 7 FBP in supporting operational areas that have responsibility for delivering schemes and programmes to help reduce reoffending. This includes prison industries, employment, education, psychology interventions and care services. As a Band B Finance Business Partner, you will work alongside senior operational stakeholders to support them as they deliver interventions and initiatives to improve the lives of the people in our care to ensure they have the skills necessary to successfully transition from custodial life.
Post location is flexible but some travel will be required.
Vacancy 7: Finance Business Partner: Prison Reform
This is a new portfolio of projects designed to deliver the next generation of prison reform. The remit is broad and will deliver a modern and more efficient service of which we can be proud. Our prisons will be safe, humane and secure, providing the best environment for rehabilitation, growth and change. The project will work to accelerate the adoption of technology to enhance services; transform the workforce to match the needs of our users; and review operational ways of working to ensure they are the best they can be. Efficiency transects through every part of Reform. As a Band B Finance Business Partner, you will work with the project to ensure efficiencies remain part of the agenda for all workstreams. You will provide excellent financial analysis & insight to project leads and will ensure that plans deliver the efficiencies that are required.
Post location is flexible but some travel will be required.
Vacancy 8: Finance Business Partner: Privately Managed Prisons
As a Finance Business Partner for Privately Managed Prisons, you will be a key member of the finance team, working with other members of the team, wider MoJ Finance colleagues and key Stakeholders from the Custodial Contracts Group.
You will provide support to the strategic finance lead, reporting to the Lead Finance Business Partner (LFBP), who in turn reports to the Senior Finance Business Partner (SFBP).
You will have a level of authority and respect to proactively support the shaping of strategic decisions and help drive continuous improvement.
This role will build on your experience of finance fundamentals and develop your skills in finance business partnering including the management of contracts.
Post location is flexible but some travel will be required.
You will be a member of a high performing finance function where you can rely on colleagues to support you in delivery of the finance business partnering role. We have a strong focus on continuously learning and developing, working collaboratively and a focus on value-add.
The MoJ Finance Function embraces diversity and celebrates our differences. We are inclusive and care about our people. We actively promote a flexible approach to working whilst giving our staff opportunities to maximise their skills and achieve their full potential.
We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities and we are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible.
Responsibilities
As a Finance Business Partner, you will need to understand the prison business area that you support and the way they operate in a prison environment. You will build trust with decision makers so that your advice is actively sought.
You will be the financial advisor to a range of operational colleagues. You will need a clear understanding of the financial management arrangements of the MoJ – from budget setting to in year control and support to the financial accounts as necessary. You may be required to help develop business cases or to help demonstrate value for money. At all times you will be upholding the integrity of financial management in the public sector and the need to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.
Specific responsibilities:
- Stakeholder Engagement – develop and maintain strong partnerships with key stakeholders. Help improve their financial awareness and provide accurate and credible advice on financial management and wider governance issues. Actively contribute at business meetings and be proactive in looking for efficiency.
- Financial management – co-ordinate your business area’s annual financial planning activity and provide information and advice to support effective financial control in year. Present and explain financial information clearly and offer advice to inform decision making. Understand the cost drivers of the business and carry out analysis of information to improve efficiency and understanding.
- Service delivery – deliver high quality outcomes to meet stakeholder needs and give value for money. Identify risks and resolve issues efficiently.
- Critical friend to the business – you will feel confident to challenge business colleagues on their spending plans and keep a focus on outcomes and business priorities. Give advice to support decision making, encouraging options analysis and appropriate governance. Use your insight to add value.
Essential Skills and Experience
- someone who is qualified under one of the main five Consultative Committees of Accounting Bodies [CCAB] i.e. ACCA; CIPFA; ICAEW; ICAI or ICAS, or CIMA, or actively working towards full qualification. If you are not qualified you MUST demonstrate in your application how you are progressing to full qualification and an estimated timescale for completion.
- excellent financial management skills and a proven ability to apply them effectively
- high credibility with senior colleagues and stakeholders and the ability to influence decision-making
- the ability to analyse and communicate financial information in a clear and understandable way
Desirable skills and experience
- Experience and knowledge of the Ministry of Justice’s services, stakeholder landscape, delivery partners
- Experience of working in the finance function in central government
- strategic and commercial skills gained from working in, or together with, other specialist areas such as commercial, policy, IT, HR or delivery.
Civil Service Success Profiles – Behaviours and Strengths
The Civil Service looks for strong evidence of effective Behaviours as set out in the Gov.uk guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles. We will look for demonstration of these Behaviours in your application and then the interview process. At interview we will also ask you questions about Strengths to find out what you enjoy doing and what you do well.
This interview could be conducted via a Microsoft Teams video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
Contacts for further information:
East and South West Regions:
Tony Mahabir, Lead Finance Business Partner – Prisons (East)
Anthony.Mahabir@justice.gov.uk
Yorkshire and Midlands Regions and South East (Women’s Prisons):
Ruth Deedman, Lead Finance Business Partner – Prisons (Women’s)
Reducing Reoffending, Prisons
Cathy Snape, Lead Finance Business Partner – Reducing Reoffending
Catherine.snape@justice.gov.uk
Prison Reform
Alison Palmer, Lead Finance Business Partner – Prison Reform
Privately Managed Prisons:
Neelu Francis, Lead Finance Business Partner – Privately Managed Prisons
Civil Service Success Profiles – Behaviours and Strengths
The Civil Service looks for strong evidence of effective Behaviours as set out in the Gov.uk guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles. We will look for demonstration of these Behaviours in your application and then the interview process. At interview we will also ask you questions about Strengths to find out what you enjoy doing and what you do well
Please ensure at application you have expressed your preference for the post(s) you are interested in.
The interviews will take place in mid-February 2021.
This interview could be conducted via a Microsoft Teams video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
Working Arrangements & Further Information
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits,retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
1- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
2- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk);
3- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.
There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Grading Structure Review
The Ministry of Justice is currently undergoing a review of posts which are currently graded at Band A to realign our grading structure with the majority of the wider Civil Service.
Posts advertised at Band A may be graded at either Grade 6 or Grade 7 once the review has taken place.
This interview could be conducted via a Microsoft Teams video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
22/01/2021, 23:55 hours.
Contacts for further information:
East and South West Regions:
Tony Mahabir, Lead Finance Business Partner – Prisons (East)
Anthony.Mahabir@justice.gov.uk
Yorkshire and Midlands Regions and South East (Women’s Prisons):
Ruth Deedman, Lead Finance Business Partner – Prisons (Women’s)
Reducing Reoffending, Prisons
Cathy Snape, Lead Finance Business Partner – Reducing Reoffending
Catherine.snape@justice.gov.uk
Prison Reform
Alison Palmer, Lead Finance Business Partner – Prison Reform
Privately Managed Prisons:
Neelu Francis, Lead Finance Business Partner – Privately Managed Prisons
If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Please quote the job reference - 40316.
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were studying abroad
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
• someone who is qualified under one of the main five Consultative Committees of Accounting Bodies [CCAB] i.e. ACCA; CIPFA; ICAEW; ICAI or ICAS, or CIMA, or actively working towards full qualification. If you are not qualified you MUST demonstrate in your application how you are progressing to full qualification and an estimated timescale for completion. - 250 word limit
Interview stage assessments
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
· UK nationals
· nationals of the Republic of Ireland
· nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
· individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
· Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
This Vacancy is closed to applications.