62851 - Assistant Finance Business Partner/Cash and Collections Manager

The national salary range is £31,265 - £34,446, London salary range is £35,405- £39,000. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
1
12 Months
National
National
NATIONAL
Please note: Some of our MoJ Office locations, such as our Liverpool Justice Collaboration Centre, require higher levels of National Security Vetting. The MoJ is working to open more Justice Collaboration Centres and Justice Satellite Offices over time. Click here to learn more about where our currently open Justice Collaboration Centres and Justice Satellite Offices are, to identify where you may be based and understand National Security Vetting requirements of each location.
HEO
HEO
Permanent
Full Time
Finance

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Ministry of Justice an Inclusive Employer

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer of choice and ensuring equity of opportunity for all. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring in terms of their culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace please visit

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Purpose of the role

The main purpose of the FBP teams is to provide strategic support and challenge to business areas, in line with the FBP Directorate delivery plan, and to ensure that decisions are made with reference to financial information and consequences, putting finance at the heart of decision making.

The postholder should spend a significant proportion of their time within the business, interacting regularly to build and sustain trust, ensuring they keep strategic oversight of all agendas.

The FBP teams will work with other Finance teams across the function to provide a high-quality finance service to the department, and in particular form a close co-operative relationship with the Management Accounting Centre of Excellence.

Key responsibilities

Assistant Finance Business Partner

The service provided by the FBP teams will be in line with the adoption of the cross-government vision set out in the “Excellence in Finance Business Partnering” handbook and be built around three distinct services.

The Business Expert

The post holder will support the Finance Business Partner team in the strategic finance leadership of functional areas within the business area, covering tasks or events where appropriate. They will be required to develop an understanding of the long-term strategy of the business areas they are asked to support, considering the strategies of both the wider department and overall business vision.

The post holder must be able to clearly communicate technical, business and financial information to external stakeholders, using the most appropriate methods. They will be expected to proactively identify gaps in financial knowledge within the business and put in place mechanisms to support the enhancement of financial skills within their business.

The Assistant Finance Business Partner will be expected to develop a knowledge of the operational priorities and short, medium and long term. targets that their assigned business areas must meet and support the FBP team advice on key business planning assumptions, trade-offs and opportunities. They should be able to support the strategic vision of the business by offering a broader overview of the department and wider government priorities.

The post holder will provide ad hoc analysis and additional insight on specific issues - using resources provided from the Management Accounting team and other Finance expertise outside of their FBP team.

The Influential Voice

The post holder will be responsible for building and maintaining effective key stakeholder relationships within their own areas of responsibility and the wider business area. They should display an ability to remain focused on the overall business strategic vision during negotiations, and when to challenge for the benefit of the business.

They will be required to support leadership teams in decision-making and governance, including attendance at team forums. This will include building a partnership with key stakeholders within the business, including identifying who may hold conflicting interests and managing these accordingly, to support and influence key operational and strategic business decisions of the business.

The Assistant Finance Business Partner will work with the Lead Finance Business Partner and the business to improve efficiency and to manage their budgets effectively, working in partnership to flag opportunities and risks early and use data to support, challenge and assure decisions being taken by stakeholders and to drive better outcomes.

They will foster a culture of knowledge sharing, a collaborative environment between business, finance and other corporate services.

The Financial Advisor

The post holder will provide financial advice to the business including delivering robust accurate forecasts, value for money on contracts, identifying costs and benefits in any investment decisions, and contributing to the design and review of business specific financial planning models and business cases.

They will support and co-ordinate the interaction of other financial experts with the business as required (e.g., Tax CoE, Commercial Finance Team, Financial Strategy & Planning) to provide detailed support and challenge. This will include supporting the relationship with the Management Accounting team, to ensure an appropriate and effective split of responsibilities, and in collaboration with the Management Accounting team add insight to data and business information.

The Assistant Finance Business Partner will assist the FBP team in helping budget holders interpret and fulfil their responsibilities for financial governance, control and risk management – including compliance with Managing Public Money and other HM Treasury financial control framework requirements. They will support the business to identify and effectively monitor risks and opportunities, recommending solutions and prompting mitigating action by the business.

Cash and Collections Manager

Manage a small team undertaking all payments of compensation under the provisions of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The following responsibilities, activities and duties are associated with this role:

Cash control

  • Ensure the timely payment of compensation awards and current process guidance is followed.
  • Support the workflow for the team
  • Lead on the relationship with Operations to ensure a smooth-running information flow.
  • Perform reconciliations relating to operations schedules of activity and payments posted in the ledger
  • Ensure all discrepancies between the schedules and cash received/paid are dealt with on a timely basis
  • Manage ad-hoc queries from operations and management relating to unusual transactions
  • Formulating and writing cash process and policy to manage any changes within the business
  • Oversee and perform the construction and processing of the daily payment run.

Bank and general ledger reconciliations

  • Oversee and perform daily bank reconciliations
  • Oversee and perform general ledger reconciliations relating to each financial period
  • Ensure reconciling items and discrepancies are dealt with, and able to liaise with senior staff on any emerging issues

Manage day to day treasury

  • Manage day to day relationships with the banks
  • Ensure timely actioning of correspondence from the banks

Processes and Reporting

  • Support the monthly analysis to ensure all transactional data from the payment system has integrated with the accounting software
  • Develop, analyse and report monthly key metrics and service delivery targets for the cash and credit control areas, with focus on quality and consistent improvements.
  • Ensure effective team development, up-skilling and multi-skilling the team as appropriate
  • Monitor the overall performance of the team and take steps to ensure that the day to day workload is delivered in a timely and accurate manner

Other duties

The post holder will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post. This may also include working closely with other MoJ Finance staff to develop solutions/problem-solve, engaging in project work to drive finance improvements.

Travel

This is a national role the successful candidate will be appointed to either one of the locations specified in the advert or, if nearer to their home, an alternative MoJ office location in the region which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed upon completion of pre-employment checks.

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working.  Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

Regular travel will be required, specifically to Glasgow where key stakeholders are located.  Occasional travel to Swansea and Birmingham may also be required.  Travel elsewhere to attend key directorate meetings maybe requested. 

Key Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Experience of providing services to stakeholders and influencing business decisions.
  • Experience of building, maintaining and leveraging collaboration networks and partnerships
  • Experience of communicating financial information to a non-financial audience.
  • Experience of managing a Cash and collection team.

Desirable

  • Experience and knowledge of the Ministry of Justice’s services, stakeholder landscape, delivery partners
  • Experience of working in the finance function in central government

Success Profiles  

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.

Civil Service Behaviours

The following HEO Civil Service Behaviours are essential to this post and will be assessed upon application:

  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Delivering at Pace

Please refer to the Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which can be found here, to complete this application: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

Specific Technical Skills Required

In addition to Civil Service Behaviours identified above, if you will be using Experience, Ability or Technical standards to assess the candidate please provide further details below:

  • Technical knowledge and ability will be tested at interview through a scenario exercise.  Details of requirements will be issued to candidates at the interview.

To apply please complete the online application form. Applications will be sifted by a panel who will look at the Civil Service Behaviour framework and what is evidenced in your application. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, communicating and influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses. 

Candidates who are successful following the sift process will be invited to interview, where the behavioural elements and strengths will be tested further alongside other elements of the post. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates in advance of the interviews.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

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.

Interview dates: Expected w/c 12th September

For further information please feel free to contact Scott May, scott.may@CICA.gov.uk – please note I am on leave W/C 15th and 22nd August. 

Regular travel will be required to Glasgow, with other travel to Birmingham and Swansea

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

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.

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.

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 moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on UKor Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

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

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Expected w/c 12 September

17/08/2022, 23:55 hours.

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 - 62851.

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.

In the event that we receive a large volume of applications we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on one lead behaviour. The chosen lead behaviour for this campaign is Communicating and Influencing.
if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

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

Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing - 250 word limit
Seeing the Big Picture - 250 word limit
Working Together - 250 word limit
Managing a Quality Service - 250 word limit
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.

Interview stage assessments

There is 1 interview stage for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together
Managing a Quality Service
Technical Skills
We will test a technical scenario which will demonstrate knowledge of the Cash and Collection Manager role.
Strengths may also be assessed at interview but these are not shared in advance.

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.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

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.