62632 - Lead Finance Business Partner
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.
Job Title/ Position
Lead Finance Business Partner
Band/Grade
Grade 7
Number of Vacancies
1
Business Group
Operations
Directorate
Finance Business Partnering
Location
National
Hours
Full time – 37 hours
Job share as a minimum 60/40 basis would be considered
Working Pattern
Permanent
Role Type/ Team
Finance – Finance Business Partnering
Overview
The Lead Finance Business Partnering role, in the Finance Function provides you with the unique opportunity to be contribute to the delivery of the Chief Operating Officers priorities. This role will enable you to provide advice and challenge on portfolio level business plans to ensure they are affordable and deliver value for money outcomes that align to the long-term business strategy, supporting the business to effectively monitor risks and opportunities
Role Purpose
As an experienced Finance Business Partner, you will have responsibility to support budgets and diverse business areas. This will include providing advice to budget holders, challenging budget holders on spending plans, ensuring spend aligns with strategic priorities, drive value on spending plans, enhance financial stewardship, upskill the business in finance skills, build and maintain trusted relationships with budget holders. You will be responsible for the overall integrity and management of the financial position for your business area. You will have effective leadership, interpersonal and communication skills.
As the Lead Finance Business Partner, being accountable to the Senior Finance Business Partner, you will manage complex budgets and contribute to future spending review plans. In this role you will have overall responsibility for the delivery of balanced budgets and driving out savings, for your portfolio. You will be comfortable working with infrequent management guidance.
Delivery of results through others and effective negotiation at senior levels will be key. Lead Finance Business Partners will develop and maintain business partnerships and relationships and influence others where there may be divergent and conflicting views. This role requires significant leadership, management, representational and influencing skills.
You will engage the wider finance function to access centres of excellence to provide a full service to budget holders, influencing and engaging others across finance to maintain and enhance financial control.
Finally, the Lead Finance Business Partner will coach and mentor junior members of the team and the wider profession to help build professional capability
Responsibilities
- Delivery – Lead the delivery of timely and robust financial information to enable you to influence business decision making for your area of responsibility.
- Budget – Work with budget holders to develop robust budget plans and monitor those plans.
- Spend control – Influence the affordability and prioritisation of business plans and seek to maintain spend within their financial boundaries.
- Business resources – Monitor headcount plans and limits, look at resource mix issues and cost of resources to deliver business priorities
- Stakeholder Management – Identify and manage stakeholder relationships and need for senior level support. Manage internal and external relationships as appropriate.
- Risks & Issues – Identify and monitor budget risks and opportunities. Develop mitigating actions and work with the business to monitor.
- Guidance & Support – Provide support, guidance and coaching for budget holders. Show commitment to personal development. Promote effective individual and team performance.
- Financial assurance – Provide advice on spending types, VAT treatment, accounting treatments and adherence to spending controls to budget holders.
- Development of the function – Play an active part in developing the capability of the function, aiding and contributing to the vision and objectives. Translating the vision to team objectives.
- Project Finance – Develop financial modelling within business cases, engage finance and economic keyholders as business cases progress
- Governance – Understand and advise on governance routes for change according to financial tolerance.
- Commercial acumen – Understand the commercial landscape, pipeline and financial impacts of contracts according to their payment base and mechanisms
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 managing large scale, complex or contentious business area finances
- Working knowledge and understanding of financial control regimes
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, including the ability to work across boundaries to influence and gain confidence of senior leaders and sponsors
- A track record in influencing and challenging budget holders
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
Qualification
- Qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent or working towards qualification and willing to continue
- MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade will be able to retain this on lateral transfer.
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 Grade 7 Civil Service Behaviours are essential to this post and will be assessed upon application:
- Leadership
- 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
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
Specific Experience, Ability or Technical Skills Required
- Candidates should meet the relevant qualification requirements
- Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience that meets the essential skills, knowledge and experience, this will be tested at interview and by submission of CV.
- Technical knowledge and ability will be tested at interview through presentation. Details of requirements will be issued to candidates a week prior to interview
- Professional Competencies / Requirements
- Candidates should be qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent or working towards qualification and willing to continue
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
Closing Date: 12th August 23:59 hours.
For further information please feel free to contact Louisa Harrison, louisa.harrison@justice.gov.uk – please note I am on leave 25th July-5th August.
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
- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
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.
12/08/2022, 23:55 hours.
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
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.
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.