Senior Financial Accountant

Job description
Location

Croydon, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, fire, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

Corporate and Delivery Directorate works closely with the Home Office’s policy and operational commands to enable us together to deliver the department’s priorities. The directorate is comprised of different teams and professional functions, including Commercial, Finance, People, Portfolio and Project Delivery, Security, Estates and Information and Digital, Data and Technology.

The Finance Directorate is one of the most dynamic and forward-looking places to work. We provide professional finance advice and challenge which ensures that the Home Office delivers value for money to the taxpayer and protects the Accounting Officers in their responsibilities for regularity, propriety, value for money and feasibility on all spending decisions. We ensure that finance is at the heart of decision making and operate a business partner model to support strategic planning, operational control and by working within challenging budgets through effective financial reporting, management and planning.

This is an exciting time to join Accounting Operations Unit due to the spans of the roles, fast-changing environment and delivering on Ministerial priorities. We are looking for dynamic and innovative people who want to join us on the next stage of their career and who want to work in and be part of one of the most interesting and high-profile Government Departments.

Job description

Accounting Operations Unit sits at the heart of Home Office finance. We are responsible for a number of key functions including Corporate Reporting, HMT Reporting, Management Accounting and Financial Reporting and are currently expanding in size and scope.

We value every person who works in the Finance Directorate and have high expectations of everyone. We offer opportunities for our staff to develop whether through formal training, on the job development or lateral moves to develop new skills. We support staff who wish to achieve a finance qualification with paid study leave and exam support. In addition, there will be opportunities for promotion throughout Finance and across the Home Office.

There are a number of different roles currently available in Accounting Operations Unit, we currently have management accounting and financial reporting roles available. Further information on these roles will be provided at interview stage to successful candidates.

Key responsibilities:
• Working closely with stakeholders to deliver a quality service.
• Taking ownership of financial processes.
• Analysing and interpreting data.
• Reconciliation and ensuring accurate reporting.
• Compliance and assurance.
• Supporting budget setting.
• Forecasting and variance analysis.
• Line management of staff may be required in the future.

Working pattern

This role is available on a full-time basis with the option of job-share and compressed hours working. This role is also suitable for part-time working hours.

Training

On-the-job training will be provided, together with a possibility of supported training and learning in addition to regular mandatory training on health and safety and data protection.

Travel

Occasional travel to various HO locations may be required.

Person specification

Essential criteria:
• Strong leadership, interpersonal skills and authority; able to successfully foster and manage inter-relationships between own team and other areas.
• Experience of working in a multi-stakeholder environment; the ability to deal with and meet conflicting stakeholder preferences and demands.
• A proven track record of providing high quality financial analysis and advice across a wide range of complex business and financial issues, with strong quantitative and analytical skills.
• Experience of taking ownership of pieces of work and driving improvement in financial reporting and analysis.
• Adopting and promoting an organisational culture that is positive about change and committed to delivery of the strategic vision.
• Knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning Financial system.
• Qualifications: Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualified, part qualified or currently studying for one of these qualifications. Or financial experience which may have been gained over a period of time or through intensive financial Management in a shorter timeframe.

Desirable criteria:
• Excellent Excel skills and a strong rounded knowledge of IT and accounting packages.

Qualifications

Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualified, part qualified or currently studying for one of these qualifications. Or financial experience which may have been gained over a period of time or through intensive financial Management in a shorter timeframe.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:
• An additional £4,000 allowance is applicable to SEO staff with a full CIMA or CCAB qualification. The usual T&Cs apply for existing civil servants.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.

For more information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button below.

United Kingdom
England
London Apprentice Show on map Get directions