About the job

Job summary

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.  

We are currently operate a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 8 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 12 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly.

 

Who are we? 

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.  

The Corporate Group plays a key role in supporting the Agency’s transformation and then enabling it to deliver its regulatory activities as effectively and efficiently as possible.

The core purpose of the Finance Division is to ensure public funds are spent wisely and that the Executive and the Board make informed decisions about costs and investments than bring public value outcomes. 

The Finance Division is essential to ensure that the agency discharges its statutory responsibilities and carries out business operations while delivering optimal value from the funding we receive.

The services Finance provides range from Finance Operations, through to Accounting, Reporting and Control, Strategic Finance, Finance Business Partnering and Risk and Assurance.

 

We operate systems and controls to ensure that we procure goods and services and pay suppliers in line with the established public sector frameworks, collect the monies owed to us and keep the agency’s monetary assets safe and protected from fraud.

 

We maintain the agency’s financial books of record, ensuring that they are a true and fair view of our operations and provide assurance to the Accounting Officer, DHSC and Parliament about the agency’s compliance with public sector transparency and spending rules.

We provide management reporting, budgeting, planning and strategic modelling services across the agency, along with assurance, financial analysis and advice to the CEO, the Executive Committee and the Board.

 

Job description

The Finance Operations function is responsible for ensuring that the agency has effective processes and systems in place to accurately process financial transactions and report financial performance to the business. This area is also responsible for driving continuous process efficiencies and improvements across the function, delivering maximum value for the Agency and ensuring robust controls are in place. The Finance Operations function comprises all transactional teams in finance, namely Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Cash Management, Transaction Procurement and Systems Support.

The Accounts Payable Officer will play a key role in supporting the Business by ensuring that the appropriate systems and processes are utilised for all Accounts Payables and Expenses requirements. In addition, they will become subject matter experts ensuring that policies are followed, and controls are maintained.

• Processing supplier invoices and payment runs
• Auditing Expenses and expense payment runs
• Supplier and internal customer query management
• Supplier statement reconciliations

Person specification

Our successful candidate will: 

• Sound knowledge of a P2P system and the P2P process including analysing/interpreting a PO’s life cycle and raising PO
• Excellent communication skills with the confidence to constructively challenge colleagues, where appropriate.
• Excellent organisational skills with an eye for improving processes/tasks
• Ability to prioritise and deliver to tight deadlines.
• Keen attention to detail with the ability to spot and correct erroneous transactions.

Excellent IT skills with proven experience in using Microsoft Office applications, such as Outlook, Excel and Payables processing systems.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,064, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £8,387 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

 We use the Civil Service Success Profiles to assess our candidates, find out more here. 

• Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application.
• Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.

 

In the instance that we receive a high number of applications, we will hold an initial sift based on the lead criteria.

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role. Applications are scored based on the competency-based answers provided- ensure you have read these thoroughly and allow sufficient time. You can view the competencies for this role in the job description. 

Use of AI in Job Applications:

Applicants must ensure that anything submitted must be factually accurate and truthful. Plagiarism ‘can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk as soon as possible. 

Closing date: 16th June 2024

Shortlisting date: from 17th June 2024

Interview date: 24th-29th June 2024

Candidates will be contacted within a week of the sift and the interviews completed to inform them of the outcome.

 

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk 

 

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here. 

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Any move to the MHRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.

 

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact careers@mhra.gov.uk.

 

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact Mira Mepa, Head of Recruitment and Operations, Mira.Mepa@mhra.gov.uk.  

 

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk 

 

info@csc.gov.uk 

Civil Service Commission 

Room G/8 

1 Horse Guards Road 

London 

SW1A 2HQ 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.