About the job

Job summary

We’re looking for an exceptional Assistant Business Accountant to help us make a difference to our planet.

As our Assistant Business Accountant, the job may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in the office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and the location advertised will be your contractual place of work.

Our opportunity is full time, 37 hours per week, but we would also consider applicants wishing to work a minimum of 34 hours per week and we will also try our best to consider those intending to work a job share.  Our people are at the heart of what we do and we'll do our best to agree a working pattern that works for everyone.

World changing work

From science to technology, from meteorology to management, and from planning to communication, our expertise helps us stand out as the authority on weather accuracy and climate prediction. We help individuals, industries and government to make better decisions to stay safe and thrive. This is the Met Office. This is who we are.

• We’re a force for good - focusing on our environmental and social impact
• We’re experts by nature - always learning and developing to do things better
• We live and breathe it - putting our purpose at the heart of decision-making
• We’re better together - understanding partnerships and inclusivity make us greater
• We keep evolving - pushing boundaries to make tomorrow better for our customers

Job description

Your world of expertise

The Assistant Business Accountant (ABA) works within a team of ABAs, supporting a portfolio of areas within the Met Office. The post is key to the delivery of the monthly financial results for the Met Office; the Met Office forecasts financial results on a regular basis. 

Your key duties

• Provide accounting support to managers and Finance Business Partners (FBPs) to ensure finances are controlled and information is available to allow for effective financial management.
• Undertake all month end activities, including compiling and posting journals.
• Provide analytical review of actual performance against forecast/budget, and identify issues and risks to FBPs.
• Compile and deliver robust and relevant financial information, training, and advice.
• Understand, review and challenge financial forecasts.
• Provide cover for other portfolios as required.

Person specification

Essential Criteria, skills and experience:

1. Good level of formal accounting knowledge and relevant work experience - evidenced as a minimum of actively studying for a CCAB qualification or already AAT qualified; demonstrating that you Keep Evolving.
2. Experience of communicating effectively on financial issues with both financial and non-financial staff; you're Better Together, proactively sharing your knowledge and experience with others.
3. Experience of month-end, forecast and budget processes, you're an Expert by Nature.
4. Ability to analyse financial data, and identify issues and risks.
5. Strong Excel skills.
6. Ability to manage multiple tasks while balancing requirements from a variety of customers, you're a Force for Good.

Desirable Criteria 

We encourage you to apply if you believe you meet our essential criteria, but we’re also keen to discover if you have:

1. Knowledge of the Met Office and the key issues it currently faces, you want to Live and Breathe It.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,794, Met Office contributes £9,094 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

How to apply

If you share our values, we’d love to hear from you. Apply below using your CV and a Cover Letter/Supporting Statement with evidence against each of the essential criteria. We recommend candidates use the CARL method (Context, Action, Result and Learning) for presenting evidence of experience and skills.

Closing date Monday 06/05/2024 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 27/05/2024. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed.

How we can help:

If you are considering applying and need support to do so, please contact us via careers@metoffice.gov.uk . You can request adjustments either within your application or by contacting us. Should you be offered an interview, please be aware there may be a selection exercise which could include a presentation, written test or a scenario-based activity. You can select in your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

We understand that great minds don’t always think alike and as an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from those with all protected characteristics. We recruit on merit, fairness, and open competition in line with the Civil Service Code.

We can only accept applications from those eligible to live and work in the UK - please refer to GOV.UK for information. We require Security clearance, for which you need to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years to be eligible. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. 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.