About the job

Job summary

Dstl's Finance team delivers essential expertise to an organisation which delivers vital Science and Technology research and advice to Government Defence and Security. In order for the Finance Function to be correctly resourced to meet future demands there is a need for someone in the early part of their development journey to join our high performing and dedicated team. 

Your role will be to assist with the production of accurate and timely management accounts that help with decision-making and to offer advice and support to an operational area of our business.

Are you someone who would like to begin or progress your Finance career and is committed to obtaining an accredited Finance qualification?  We offer an excellent training package, modern working environment, interesting work and the opportunity to make a real difference to the role of finance in a business which is vital to the future Defence and Security needs of the nation.

Are you a great teammate who is self-organised, and able to be flexible in the face of a changing environment?

We offer an excellent training package, modern working environment, interesting work and the opportunity to make a real difference to the role of finance in a business which is vital to the future Defence and Security needs of the nation.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

We particularly welcome female and ethnic minority applicants and those from the LGBTQI community, as they are under-represented within Dstl at these levels.

Job description

In this role you will assist the Management Accountant to;

• Provide timely, accurate and value added management and statutory accounts in accordance with the timetable, accounting standards and Dstl.
• Facilitate the preparation of division/function budgets and forecasts by ensuring stakeholders have the information required to support this in the appropriate format and to agreed timetables.
• Ensure the financial awareness of the management team is enhanced through the provision of advice assistance and knowledge management.
• Have the flexible attitude to support the wider finance function to deliver.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who has:

• A strong interest in a career in Finance and obtaining a Finance qualification.
• The ability and commitment to balance study and professional work.
• Good numeracy, an inquisitive mind and strong problem solving skills.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• The ability to work independently and in teams.
• The ability to work to tight deadlines.
• Has excellent attention to detail.
• Has experience in using Microsoft Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) for data analysis, technical reports and presentations.

Important Information:

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,620, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £7,457 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team dstlrecruitment@dstl.gov.uk and we will do all we can to support you.

Sifting will be taking place shortly after the role has closed, with successful applicants being invited to attend either online or face to face interview.

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

Open to UK nationals only.

This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.

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.