About the job

Job summary

The Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) is a new shared corporate service, launched in July 2023. It will provide corporate services (HR, Finance, Digital, Commercial, Security and Estates) across the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT).

Our team of just over 300 professionals will be leading the way in how these functions will be delivered in the future. Our ambition is to be the leading provider of integrated corporate services for government and set the standard for quality, efficiency, and innovation in our field.

Our Inclusive Environment

We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.

Find Out More

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforenergysecurityandnetzero?

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/

Job description

We are looking for someone to join our Finance Business Partnering team as an Assistant Finance Business Partner/Management accountant.  The post holder will sit within the Shared Services Function in DESNZ (ICS) and play an important and active role in the financial management and strategic whilst supporting the client departments –DESNZ and DSIT.  This will include working with financial systems and related tasks (e.g. Oracle, Admintool etc), producing journals, ensuring accounting entries are accurate and a true reflection of business.

This is an exciting opportunity to expand your experience in a finance environment, in a friendly and supportive Finance Business Partner team. We are excited to hear from applicants that enjoy working in a collaborative way with people across different teams.

Our focus is ensuring efficiencies through our shared service team, delivering value for money with the Finance business partnering team being at the forefront of this.

The post holder will be expected to build and maintain relationships with directorate stakeholders, bring insight and influence through effective communication, and ensure robust forecasting for directorates. They will also be tasked to look out for synergies, and opportunities to drive further efficiencies across the group, where possible breaking down silos.

The FBP team is plays a key role within the Shared Services function in providing strategic decision support across the group. This role will be tasked with building and nurturing these relationships and acting as a champion of change and improvement within the team and wider function. There will be ample opportunity to build and develop their leadership potential by leading and motivating others to embrace the change agenda with the creation of this new organisation and its relationship with its clients-Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Department for Business & Trade (DBT).

Post holder may also have line management responsibility for one EO.

Person specification

Working with the line manager, the post holder will support the development of reporting dashboards and other relevant reports to highlight the costs that are driven by the wider department.

This is an evolving role so responsibilities may be expanded and changed to match the strengths of the post holder and fit within the wider team.

The core duties of this role are expected to be:

Supporting the directorates in producing robust accurate forecasts, providing advice and challenge whilst also supporting key members of staff, fulfilling a trusted advisor role.

• Ensure the financial systems containing forecasts and working budgets are kept accurate and up to date with a clear audit trail of any changes.
• Providing clear, relevant financial advice to aid prioritisation, planning and strategic decision making within Shared Services.
• Improving and standardising financial reporting across Shared Serviced, ensuring reporting is accurate, timely and informative with clear audit trails.
• Assisting/producing journals to ensure accounting entries are correct, identifying mis-bookings etc.
• Providing insight that helps the Shared Services function understand their past and planned performance whilst helping them identify and mitigate against risk.
• Supporting the wider team through various fiscal events including Autumn Budget and Spending Review.
• Liaise with clients to help develop high quality business cases for new funding requirements, providing expert advice for business cases on Managing Public Money principles.
• Acting as a team player, helping colleagues through busy periods and difficult issues.
• Dealing with ad hoc requests

Skills and Experience 

We would love to hear from you if you are a results-driven, collaborative team player, with good attention to detail and the ability and communication skills to build good working relationships at all levels.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate capability and success against the following criteria:

• Comfortable explaining complex financial issues in a clear and succinct way, with the ability to process and simplify information to ensure key issues are clear and supported with actionable recommendations.
• Desirable experience of finance business partnering to corporate services functions like HR, Estates, Digital and Finance.
• Experience of financial management and transactions, forecasting and budgeting.
• A self-starter with the confidence to develop ideas and lead their implementation; and Flexibility to pivot to different challenges when the situation demands.
• Impeccable professional and ethical standards.Ability to build trusting relationships with various stakeholders and work towards influencing them.
• Ability to work well as part of a team and to motivate and inspire others.
• Develop collaborative relationships with key stakeholders.
• Being able to effectively challenge stakeholders to optimise financial data and insights for senior stakeholders.
  
• Excellent Microsoft Excel, data analysis and interpretation skills are essential.
• Knowledge and/or understanding of Power BI and oracle is desirable.
• Fully qualified by CCAB or CIMA/part qualified and working towards their qualification. Qualified by experienced and seeking to study will also be accepted in exceptional circumstances.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,470, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £10,116 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, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, behavioural statements and a personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to briefly summarise why you are interested in this role, and your suitability with reference to the role specification.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour - 'Communicating and Influencing'.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour and strength based questions.

Sift and Interview dates

Expected timeline, Subject to change - 

Sift dates: w/c 01/04/2024

Interview dates: 08/04/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview. 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero  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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DESNZ does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DESNZ holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

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.

Feedback

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.