About the job

Job summary

The Insolvency Service is a leading Government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.  

Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups underrepresented in our workforce. The Insolvency Service strives to ensure that the agency is a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work and to help the agency to achieve its diversity objectives. We have 10 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability & Health, FACES Network Group, Grass Roots, LGBT+, Mind Matters, No Limits, Part Time Workers, The Shed, and Women’s Network Group. 

We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working. We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, though our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities.  

The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career! 

Our Structure

The Finance, Commercial, Sustainability and Property Directorate manage, oversee, and analyse the Agency’s financial and commercial activity. By reporting on our current position, forecasting our future budgets and working closely with internal and external stakeholders, we play an active part in understanding the agency’s performance and in shaping its current and future financial position.

Job description

The role sits within the Finance Business Partner Team which works within the Finance, Commercial, Sustainability and Property (FCSP) Directorate, and is strategically placed at the heart of the organisation to provide project finance advice to key stakeholders and Senior Leaders across a growing project portfolio.

We are recruiting a Level 7 Apprenticeship Portfolio Cost Centre Manager within the Insolvency Service' FCSP directorate. This is an interesting and rewarding role within an established team of finance professionals. 

You will be committed to completing a full Level 7 Accountancy Professional apprenticeship, within a maximum of 36 months dependent on current qualifications. The apprenticeship will involve studying towards either an ACCA or CIMA professional qualification route. This will be a contractual obligation, and the apprenticeship will be fully funded. We will also consider applications from candidates who are part way through, or have completed their studies. Should the successful candidate be too far through their studies to qualify to complete the Level 7 qualification via an Apprenticeship, we may offer this role as a fully-funded non-apprenticeship role.

The post is full time – 36/37 hours per week, depending on existing location/terms. Part time and job-share applications will be considered subject to working hours being considered sufficient to meet the demands of the role.

The post may be located in the Birmingham office if approved by the director and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to manage potential capacity issues in this location.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate can expect to be involved in a range of the following:

• General Ledger & Cost Centre Managements e.g. posting accruals and adjustments, assessing VAT appropriateness against HMRC COS guidance and post. correcting journals where appropriate, assessing transactions against appropriate accounting standards.
• Purchase Orders e.g. own and maintain a PO Tracker, raise issues or closures on PO’s.
• Reporting e.g. providing standard and bespoke reporting to decision makers, presenting information at stakeholder meetings.
• Budgets, Forecasts and Spending Reviews e.g. variance analysis, forecast updates, budgetary profiles.
• Further details are available in the Candidate Information Pack.

Person specification

To be successful in this apprenticeship you will need to evidence:

• That you understand the commitment needed to complete an apprenticeship and have a motivation for learning. 
• Have strong analytical and problem solving skills and be able to recognise patterns, trends and draw key conclusions in a wide range of evidence and data.
• You will have a keen eye for detail and enjoy working both as a team and autonomously.
• You will be able to establish and build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders to support the delivery of business outcomes and possess good interpersonal skills and written/verbal communication skills.
• Have a willingness to confidently and constructively challenge at all levels to achieve the right results.
• Be able to keep your own and the team’s efforts focused on the goals that really matter and successfully manage, support and stretch yourself to deliver. agreed outcomes by being proactive and taking ownership and accountability for decisions and commitments.
• Have excellent level of excel skills, with the willingness to enhance further.
• A willingness to travel to other locations when required.

Essential criteria

• You must already hold a Level 4 qualification in Finance or Accounting. Examples of this include a degree in Finance or Accounting, AAT Level 4, CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting (CIMA Cert BA). You must clearly state how you meet this requirement in your application.
• You will be committed to completing a full Level 7 Accountancy Professional apprenticeship, within a maximum of 36 months dependent on current qualifications.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience in Management or Project Accounting.
• Experience of PowerBI.
• Experience of Business World.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,842, Insolvency Service contributes £7,787 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, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, a 500-word personal statement, and behaviour statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

With particular reference to the essential criteria stated in the person specification, and in no more than 500 words, please explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and future aspirations demonstrate your suitability for the role. 

After submission of your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test and Civil Service Judgement Test which you will need to pass in order for your application to be progressed to sift. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible, the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 09/07/24.

If you fail to complete the online tests before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take them. The tests are administered online and accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement and CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

We will test your behaviours, ability and experience as part of the sift process, if successful you will be invited to a short interview where we will test your behaviours, technical skills and strengths.

Candidates will be expected to provide a short accounting treatment assessment presentation.  This will be scored as part of the selection process. Full details of the selection process will be made available to shortlisted candidates once the sift has been completed.

Expected Timeline (subject to change)

• Sift – w/c: 08 July 2024
• Interview – w/c: 22 July 2024
• Location - MS Teams

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

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Insolvency Service 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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

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

Who can start an apprenticeship
To start an apprenticeship, you’ll need to be:

• 16 or over
• living in England
• not in full-time education

You can apply for an apprenticeship while you’re still at school but you’ll need to be 16 or over by the end of the summer holidays to start the apprenticeship. Please note if successful you must be 16 or over to undergo the relevant security checks.

Transforming Workplaces

The Insolvency Service is currently delivering an exciting five-year transformation project that started in April 2022 which will define our future direction supporting a gradual migration to a Regional Centre model combined with smarter ways of working. As part of this, transforming our estate will align us with the government modernisation programmes making The Insolvency Service a great place to work.  

We are letting you know about our future plans because if you are joining the Insolvency Service and are recruited into an office over the next five years that is not one of the Regional Centres, you will be expected to move to one of the Regional Centres in the future. This move would not attract financial assistance.   

The 11 Regional Centres are : Birmingham, Cardiff, Croydon, Edinburgh, Exeter, Ipswich, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Stratford.

Hybrid Working

Insolvency Service operates a hybrid working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others.

Individuals are expected to work from one of the office locations stated in the advert to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs. There is flexibility to split the working week, spending a minimum of 60% in the workplace, which includes the office, site visits, court etc.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via insolvencyrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

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

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.