About the job

Job summary

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help work, work for you.

Please note, If successful, you’ll be required to pass Security Check clearance We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

Job description

Do you like the idea of having the opportunity to be involved in the delivery of some of the biggest and complex defence programmes in the UK today?  We are looking for a Cost Controller to work within our Chinook Cost Control Team based from Yeovil.

Working as a Cost Controller you will have responsibility for the consistency and accuracy of management cost information and financial performance reporting, the purchase of military equipment, as well as the support for it once it is in use. Within this role you will record, analyse and report project costs and undertake related cost control activities, ensuring all financial and performance reporting requirements are met.  

Want to hear what one of our current Level 2 Cost Controller – Finance staff thinks of their role? 

“I enjoy working as a Cost Controller in Chinook because the role is part of a friendly, inclusive team that support each other in a flexible working environment and gives many opportunities for professional development.’’ 

You will be part of a team of 10 and you will see the impact of Cost Control work on the front line by working closely with other functions such as Engineers and Project Managers. There may be opportunities to visit military bases to see Chinook in operation and to travel abroad to visit industry partners. This role offers the opportunity to gain a wide experience across cost control activities including forecasting, financial management and assurance.  

Regular in-person attendance is required to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. You’ll currently be expected to spend 60% of your working week onsite, though this could change in the future. 

What you’ll be doing

• Monitor project expenditure against approvals, reconciling financial reports to accounting systems to produce month end Management Accounts.  
• Work with the Project Delivery Team to produce and report financial forecasts for current and future year
• Collaborate with project managers; providing challenge and conducting variance analysis including financial risk commentary. 
• Provide Financial input, challenge and information at the Monthly Financial Performance review with the wider delivery team to empower stakeholder decision making. 
• Assist with the production of Earned Value Management (EVM) analysis to demonstrate project performance and analyse variances to plan, determine impact on the schedule and cost to complete the scope of work.  
• Communicate complex financial performance data in a simple and understandable form to key members of the Project Delivery Team and non-financiers.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Previous experience of working in a cost or finance management environment, or suitable/relevant analytical discipline. 
• Previous experience in cost or budgeting and forecasting  
• Experience of working independently and within a team 
• Be able to provide advice on specific financial subjects to stakeholders

 

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Cost Management Supervised Practitioner
• Ledger Management - Supervised Practitioner
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,800, Ministry of Defence contributes £9,396 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

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills

Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.

1. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

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

Security

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

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.