About the job

Job summary

Finance Directorate is undergoing an exciting transformation as we prepare for the introduction of our new Oracle Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning system. As part of our wider finance operating model changes, we are looking to appoint a Deputy Director, Financial Operations.  

This is a great opportunity for a customer-focused finance professional to drive forward innovation at the heart of the Scottish Government and to make a significant impact on its ambitious corporate transformation programme.

This role sits within Financial Operations Division in the Finance Directorate within the wider Director General (DG) Corporate family in the Scottish Government.

One of five divisions reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, Financial Operations delivers the crucial financial services that are relied on across the Scottish Government, public services, and the wider economy every day.

The Division plays a key role in ensuring appropriate stewardship and use of Scottish Government funds, delivering a range of transactional services including payments, debt management and banking services, as well as specialist VAT and Construction Industry Scheme services and advice to directorates across the Scottish Government and over 30 other agencies and bodies. 

Financial Operations is responsible for generating around £50bn of payments to the private, third and public sectors each year, and on average makes 98% of payments within the 10 day ministerial target.  The division also manages the Scottish Consolidated Fund through which the Scottish Government funds the spending plans approved by the Scottish Parliament in the annual Budget Act.

You will lead a division of up to 60 staff, supported by the Deputy Head of Financial Operations and your Branch Heads.

Job description

• As part of Finance Directorate SMT, lead the creation of strong financial culture and identity, empowering staff, promoting accountability and enabling the autonomy to deliver against priorities.

• As a member of the SMT, support the wider leadership of the directorate’s finance operating model,  ensuring that the benefits of systems changes and new technology are maximised, including around automation, effective use of data and information governance, and process improvement. 

• Lead the management and development of the Financial Operations Division, ensuring delivery of high quality financial services across the Scottish Government and relevant agencies and bodies in line with ministerial prompt payment commitments. 

• Ensure that essential business as usual activities are maintained at all times, adapting quickly to develop solutions, and ensuring that associated processes and systems are secure and resilient and have strong business continuity arrangements. 

• Provide oversight of the Scottish Government’s funding arrangements through the division’s management of the Scottish Consolidated Fund, ensuring that all statutory processes are followed, and that annual accounts are produced and audited timeously.

• Lead the division’s work to transition to new ways of working as part of the shared services programme, engaging and supporting staff and customers across organisational boundaries to embrace change and drive forward high-quality financial services.

• Develop and deliver the Scottish Government’s vision for Financial Operations, leading business planning and change management to shape services for the future.

• Support teams to be the best they can be through learning and development, while demonstrating and reinforcing our in the Service of Scotland values.  

• Raise the profile of finance, supporting further strengthening of financial and commercial awareness of staff across the core Scottish Government and its bodies. 

Person specification

Specialist Expertise

It is essential that you can provide evidence of: 

• A strong track record of success as a financially and commercially astute finance professional in a senior finance leadership role. 

• Leading delivery and improvement in a financial operations environment, such as accounts payable, cash management, banking and payments or similar functions.

• Working collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver financial outcomes, preferably in large-scale multi-user environment working with a large range of customers and delivery partners.

 We are looking for someone who can help to consolidate our work to date and develop integrated strategies to deliver the next stage in our financial operations and shared services provision, and it is highly desirable to have experience of change management and financial and system transformation in this context.  Experience of Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications will be particularly useful.

 The Leadership Framework behaviours and attributes that this role requires are: 

Leading collectively

• Effective and visible leadership, influencing and supporting corporate activities and goals as a member of a senior team.
• Managing and championing agreed processes and controls that protect and enhance the regularity and propriety of public funds through safe and secure management practices, financial reporting and transparency.

 Developing others

• Embedding an inclusive, learning culture in your teams, trusting and empowering others to achieve high performance and innovation.
• Ability to actively manage wellbeing, build resilience, and create an environment where diversity of thinking and perspective is valued and nurtured.

 Leading others

• Setting clear strategic direction which creates a sense of collective purpose, and manages risks and resources to deliver high quality financial activities.
• Strong communication and engagement skills, which inspire confidence with Ministers and build effective collaboration with stakeholders at all levels. 

 Understanding and developing self

• A strong understanding of yourself as a leader and a passion for your work and your own continuous personal development. This includes acting as a role model for inclusive leadership, demonstrating energy and passion for the finance profession and wider public service, and your commitment to delivering real world outcomes.

 Qualifications

You must be a fully qualified accountant with a relevant CCAB professional accountancy body (or equivalent) or CIMA, with up-to-date CPD.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £86,400, Scottish Government contributes £23,327 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

Applications should be submitted no later than 23:55 on Friday 19 January 2024.

 

Please consult the Candidate Pack and Further Information Pack when preparing your application.

To apply, you will need to submit an online registration form via the Applicant Tracking System (iCIMS), and supply the following supporting documents, again through iCIMS:

A CV including your contact details; relevant and recent employment history; qualifications that are relevant to your application; and skills and interests (these can be used to describe any additional training or abilities relevant to your application).

A Supporting Statement (no longer than 1500 words) which relates your personal skills, qualities and experience to the requirements of the role, and the essential criteria, as described in the Candidate Pack.

The system will acknowledge your application.

 

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

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.