About the job

Job summary

We’re Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, responsible for regulating water and wastewater services in England and Wales. Our role is to help the sector build trust and confidence with customers, the environment and wider society: keeping water flowing, bills affordable and helping ensure the health of our rivers and waterways. We push hard to improve day-to-day water company performance for customers, including on leakage, sewer flooding and customer service.

We drive the sector to take a longer-term view and to take steps now to protect and enhance the environment, using digital and data innovations and making sure our water supplies are secure for future generations. Through our five yearly price reviews we oversee billions of pounds of investment into the water sector across England and Wales.

You can find out more about Ofwat, our Values and our Framework for Success in the attached Information for Candidates Pack. 

We are looking for a Finance Business Partner to join our Finance team within the Corporate Enablers Directorate at Ofwat.

The Finance Business Partner at Ofwat has a key role in providing analysis and reporting to inform successful decision making. In this role, you will support Ofwat budget managers with their expenditure, ensuring they are effectively planning and forecasting to accurately monitor their budget. 

You can find more information about the responsibilities of the Finance Business Partner role in the attached Candidate Information Pack.

Job description

Key deliverables:

Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will be responsible for:

• Month end preparation and closedown
• Budget forecasting, analysis, and reporting
• Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with budget manager and 
  other stakeholders
• Supporting budget managers with financial processes including purchasing 
  activity
• Budget setting for new financial years
• Allocation of new funding and supporting budget managers with mobilising spending plans
• Year-end completion, including accruals, audit preparation
• Liaising with internal and external auditors
• Development and delivery of finance training for the business
• Reporting development
• Continuous improvement of processes
• Ad hoc reporting such as FOI requests
• May also involve support for financial control activities, including:
  • Financial accounts preparation & year end closedown 
  • Fixed asset accounting 
  • Government data returns preparation and submission
  • Support for Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions
  • Finance system administration

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need the below essential attributes, experience, skills and knowledge:

Experience, skills and knowledge 

• Lead criterion: Experience in a finance business partner role
• CCAB qualified or part-qualified.
• Technical expertise in Excel.
• Experience of finance processes and systems with a focus on continuous 
  improvement.
• Public Sector finance experience including knowledge of managing public money
• Ability to influence business performance through analysis and presentation of financial information to senior decision makers
• Experience of horizon scanning - proactively highlighting risks and opportunities; and developing actions to mitigate, correct or explore as appropriate with senior decision makers
• Experience in supporting budget holders to monitor and capitalise assets
• Effective communication skills with the ability to deliver messages to non-technical audiences.
• Experience of successfully building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders.

Attributes 

• You can deliver outcomes
• You are a champion and a leader of change
• You can make relationships count
• You are an adaptable thinker

Attributes as per Ofwat's Framework for Success for Senior Associate Band. You can read more about Attributes here.

Benefits

Why You Should Join Us: 

We are forward-thinking, creative, innovative and ambitious. We actively encourage autonomy, collaboration and innovation and we have a unique culture fostered by trust, flexibility and respect.

We strive to ensure our people feel connected and valued, where their voice matters. You will be provided with the space and support to shape your future while taking greater control of your own growth and development.

You will also benefit from:

• Excellent employer pension contributions, for this role ranging from £10,004 to £12,743. You can find further details about pension schemes under Terms and Conditions in the Candidate Pack.
• 25 days’ annual leave (increasing to 30 with each year of service) plus bank holidays and an extra 2.5 days of privilege leave.
• Access to exclusive discounts on a variety of goods and services, including retail outlets, theatre tickets, holidays, insurance, and a gym membership.
• Flexible working arrangements that suit your lifestyle.
• Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies.
• Up to 3 volunteering days per year.
• Recognition vouchers scheme.
• Generous shared parental leave and pay.
• Enhanced sick pay.
• Free eye tests and contribution to lenses/spectacles for VDU users.
• Regular development opportunities.
• Health and wellbeing initiatives.
• Season ticket loan for home-to-office travel.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

How to apply

Apply through the Civil Service Jobs website where you’ll be asked to create an account and complete an application form (CV and personal statement). If you’re unable to make an electronic application, please contact recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk and we will support you in completing your application.

Please ensure you have submitted your application in full ahead of the deadline listed below. Unfortunately, we won't be able to consider late applications.

Selection timetable

• Closing date: 1 January 2024 at 23:55
• Sifting: Week commencing 1 January 2024
• Pre-interview Stage: Week commencing 8 January 2024
• Interview date(s): Week commencing 15 January 2024

Assessment process

Sift Stage

At sift stage we assess your application against key essential skills, experience, and knowledge, listed in the professional requirements section above. 

In your application, please state clearly how your skills, experience, and knowledge meet the essential criteria.

In the event of receiving a large number of applications, a pre-sift may take place on just the following lead criterion: Experience in a Finance Business Partner role.

In your personal statement, please address the lead criterion and tell us more about your previous finance business partnering experience. Please structure your response using the STAR method and include evidence of the impact that you have made in your role.

You can read more about the STAR Method here.

Pre-Interview Stage

At pre-interview stage, you will be given an Excel task to work on for a specified period of time. You can find more information about the pre-interview stage in the attached "Candidate Information Pack".

Interview Stage

We will assess your Experience, Skills and Knowledge as well as Attributes (set out in the professional requirements section) at Interview Stage.

You can read more about Attributes in Ofwat’s Framework for Success.

As part of the interview process, we may require a short presentation. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates upon invitation to interview.

Please note that the interviews will be conducted via video conferencing software such as Microsoft Teams.

If you have any queries about any aspect of this role, selection process, or you require any reasonable adjustments please email recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk.

Please read the attached "Candidate Information Pack" for details on terms and conditions.

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.