About the job

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Job Title/ Position        Finance Business Partner - Probation
Grade    SEO
Number of Vacancies    2
Business Group    COO Group
Directorate    Finance Business Partnering
Location    1 x Kent, Surrey & Sussex region; 1 x East of England region (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Suffolk)
Hours    37
Post Type     Permanent 
Role Type/ Team    Finance

Ministry of Justice an Inclusive Employer

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer of choice and ensuring equity of opportunity for all. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring in terms of their culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Overview

The Ministry of Justice sits at the heart of public service delivery and the government’s wider social reform agenda, working to protect and advance the principles of justice. The department has been at the forefront of the Government’s wider efficiency agenda making finance roles an exciting and challenging opportunity.

The main purpose of the FBP team is to provide strategic support and challenge to business areas, in line with the FBP Directorate delivery plan, and to ensure that decisions are made with reference to financial information and consequences, putting finance at the heart of decision making.

The FBP team works with other Finance teams across the function to provide a high-quality finance service to the department, and in particular form a close co-operative relationship with the Management Accounting Centre of Excellence.

The Band B (SEO) FBP will interact regularly with geographically dispersed units to build and sustain trust, ensuring they keep strategic oversight of all agendas.

You will join a team of up to 20 FBP’s that support Probation.  This post will cover the Kent, Surrey & Sussex region or East of England region supporting senior leaders.   

Role Summary

Finance Business Partnering SEOs are responsible for building strong relationships with their stakeholders, understanding the business, and explaining financial information to budget holders in an understandable manner.

FBPs spend a significant proportion of their time within the business, interacting regularly to build and sustain trust, ensuring they keep strategic oversight of all agendas.

Typical Role Responsibilities

The service provided by the FBP teams will be in line with the adoption of the cross-government vision set out in the “Excellence in Finance Business Partnering” handbook and be built around three distinct services.

The Business Expert

The post holder will support the business and the Lead Finance Business Partner in the strategic finance leadership of functional areas within the business area, covering or deputizing where appropriate. They will be required to develop an understanding of the long-term strategy of the business areas they are asked to support, considering the strategies of both the wider department and overall business vision.

The post holder must be able to clearly communicate technical, business and financial information to external stakeholders, using the most appropriate methods. They will be expected to proactively identify gaps in financial knowledge within the business and put in place mechanisms to support the enhancement of financial skills within their business.

The Finance Business Partner must display a knowledge of the operational priorities and short, medium- and long-term targets that their assigned business areas must meet and be capable of advising on key business planning assumptions, trade-offs and opportunities. They should be able to support the strategic vision of the business by offering a broader overview of the department and wider government priorities.

The post holder will provide ad hoc analysis and additional insight on specific issues - using resources provided from the Management Accounting team and other Finance expertise outside of their FBP team.

The Influential Voice

The post holder will be responsible for building and maintaining effective key stakeholder relationships within their own areas of responsibility and the wider business area. They should display an ability to remain focused on the overall business strategic vision during negotiations, and when to challenge for the benefit of the business.

They will be required to partner leadership teams to support decision-making and governance, including attendance at and influencing governance and senior leadership team/boards. This will include building a partnership with key stakeholders within the business, including identifying who may hold conflicting interests and managing these accordingly, to support and influence key operational and strategic business decisions of the business.

The Finance Business Partner will support the business to improve efficiency and to manage their budgets effectively, working in partnership to flag opportunities and risks early and use data to support, challenge and assure decisions being taken by stakeholders and to drive better outcomes.

They will foster a culture of knowledge sharing, a collaborative environment between business, finance and other corporate services.

The Financial Advisor

The post holder will provide specialist financial advice to the business including delivering robust accurate forecasts, value for money on contracts, identifying costs and benefits in any investment decisions, and contributing to the design and review of business specific financial planning models and business cases.

They will support and co-ordinate the interaction of other financial experts with the business as required (e.g. Tax Centre of Excellence, Commercial Finance Team, Financial Strategy & Planning) to provide detailed support and challenge. This will include supporting the relationship with the Management Accounting team, to ensure an appropriate and effective split of responsibilities, and in collaboration with the Management Accounting team add insight to data and business information.

The Finance Business Partner will support the work of the business and the Lead Finance Business Partner focused on helping budget holders interpret and fulfil their responsibilities for financial governance, control and risk management – including compliance with Managing Public Money and other HM Treasury financial control framework requirements. They will support the business to identify and effectively monitor risks and opportunities, recommending solutions and prompting mitigating action by the business.

Entry Routes

Suitable for staff with the required skills and / or experience from within or outside Finance

Within Finance  

This role may be suitable for Finance individuals at HEO or SEO with the required influencing and interpersonal skills.

From Outside Finance

This role may be suitable for HEOs on promotion and SEOs with the required data analysis, influencing, stakeholder management and numeracy skills and who are interested in joining the Finance function.

Progression Routes

Staff in this role typically transfer to Management Reporting SEO, Financial Accounting and Reporting SEO or Business Support SEO roles, or progress to Financial Business Partnering G7, Management Reporting G7 or Financial Accounting and Reporting G7 roles.

Role Responsibilities/Tasks

The post holder will have:

•    The ability to influence others, using verbal and written communication to articulate their thoughts, ideas and rationale in order to gain agreement.
•    The ability to work across multiple areas, bringing together expertise from a range of teams to drive valued outcomes.
•    Experience of building productive and long-lasting relationships with others and establishing mutual respect.
•    Experience of providing professional finance and corporate services to senior stakeholders and influencing business decisions.
•    Experience of communicating and presenting financial information to a non-financial audience. 
•    Challenger – someone who can bring a fresh perspective, appreciating the many different angles and other views to consider in arriving at a quality outcome.
•    Strategic – be an individual who can consider the wider factors and long-term implications of decisions, and both understand the big picture and can engage others on this.
•    Established technical finance expertise and/or demonstrated experience 
•     Good knowledge of Excel

Other duties

The post holder will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post. This may also include working closely with other MoJ Finance staff to develop solutions/problem-solve, engaging in project work to drive finance improvements.

Behaviours Required 

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours, and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

•    Communicating and Influencing
•    Managing a Quality Service
•    Seeing the Big Picture
•    Working Together

Please refer to the Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which can be found here, to complete this application: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

•    If we receive a large volume of applications, we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on one lead behaviour. The chosen lead behaviour for this campaign is Communicating and Influencing

In addition to Civil Service Behaviours identified above, candidates will be assessed using the following:

•    A Statement of Suitability is required consisting of a maximum of 250 words.
•    CV
•    Candidates who reach interview stage will also be required to give a presentation.

Interpersonal Skills

•    Possesses emotional intelligence and can think empathetically, considering the strategic goals of others.
•    Fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between the business, finance, and other corporate services.
•    Can tailor their communication style to a range of audiences, including internal and external stakeholders.
•    Uses facts and evidence to aid negotiation and influencing.
•    Helps others to understand the interdependencies between business and finance.
•    Proactive and passionate, inspiring others to continuously improve.
•    Ability to "speak the language" of finance to business, and vice versa, acting as the critical translator between the two.

Professional Skills

Key for Levels of Professional Skills

•    A = Awareness
•    W = Working
•    P = Practitioner
•    E = Expert

Core    Level

Budgeting, forecasting, and costing    P
The Budgeting Framework    W
Commercial acumen    W
Investment appraisal and evaluation    W
Strategic analysis and insight    A
Oral and written presentation skills    E
Performance and risks    W
Data and analytics interpretation    P

Useful    Level

Taxation    A
Interpretation of accounts    A
Government financial reporting    A
Supporting the PAC agenda    A
Understanding the role of the NAO    A
Risk management and fraud    A

Qualifications

Recommended:

•    Part Qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent
•    Working towards qualification

In addition to salary, a pensionable, non-contractual specialist allowance will be applied to this role. Specialist allowances apply to certain roles only, are non-transferable to other roles and are subject to annual review.

Travel

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working.  Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

Working from your base location site and other Probation sites within the Kent, Surrey or Sussex region or East of England region (should any face-to-face meetings be held there) is required (typically 2-3 days per week).

The post holder is expected to meet their own travel costs to and from their base location. If required to attend a location other than their base location (to other probation sites across either the Kent, Surrey & Sussex region or the East of England), post-holders may be entitled to claim some or all any extra expense (beyond the usual base location travel costs) in line with the T&S policy.

Applicants are advised to access the JCC/JSO office map, which is updated whenever a new JCC/JSO site opens, to determine potential travelling times and distances to MoJ locations before applying for a job.

Application Process

To apply please complete the online application form. Applications will be sifted by a panel who will look at the Civil Service Behaviour framework and what is evidenced in your application. Should many applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses.  

Candidates who are successful following the sift process will be invited to interview, where the behavioural elements and strengths will be tested further alongside other elements of the post. Candidates who reach interview stage will also be required to give a presentation.

Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates in advance of the interviews.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees.

Interview dates: Expected WC 13/05/24.

For further information please feel free to contact (John O’Gorman, john.o’gorman@justice.gov.uk) 

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,868, Ministry of Justice contributes £10,804 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.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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.