About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role at the heart of the Government Security Group, with visibility supporting the leadership and their teams. 

The post-holder will help build finance capability within the group and deliver all aspects of the in-year financial management across a range of programmes and funding areas. This is an essential role to manage the funding that will enable Government Security to deliver its strategic priorities and long-term vision.

Acting at the heart of Government Security, the post holder will support all aspects of financial management within the group, developing appropriate reports to ensure key decision-makers have good quality information and insight and ensuring adherence to internal controls and corporate reporting. 

Government Security has an exciting vision to deliver over the next five years and this role is a key Finance business partner to ensure the group has the right resources to deliver that.

Job description

The post holder will be responsible for:

• Continuing to develop the Government Security Groups financial management processes, working with the business and finance colleagues to ensure compliance with all relevant controls.
• The post holder will be required to work across a wide range of stakeholders, to ensure understanding and build capability. 
• Act as a financial business partner to help manage all aspects of in year and future years budget management for their assigned stakeholder group.
• GSG manages a significant programme portfolio and this requires flexibility to meet the changing demands of the group.
• Contribute to financial corporate reporting to ensure accurate YTD results reflected and credible forecasts are provided on a monthly basis, this will include working with a range of stakeholders to build your understanding of the business and developing appropriate management information and analysis to communicate financial results across GSG.
• Help manage the financial commitments and income, including enabling income for shared services that are received from customers.
• GSG has a complex funding structure so it will be vital to work closely with senior managers to understand priorities.
• Potential to have line manager responsibility for a direct report to manage and develop, whilst contributing to the culture of continuous improvement and innovation in the small team to support the organisation.

Person specification

Essential skills and experience:

• Strong financial analytical, budgeting and forecasting skills to understand and manage the financial performance of GSG.
• Effective finance business partnering experience, with ability to understand business activities and how that translates into financial expectations/requirements, combined with an ability to review information sources and extract and distil into the key points.
• Interpersonal and communication skills working collaboratively across a breadth of internal and external stakeholders to build trust and credibility, with appropriate communication of financial matters and results.
• Ability to effectively manage competing demands in tight time frames, ensuring continuous progress across a range of responsibilities.
• Reasonable understanding of financial end to end processes or ability to learn and apply quickly.
• Reasonable capability with Excel and/or Google sheets for analysis/forecasting purposes.

Desirable skills and experience:

• A part or fully recognises professional accounting qualification is desirable but not essential.
• An understanding of government finance and the control processes for public spending.
• Working knowledge of security (cyber, physical and or personnel security) and, or, experience of working in a security related environment. 
• Capability to identify business risks and opportunities with financial implications.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace. Although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,850, Cabinet Office contributes £11,029 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.

Application process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, 500 word personal statement as well as five 250 word behaviour statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

During the blended interview you will be assessed against your experience, behaviours that are contained in this advert and strength based questions, the strength questions are ones in which we wish to gain your initial response.  

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Expected sift date – w/c 26th of February
Expected interview date/s – 11th to 13th of March
Interview location - virtual

Further information

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

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

Any move to Cabinet Office 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

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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 or 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

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

Reasonable adjustments

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 cabinetofficerecruitment.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. 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.