About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Are you a qualified financial accountant who has excellent leadership skills?

Would you like to be responsible for the team that lays accounts for parliament?

Are you looking for a new exciting role where you can work with a diverse range of stakeholders such as as Network Rail, National Highways and HS2 Ltd?

If so, then we would love for you to apply!

Job description

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a diverse team responsible for the Annual Report & Accounts for the Department and its Arm’s Length Bodies, whilst working closely with a wide range of stakeholders across the department, the Government Finance Function, National Audit Office and HM Treasury.  DFT finance and accounting functions are well-regarded across government and we have a track record of laying the Accounts before the summer recess with a clean audit opinion.

You will play a leading role in delivering the Department’s annual financial statements which report total spending of over £20bn and assets of more than £600bn.  The Department’s group accounts are among the most complex in government, consolidating the Core department with 19 arm’s length bodies which include major infrastructure companies such as Network Rail, National Highways and HS2 Ltd.  These accounts are laid in Parliament and their publication attracts significant interest. 

You will play a leading role in managing the DFT Accounts team, ensuring the team’s accounting deliverables are achieved to a high standard and you will lead the Accounts team’s working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Key accountabilities of the role include:

• Preparation and delivery of the Department’s financial accounts
• Leading key financial controls and processes
• Managing and developing a team
• System and excel – being a key influencer in the cross-departmental cluster to drive decision making for the new ERP system 
• Stakeholder engagement
• Finance advisor - Collaborating with other technical specialists in the team you will be comfortable providing rounded financial advance to colleagues across Group Finance and the wider department

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

Person specification

You will have experience of financial accounting in a complex environment and a strong track record of delivery.  You will have excellent planning and organisation skills, often coordinating competing priorities to deadlines. You will have the ability to work at pace and find creative solutions to problems to achieve positive results.

You will have strong management and leadership skills, able to motivate and develop people around you and to build an inclusive culture.

You will enjoy building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across DFT and other organisations, using excellent verbal and written communication skills to engage a wide range of stakeholders on complex financial issues. You will have experience of working and developing systems within a large enterprise structure such as SAP or Oracle.

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, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Occasional travel to other DfT offices will be required.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

https://careers.dft.gov.uk/our-agencies/department-for-transport-central/

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How to apply

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your  CV and Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:

• Accounting in a complex environment and the delivery of financial accounts using Government Financial Reporting Manual and/or International Financial Reporting Standards
• Leading and developing a finance team, inspiring and motivating them to deliver high quality results
• Building positive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders at all levels
• Experience of working and developing systems within a large enterprise structure such as SAP or Oracle

Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 1000 words.

The sift is due to take place from 2nd April. 

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 15th April.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An interview

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

Please see attached candidate notes for further information about our recruitment process.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

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.