About the job

Job summary

The Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) is responsible for holding departments and arms-length bodies to account for their handling of fraud in the public sector. The Authority will write the standards for counter fraud work across government and hold public bodies to account against these. Working in the PSFA offers access to a wide range of stakeholders across government and the opportunity to work with various sectors in a high profile policy area with high media, parliamentary and ministerial interest. 

The Team

The PSFA was launched on the 3rd August 2022 following an increased focus in government on tackling fraud. It succeeded the Government Counter Fraud Function (GCFF) in the Cabinet Office. The PSFA is at the centre of this function and leads work across government and public bodies to improve the prevention, detection and recovery of fraud. The PSFA is outcome and performance driven, offers a depth and breadth of expertise and works jointly with HMT to tackle fraud in the public sector. 

The PSFA, whilst sitting within the Cabinet Office, reports jointly to the Cabinet Office and Treasury Ministers. Maintaining close working relationships with HMT colleagues is key to ensure the PSFA can deliver its mandate effectively. The PSFA is a team of c.130 staff members with locations across the country – including Newcastle, York, Glasgow and London. As a result, hybrid working is fully embraced and teams are encouraged to collaborate in the various Cabinet Office Hubs around the country. 

The team offers opportunities for fraud experts, risk experts, measurement experts, data analysts and policy professionals. The range of opportunities allows for constant professional development and means that collaboration is always at the heart of what we do.

Job description

This role will sit in the Core Services team of the PSFA. This is the central cross-cutting team sitting at the heart of the PSFA in the broader office of the CEO. The role will be managed by the Chief of Staff and will sit alongside the Private Office, Business Management and Commercial leads to support the wider PSFA in the delivery of its policy and operational objectives. 

As the Head of Finance, you will have responsibility to support the budgets of the ExCo function and service leads. This will include providing advice and plans on how best to manage the budget of each workstream; challenging budget holders on spending plans; ensuring spend aligns with strategic priorities;  drive value on spending plans; and build and maintain trusted relationships with ExCo members.  You will be responsible for the overall integrity and management of the financial position for the PSFA. You will have effective leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. 

As the Head of Finance you will be responsible to the COO and ExCo. You will manage complex budgets and contribute to future spending review plans. In this role you will have overall responsibility for the delivery of balanced budgets and driving out savings, for the PSFA. You will be comfortable being a proactive self starter. 

Delivery of results through others and effective negotiation at senior levels will be key. The Head of Finance will develop and maintain business partnerships and relationships and influence others where there may be divergent and conflicting views. This role will task manage 1 HEO and work closely with the Chief of Staff, HR and Commercial leads. 

You will engage the wider finance function to access centres of excellence to provide a full service to budget holders, influencing and engaging others across finance to maintain and enhance financial control.

Responsibilities 

• Delivery – Lead the delivery of timely and robust financial information to ExCo, enabling you to influence business decision making for the PSFA. 
• Budget – manage the various function and service line budgets to develop robust budget plans and monitor those plans.
• Spend control – Influence the affordability and prioritisation of business plans and seek to maintain spend within their financial boundaries.
• Business resources – Monitor headcount plans and limits, working with the HR lead, look at resource issues and cost of resources to deliver business priorities.
• Stakeholder Management – Identify and manage stakeholder relationships and need for senior level support. Manage internal and external relationships as appropriate.
• Risks & Issues – Identify and monitor budget risks and opportunities. Develop mitigating actions and advise the CEO and ExCo on how to deliver. 
• Financial assurance – Provide advice on spending types, VAT treatment, accounting treatments and adherence to spending controls to budget holders.
• Governance – Understand and advise on governance routes for change according to financial tolerance.
• Commercial acumen – Understand the commercial landscape, pipeline and financial impacts of contracts according to their payment base and mechanisms, and work with the commercial lead to ensure all contracts are effectively monitored and reported.

Person specification

Essential Skills

• CIMA/ CCAB qualified or equivalent finance qualification, or actively working toward.

Desirable skills

• Experience manage large scale/ complex business areas.
• Working knowledge of financial control regimes.
• Experience of working in finance functions in central government.

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 £53,400, Cabinet Office contributes £14,418 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 and Experience.

Application process

Applications will be sifted on the behaviours - Changing and Improving, Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service. Your application will also be sifted on your CV, where you should list your job history, skills, experience and qualifications. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Managing a Quality Service. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection process

Interviews will be conducted remotely via Google Meet (formerly known as Hangouts) and selection will be conducted using the behaviours - Changing and Improving, Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service.

Expected timeline (subject to change)
Expected sift date – TBD
Expected interview date/s – TBD
Interview location - TBD

Reasonable Adjustment

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.

Further information

You will be required to travel to our other office locations on occasion. 

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

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

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

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

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.