About the job

Job summary

National £65,302- £75,129

Outer £67,288- £76,967

Inner £69,275- £78,805

The Financial Strategy & Planning team leads and influences the UKHSA strategic financial position, driving value for money, and strengthening public trust through transparency of strategic financial information.

The team is responsible for informing budget negotiations and securing financial resources, ensuring financial plans are fully aligned to organisational strategy and departmental outcome plan and for assessing the holistic financial performance and risks across the breadth of the organisation, providing expert financial reporting and insights to produce and communicate strategic level management information at Senior levels and ensure organisational affordability. Finance lead with external stakeholder relationships including DHSC, HM Treasury, Other Government Departments and Ministers.

This is a pivotal and senior role within the team, providing strategic management reporting to senior internal and external stakeholders, adding value to financial information to inform Organisational and Departmental decision making.

The post holder will work intrinsically with UKHSA Senior leaders to understand the in-year financial performance of the organisation and make recommendations on the effective use of funding available and risk exposure.

They will undertake all tasks and activities related to producing financial information for all Senior governance forums, including ExCo, Advisory Board and Sponsorship Accountability Meetings. Required to forge strong and influential relationships with the wider finance community and DHSC Finance.

Location

National Flexible Location – nearest UKHSA Site Hybrid Working

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working – this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. UKHSA have office locations across the UK.

This role can be based at one of our UKHSA offices/locations (Leeds, Manchester, Totnes, London, Horsham, Cardiff, Bristol, Nottingham, Harlow, Liverpool, Fareham, Gloucester, Newcastle and Birmingham) with opportunities for an element of working from home. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.

The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business needs and in line with departmental policy.

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.*

Job description

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Provide insight into the monthly financial position of UKHSA and highlight the key UKHSA financial issues, risks and opportunities. Finance interface with DHSC via DHSC’s Finance Sponsor team and links into the DHSC accountability process via UKHSA’s wider sponsor teams.
• In-year management monthly reporting cycle, analysis and insight. Leading the reporting and insight team in scrutinising and reporting the monthly financial position at a strategic level for UKHSA. Work with the wider Finance function to identify, develop and prioritise cross cutting organisational analysis and insight for the organisation.
• Financial performance reporting. Production of organisational financial performance reporting and dashboards to Senior stakeholders to effectively communicate the position and risks.
• Sponsor Liaison & Accountability meetings. Develop strong, collaborative relationships with DHSC Finance Sponsorship team and Strategic Finance and contribute to the monthly and quarterly sponsorship accountability governance processes, understanding and considering the Departmental position and risk
• Leadership and management of Team. Lead and motivate a diverse team to deliver challenging objectives and deliverables against short-time scales.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1000 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

Essential

• Qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent qualification with Full membership of a professional accountancy body recognised by the CCAB, or CIMA
• Experience of being a proficient leader with an ability to engage and operate with seniors with confidence and credibility with excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage internal and external stakeholders
• Can demonstrate intelligent analysis of complex financial information, drawing out common strategic themes, understanding linkages and dependencies,
• Good Excel skills and drafting skills, combined with strong oral communication and presentational skills,
• Experience of leading and motivating diverse teams to deliver.

Benefits

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

For more information on the UKHSA please visit: UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%.
• Range of health and wellbeing support.
• 26 days annual leave allowance increasing to 32 days after a 10-year service.

Any move to UKHSA 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 Childcare Choices , 30 Hours Free Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More , Help with Costs , GOV.UK

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. 

Your Statement of Suitability (max 1000 words) should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

**Please do not submit your CV, we require you to complete the full application process including a Personal Statement/Statement of Suitability, as outlined below. Please ensure that your Statement of Suitability contains no personal identifiers e.g. name in either the file name or content of the document.**

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview by video. 

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification/using the Success Profiles framework. 

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Seeing the big picture
• Making effective decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at pace

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 22nd January 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Interviews: TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

Security clearance level requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website.

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.