About the job

Job summary

In the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile.

The DHSC Finance Group operate at the heart of the Department and act as a critical enabler to delivering Departmental and cross-Government priorities. We are responsible for efficiently managing the department’s budget, holding the health and care system financially accountable to Parliament and setting the long-term strategic direction for the NHS estate.

We also oversee one of the biggest and most complex account consolidations in the world, covering almost 700 organisations. We work with teams across the Department, NHS and ALBs, and wider Government to achieve this.

We are a friendly, inclusive, and supportive Finance Group and Department. We invest in our people to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive at work and to support the growth of an excellent Finance Function. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

Job description

We are recruiting to multiple SEO Finance roles via this job advert, the roles available are across numerous Finance Career Families, some of which are outlined below. For more details on Finance Career Families please visit the link here.

Management Reporting – The successful candidates would be involved with in-year financial management, adding value to the numbers by providing insight and analysis and producing financial reports to meet budget holders needs, or involved in financial planning and budgeting through implementing outcomes of fiscal events to ensure department priorities have the resources they need.

Financial Accounting and Reporting – The successful candidates would significantly contribute to delivering financial controls, providing technical accounting advice, and producing the annual report and accounts.

Finance Business Partnering – The successful candidates would lead on building strong relationships to influence, enabling effective financial management, and putting finance at the heart of decision making.

The successful candidates should expect to be placed in the most suitable role based on their experience and responses if attending an interview.

We will be hosting candidate awareness sessions for any interested applicants to hear more about the DHSC Finance Group, please sign up by emailing Jennifer.Edgar@dhsc.gov.uk to attend, these will be hosted on MS Teams during the application window.

Depending on the Finance Career Family, finance qualification requirements may vary, however individual finance qualification status should not deter candidates from applying. All successful candidates will be supported to finalise or undertake a professional finance learning qualification through a suitable apprenticeship at Level 7 or directly funded if not eligible or suitable for an apprenticeship. 

Person specification

Key skills and experience required for the role:

The key skills that a candidate should demonstrate on their application and at interview if successful are: 

• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate effectively (written and verbally) with staff and stakeholders at all levels.
• A team player who excels at working collaboratively both within the team and with wider stakeholders.
• Good organisational skills and a proven ability to plan and manage competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently and proactively on defined projects, or co-ordinate the delivery of components of larger projects.
• A positive role model with a strong commitment to learning and developing their skills and those of others.

Essential experience:

The essential experience that a candidate should demonstrate on their application and at interview if successful are: 

• Practical experience in one or more area(s) of management accounting, financial planning, financial accounting or finance business partnering.
• Commitment to transformation and a passion to continuously improve processes and teams we work in.
• Ability to work in multi-functional teams, across team boundaries, taking responsibility and ownership for areas in portfolio, with support from Grade 7.
• Ability to analyse large and complex financial data and draw well-reasoned conclusions to support or provide challenge to business decisions.
• An awareness or interest in accounting standards and their application in Government via the Financial Reporting Manual.
• Proficient IT skills, comfortable working in Microsoft Excel and Power BI, with an interest in developing self and others data skills.

A finance qualification is not essential to the role, however, is a desirable qualification for the applicant to hold, be working or willing to work towards. If the successful candidate is fully qualified with a CCAB/CIMA or equivalent, a £7k market pay supplement is available in addition to the base salary outlined in the job advert.

Your personal qualities are as important as your professional experience; and we encourage and welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you believe you have the skills and experience, we are looking for, then we would love to hear from you.

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds.  Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support. 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need. 

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,025, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £10,806 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Sift date: expected W/C 1/4/24

Interview date: expected W/C 15/4/24

Interview location: Virtual, By video. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift.

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.

Applications will be sifted on CV and Statement of Suitability. 

Candidates are required to provide a CV with a maximum of 2 A4 pages outlining their job history relevant to the ‘key skills and experience’ listed in the job advert.

Please use your statement of suitability (500 words max.) to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the 'key skills and experience required for the role' as set out in the job advert.

An initial sift based on the Statement of Suitability may be held if a large number of applications are received. 

At interview candidates will be assessed on Strengths, Behaviours and Technical. 

Candidates will be asked a presentation which will assess a technical skill. Details of the presentation question will be issued to candidates with the release of the sift scores.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance. 

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

Further Information

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

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

Any move to DHSC 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

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 dhscrecruitment.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.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

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.

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

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

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.