About the job

Job summary

Finance supports all of the Royal Navy’s activities, from front-line operations to personnel support and training; finance and governance; safety; equipment acquisition; programmes and planning; and Defence Engagement.

The Finance Business Partner is a critical role which is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team for the business you support responsible for influencing the strategic direction of the business and enabling the organisation to deliver against itsNavy  plan, objectives and outcomes. You will be required to act as a finance business partner, delivering accurate, timely and considered strategic Financial advice to the Military Operations Budget Holders and SROs in Navy Command whilst safeguarding the taxpayer.

We are looking for someone who is committed to providing an excellent finance service, guiding and supporting senior decision makers while leading a small and successful team and balancing priorities and challenges. The role will also require collaboration skills to ensure the finance function works optimally across the different parts of the organisation.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

This Finance Business Partner role will require you to utilise abilities and strengths drawn from interpersonal and professional skills supported by deep technical knowledge. By applying these abilities together with their contextual understanding of your business’ strategic goals, plans, performance and risk management, the FBP will be equipped to provide strategic financial advice and enhance the quality of decision-making.

As part of the Navy finance leadership team you will support the development of your team and wider finance function staff, providing opportunities for development and encouraging ideas for improving team performance.

Duties include:

Provide Leadership and Line Management to your team.

Supporting the business to deliver their outcomes – Working collaboratively with the business and other functions to enable the delivery of business plans and objectives.

Driving financial performance – against agreed targets working with partners. Develop an understanding of the drivers behind key variations and work with the business to identify remedial actions, risks and opportunities

Providing constructive challenge, scrutiny, insight and analysis on financial plans and programmes to ensure ambitions are sustainable, aligned to strategy, maximise value for money and are linked to benefits.

Reporting and analysing the business financial position for consolidation to Head of Corporate Reporting

Reviewing Financial Accounting treatment and resolution of accounting anomalies and/or anything adversely impacting the SOFP

Supporting your business area in the development of the 10-year plan. Providing constructive challenge, scrutiny, insight and analysis on financial plans and programmes.

Input into the development of business cases, investment appraisals and proposals identifying and highlighting any potential issues.

To find opportunities for new efficiencies and support in delivering the existing pipeline.

Implementing Continuous Improvement – embedding continuous improvement in the service finance provides by seeking and delivering those changes that add most value.

Acting as the link between the business and the rest of finance-Engaging with the wider business and knowing how to network across the broader function to access deep technical expertise.

Building effective engagement – developing successful partnerships and maintaining relationships with business leadership and across your spere of influence.

For this role the business needs are such that the successful applicant should expect to be regularly in office in Portsmouth with regular travel to other Navy Command locations.

• A 12-month reserve list will be held for this vacancy, with the potential for other equivalent roles to be filled at a later date.

Person specification

You will have experience of working as a Finance Business Partner in a complex environment. At this level the individual will be able to demonstrate their experience and skill against the following criteria and be confident and articulate briefing at Board Level.

• Experience of delivering pragmatic and robust approach to financial control and governance, as well as managing a sophisticated financial portfolio
• Excellent leadership credentials, with a proven track record of developing and leading impactful teams
• Experience of communicating complex financial information simply and effectively to a range of customers
• Experience of using financial, operational performance and economic data to deliver insight that both drives and facilitates change and continuous improvement.
• Acting as the link between the business and the rest of finance, you will build relationships, support the business to deliver their outcomes, drive financial performance, and provide constructive challenge and, scrutiny.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,670, Ministry of Defence contributes £15,570 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.

We’ll assess your application using Civil Service Success Profiles using Behaviours and Experience.

To apply please complete the advertised CS job application process and submit your CV including relevant skills and a 500-word max personal statement demonstrating how you meet person specification listed. You'll also need to submit a 250 word CS Behaviours statement providing evidence of your Leadership Skills.

At Sift we'll assess your CV/Personal Statement against the job requirements with both being scored. Then, for those that pass the minimum requirement, we'll assess the Leadership behaviours statement. If you don't pass the first stage we won't assess the Leadership Behaviour. if you are invited for interview we'll assess you against the following Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of gender and ethnic group. Appointment will be based on merit alone.

Sifting will take place late April. Successful candidates will be contacted to arrange an interview which will take place at Navy Command Headquarters, Portsmouth following Sift. Candidates will be assessed against all behaviours at interview.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.