About the job

Job summary

We are delighted to share that we are now hiring for a Senior Commercial Finance Manager (Qualified) to join us in Commercial Finance at Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The Commercial Finance team is a small team with a broad reach, operating across critical commercial and procurement categories and projects, providing colleagues with financial guidance and support, before and during the life of critical commercial contracts.

As a team we’re responsible for providing financial support to major procurements projects and post contract award support, which includes Open Book analysis, supplier viability analysis, payment modelling, and financial Strategy development.

The position of Senior Commercial Finance Manager will be focused largely upon commercial finance activity supporting different workstreams within the Commercial Directorate, currently Employment, Health, and Estates.

Job description

Tell me more about the position

You’re a senior, trusted and expert voice on Commercial Finance. You’ll provide specialist and strategic commercial finance advice to senior decision makers and ministerial advisors.

Our team supports over £6bn of public sector tenders. We help our customers in designing payment methodology for new procurement activity, drive the financial evaluation strategy, and leading in procurement dialogue and contract negotiations.

DWP is a huge organisation, and we have a complex stakeholder network. You’ll collaborate with, and support senior stakeholders within Commercial, Operational and Policy communities. Acting as a business partner you’ll provide analytical insight and data-driven recommendations to them, with the commercial wisdom to challenge when needed, and help develop and implement our wider approach to commercial finance. 

Career Development & Learning

Colleagues have joined us from a variety of backgrounds, sectors and specialisms; they enjoy the exposure and stretch opportunity this position provides. 

Your learning, development and career growth journey doesn’t end when you join DWP. It’s just getting started. Everyone in DWP gets a guaranteed 5-days learning per year when they want to expand their accounting skills, and the reality is you’ll have access to as much learning as you want.

DWP Finance has a significant remit to implement the Government’s welfare and economic growth so there is lots of opportunity to progress.

We have a highly supportive and collaborative finance and commercial community here – you’ll be able to tap into that expertise through coaching and mentoring programmes and the collaborative nature of your work.

Person specification

The roles and responsibilities for this position include, but are not restricted to:

Commercial Finance Activities

You’ll be leading a small team of accountants. You’ll standardise the approach to commercial finance modelling activities across DWP’s major programmes including:

• Lead and manage financial analysis and cost intelligence projects across high-value procurement activities together with assessing supplier financial viability.
• Lead and support commercial finance engagement with stakeholders.
• Provide specialist advice and guidance to senior stakeholder and the wider organisation - including payment models, investment, make or buy decisions, ‘should cost’, financial due diligence and contractual terms.
• Contract/In-life Management – lead and design financial analysis during tender rounds and in-life contract management, including building a new team to roll out open-book contract management.
• Payment methodology and design – working with operational colleagues to design robust and fair payment mechanisms to maximise successful outcomes, whilst managing risk and achieve value for money for the taxpayer.

Analysis

We assess the financial health of our suppliers before and during contracts, to ensure the best value for money in our programmes, whilst minimising the risk of disruption to citizen critical services.

You will be managing/delivering financial analysis to support provider financial dialogue during major procurement activity and post contract negotiations. Providing critical financial insight to deliver ministerial intent and influence senior stakeholders.

Our work feeds into contract award decisions and impacts departmental funding requirements.

You will:

• Have a high level of analytical and commercial curiosity, coupled with the enthusiasm to investigate and deliver astute financial analysis.
• Support on bid Evaluations – providing analysis and supporting during negotiations to ensure we drive the best value for money in the Departments.
• Confident in presenting your analysis to stakeholders and going beyond the numbers to deliver a compelling narrative to inform board level decisions.
• Apply financial analytical insight to programs to make evidence-based and data driven recommendations in a commercial environment.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

The application process will involve uploading a CV and personal statement. To be successful, you must demonstrate your experience matching ALL of the Essential Skills listed below. Further information under ‘Application process’.

What do we need to see from you?

To be successful in joining DWP Commercial Finance you should be able to demonstrate the following Essential criteria as part of our application process:

• Hold a full chartered level professional qualification awarded by an IFAC recognised accounting body for example ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or ICAEW, and to hold full membership of that body.
• Financial modelling experience, the ability to scope, design and build models in Excel (VBA experience is desirable) with practical experience of modelling complex transactions.
• Data analysis, creating bespoke analysis and comfortable going beyond the numbers to deliver a compelling narrative in a project related environment.
• Experience in developing new strategy and propositions to maximise commercial opportunities.
• Have strong leadership skills and experience of leading and developing individuals and teams effectively in delivery of complex procurement projects and programs across a diverse portfolio.
• Demonstrate previous experience of working collaboratively across a range of stakeholders at all levels, using appropriate communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge and manage stakeholder expectations.

Benefits

Pay, benefits and culture

You’ll join us in one of our brilliant DWP hub locations of Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Newcastle, Manchester or Sheffield.

Our team loves the ability to balance their life and their work, with flexible hours, flex-friendly, hybrid working (some time in the office, some time at home) and lots more. Flexi-time policy means that at those times when you might need to work longer to get the job done, you build up flexi-credits that you can use to start later or finish earlier or take extra days off.

Our teams are friendly and supportive – the work we do is important, but your life, health and happiness come first. In return for your skills, we offer salary range of £56,230 to £73,261 p.a., an attractive Civil Service pension with employer contributions of over 28% into a defined benefit pension scheme and a generous leave package of 25 Days, rising to 30 Days over time.

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes: 

• Flexible working and family friendly policies.
• Volunteering and charitable giving.
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more.
• Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it’s even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference.
• Sports and social activities.
• Learning and development, including coaching, mentoring, progression opportunities and guaranteed 5-days formal learning per year.
• And lots more.

CLICK APPLY for further information and to start an application on Civil Service Jobs.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete: 

• Provide personal information.
• Enter your CV in the space provided, setting out your employment history.
• Complete a personal statement (maximum of 1250 words) which should demonstrate how you meet ALL the essential skills as set out in the job description.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Stage 1 Assessment - Sift:

At sift, we will assess your application by using your CV and personal statement only. To be successful, you must demonstrate your experience matching ALL of the Essential Skills listed in the job advert above.

Please note that you are not required to produce behaviour-based examples in the content of your CV or personal statement as these are not assessed at sift. Applications will be sifted and scored based on the information supplied in both your CV and personal statement and entered as one overall score within the results.

Stage 2 Assessment - Interview:

If you are successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to a video interview using MS Teams, we will assess your relevant experience against the essential skills mentioned above.

Candidates invited to interview, will also be expected to deliver a 5-minute presentation to the interview panel during the interview. The presentation will be 5 mins plus up to 5 mins for questions.  Slides will be allowed, and the topic of the presentation will be given to those invited to interview ahead of the interview being held.

Indicative Timeline:

Please note that the following dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. If you are unable to meet these time frames, please let us know in your application.

• Sifting Panel: to be held from w/c 7 July 2024 onwards.
• Final Panel Interviews: to be held from w/c 12 August 2024 onwards. (PLEASE NOTE - due to summer leave across the Team, there is a slight delay between sift results and interviews commencing).

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

Postings 

Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences and the geographical requirements of the business.  

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location. 

Successful candidates will be posted to a specific role and will have the opportunity to express a preference as part of the selection process, although final decisions may come down to business need, and the skills and development needs of candidates. Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP.  

The roles available will be based in;

1. Birmingham – 3 Arena Central, Bridge Street, Birmingham B1 2AX.
2. Blackpool Peel Park – Brunel Way, Blackpool FY4 5ES.
3. Cardiff, Treforest – Ty Taf, Main Avenue, Treforest CF37 5YN.
4. Glasgow – Atlantic Quay, Glasgow G2 8SP.
5. Leeds – Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7UA.
6. London (Westminster) – Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA.
7. Manchester – 2 St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 3AA.
8. Newcastle – Benton Park View, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE98 1BA.
9. Sheffield – Hartshead Square, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S1 2FD. 

Some travel may be required, but individuals’ circumstances will be taken into account. 

Places for Growth and Social Mobility

As part of the Places for Growth Programme, we are committed to delivering a more geographically diverse Civil and Public Service that will better serve the public and ministers.

As part of this initiative, we are continuously reviewing how we recruit into each location.

Any move to DWP 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
 
Hybrid working 

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home.  

This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account.  

If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post. 

 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/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.
 
Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:Contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.

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

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.