About the job

Job summary

GDS exists to help the government make brilliant public services that empower people in the UK. We work at the very centre of government to drive digital transformation, focused on users. We build and maintain common platforms, products and tools for others to use and create great public services that are accessible, inclusive and easy to use. We also work with departments to identify patterns, share learning and create change to make a government more efficient.

Our teams are organised around delivering on our priorities, these are:

• Make it easier for people to find what they are looking for on GOV.UK
• Build common service platforms to make it simpler and cheaper to build quality digital services
• Deliver the One Login online identity verification programme
• Promote agile, user-centred design practices both in the UK and overseas

Job description

As Senior Finance Manager, you will lead in producing accurate insightful financial reports and forecasts and making recommendations to ensure that GDS lives within its funding envelope. You will also be responsible for ensuring that GDS complies with accounting policies and standards, and complies with Cabinet Office (CO) business rules and functional standards. You will lead the finance and operations team (7 FTE), developing them so that reporting and processing meet agreed deliverables across GDS and CO. Above all, you will be a visible leader across GDS, ensuring that financial information enables effective decision-making. As Senior Finance Manager, you will:

Lead the monthly financial reporting process:

• collaborate with CO Finance to process accrual/journals and close GL; 
• work with business operation leads/deputy directors across GDS products to update forecasts and submit to CO Finance;
• draft the financial input for the monthly operational and metric reports for GDS Directors, and variance reports for CO Finance; 
• work with GDS operational and product teams to investigate budget variances and make recommendations to rectify;
• complete other financial reporting requirements such as GMPP reporting.

Ensure compliance with accounting policies, standards, and business rules:

• work with GDS product teams and CO finance to ensure capitalised labour cost complies with CO accounting policy and meets NAO evidence requirements;
• ensure GDS complies with CO business rules and Spend Controls while variances to the quarterly compliance report are explained and rectified;
• ensure GDS income is invoiced in a timely manner and work with CO credit control to ensure that debt is paid on time;
• ensure that the GDS chart of accounts and cost centre structure meets GDS reporting requirements and reflects organisational changes.

Collaborate with GDS strategic planning function to develop high quality and timely CSR products:

• work with planning leads to align CSR 24 financial plans with those of 23/24 and 24/25 so that any programmatic slippages or new cost pressures are identified promptly and treated appropriately in CSR and in year plans;
• ensure CSR plans are taut and realistic and produced in accordance with accounting policies and standards, especially with regard to capital and resource funding requirements. 

Person specification

We’re interested in people who:

• possess a CCAB accountancy qualification;
• have experience in producing meaningful and accurate financial reporting in a complex funding environment;
• have experience of financial reporting in an agile digital environment;
• can present complex financial information in a clear and understandable format to non-financiers;
• can work effectively at pace alongside other functions to deliver great outcomes;
• communicate effectively with others, especially to those outside of the finance function.

Benefits

The benefits of working at GDS

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for The King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• paid volunteering leave
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to children's holiday play schemes across different locations in central London
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

GDS offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their local office. You’ll agree to your hybrid working arrangement with your line manager in line with your preferences and business needs.

Any move to Government Digital Service 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

Things you need to know

Selection process details

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• a brief presentation. Comprehensive details will be shared with shortlisted candidates
• a 60-minute video interview

In the event we receive a high number of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criteria which is: 

• Possess a CCAB accountancy qualification

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours: 

• working together
• communicating & influencing
• seeing the big picture
• delivering at pace

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

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

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.

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.