About the job

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Job Title/ Position      Senior Financial Accountant – Legal Aid Agency
Grade                        SEO
Number of Vacancies    1
Business Group    Financial Reporting, Transactions & Governance
Directorate    Financial Management & Control
Location    National 
Hours    37
Post Type     Fixed Term Contract – 1 Year
Role Type/ Team    Finance

Ministry of Justice an Inclusive Employer

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer of choice and ensuring equity of opportunity for all. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring in terms of their culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Overview

The Ministry of Justice sits at the heart of public service delivery and the government’s wider social reform agenda, working to protect and advance the principles of justice. The department has been at the forefront of the Government’s wider efficiency agenda making finance roles an exciting and challenging opportunity.

The Ministry’s functional leadership model for finance brings together specialists into a single, unified team across the Department with the vision of putting finance at the heart of decision making. This change is being conducted through the Future Finance Programme.

The Financial Accounting (FA) team will support the department by providing a centralised, professional service that supports the entire department and individual business areas and entities, whilst adhering to the key principles in Managing Public Money, the Estimates Manual, Consolidated Budgeting Guidance, the Spending Controls Framework and Budget Holder Responsibilities.

Role Summary

Financial Accounting and Reporting SEOs are expected to produce the statutory financial accounts or estimates ensuring they meet HMT reporting standards. They will liaise with a range of colleagues and wider stakeholders to obtain and assure the information relevant to the production of these external reporting outputs.

Typical Role Responsibilities

Financial Accounting and Reporting SEOs are expected to produce the statutory financial accounts or estimates ensuring they meet HMT reporting standards. They will liaise with a range of colleagues and wider stakeholders to obtain and assure the information relevant to the production of these external reporting outputs.

Entry Routes

Suitable for staff with the required skills and / or experience from within or outside Finance

Within Finance 

This role may be suitable for individuals in the following roles:

• Financial Accounting and Reporting HEO
• Business Partnering HEOs or SEOs with sufficient technical accounting knowledge
• Finance HEOs or SEOs with the required numeracy and technical accountancy skills.

From Outside Finance

This role may be suitable for HEOs on promotion and SEOs with the required numeracy skills.

Role Responsibilities/Tasks

• Leading the preparation, of financial statements, notes and related disclosures for annual report and accounts ensuring these are in line with financial reporting manual (FReM) and IFRS
• Ensuring the completeness of audit packs for Financial Audits
• Supporting the business on accounting issues, ensuring that appropriate government guidance has been consulted
• Updating and maintaining accounting policies, providing training, and upskilling where appropriate
• Liaising with NAO to ensure that evidence and robust explanations are provided to support the audit
• Liaising with stakeholders to ensure that accurate Estimates and ambits are provided to HMT
• Supporting senior team members in producing statutory financial accounts and estimates
• Providing analysis and drafting to support the Estimates Memorandum for Parliament, and additional analysis to support responses to PQs and FOIs.

• Reviewing current systems and processes to make sure they incorporate the appropriate financial controls and that system documentation is accurate and up to date.
• Responsible for monthly reconciliations of ledger balances within both in-house and outsourced systems and making sure discrepancies are resolved in a timely manner.

Behaviours Required

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours, and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

• Making effective decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Please refer to the Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which can be found here, to complete this application: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

If we receive a large volume of applications, we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on one lead behaviour. The chosen lead behaviour for this campaign is Making effective decisions.

In addition to Civil Service Behaviours identified above, the following are required:

• A Statement of Suitability is required consisting of a maximum of 500 words
• CV

Interpersonal Skills

• Ability to develop collaborative relationships with key stakeholders e.g., NAO, Finance Business Partners
• Good coaching and leadership skills with the ability manage a team, ensuring that staff are being developed and have the tools and support to deliver their objectives

Professional Skills

Key for Levels of Professional Skills

• A = Awareness
• W = Working
• P = Practitioner
• E = Expert

Core
Understanding of International Accounting Standards    E
Understanding of all Govt guidance relevant to role e.g., FReM    E
Presentation skills    P
Drafting skills    P
Excel skills    E
Interrogation of technical systems    P

Qualifications

Recommended:

• Level 4 qualification with AAT, CCABor CIMA
• Qualified with CCAB, CIMAor equivalent
• Working towards a qualification
• Financial experience over an extended period of time

Travel

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working.  Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

Application Process

To apply please complete the online application form. Applications will be sifted by a panel who will look at the Civil Service Behaviour framework and what is evidenced in your application. Should many applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour Making Effective Decisions.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses. 

Candidates who are successful following the sift process will be invited to interview, where the behavioural elements and strengths will be tested further alongside other elements of the post. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates in advance of the interviews.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees.

Contact point for applicants:

Job contact

Name : Noel Langley

Email : noel.langley@justice.gov.uk

Telephone :07974968445

Recruitment team :

Email : Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,868, Ministry of Justice contributes £10,804 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.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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.