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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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About the job
Job summary
The Assistant Management and Systems Accountant is a key role in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, reporting to the Management Accountant, and accountable to the Chief Executive Officer of VMD.
The role is responsible for key month end activities ensuring accuracy and providing insight, which support the Finance Team to produce financial reports. You will manage an aspect of the financial systems controls and user support processes and engage with the business to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and monitor data quality.
This is an excellent opportunity to take on a role within our finance team to ensure that the financial systems procedures and processes are up to date and support the Management Accountant in the production of monthly reports.
Job description
The role will provide resilience within the finance team for the production of timely monthly management reports and manage an aspect of the financial systems.
The role reports to the Management Accountant
You will:
- Ensure the integrity of transactions on financial systems, and good controls and checks are in place to maintain accuracy
- Undertake all month end activities, including processing journals, budget profiling and accurate forecasting
- Engage with stakeholders to provide support and identify opportunities for continuous improvement or transformational change
- Develop collaborative relationships with key stakeholders and negotiate effectively with Finance Business Partners, Governance, and senior budget holders.
Main duties
- Maintain the Fixed Asset Register
- Lead on the contribution to the Consolidated Defra Group Accounts
- Manage the expenses and time recording systems and provide user support
- Engagement with the business to identify opportunities for continuous improvement
- Review systems for data specific non-compliance and monitor data quality
- Manage key month-end activities ensuring accuracy and providing insight to support the Management Accountant in producing financial reports
- Provide support on the submission of Defra and OGDs returns
- Lead on financial data/reporting request such as report production for Finance using SEI or other report creation for Sage data
- Supporting the finance team in the preparation of annual budgets and monthly forecasts
- Line management
- Ad hoc support for the Finance Team
Person specification
Experience and Qualifications
You will have a broad level of finance experience and understanding of government accounts, working in a complex organisation, with the skill to interrogate technical systems
- Candidates are required to be partly, newly, or fully qualified: CCAB or equivalent accountancy qualification.
You should also have or be able to:
- Support Management Accountant in delivery of financial reports
- Develop collaborative relationships with key stakeholders
- Good communication skills and ability to work with the team effectively to ensure delivery of outputs
- Good organisational skills and the ability to deliver and manage competing priorities
- Strong attention to detail and excellent record keeping skills
- Experience of applying International Financial Reporting Standards.
- Strong Excel skills
Qualifications
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
Benefits
£9,133 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
- Free onsite parking
- Free eyesight test
- Onsite gym
- Access to a prayer room
Blended Working Approach
We want to support your wellbeing by ensuring that flexible working is at the heart of our people offer. This means, that subject to business need, successful candidates will be offered the option to combine some working at home with working at their contractual Defra group workplace. Further information relevant to this post will be available for candidates invited to interview.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application Process
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement, and Behaviour Statements.
The CV will ask for your job history, qualifications and past skills and experience.
Your Personal Statement should be no more than 500 words and should outline how your skills and experience are relevant to the job description, responsibilities and person specification.
When giving examples of Behaviours please use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format.
Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift,or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours, Experience, and Strengths.
Sift and Interview dates
The sift will be conducted week commencing 31st July 2023
Interviews are currently scheduled to take place by MS Teams week commencing 21st August 2023
Please note that this timeline is indicative at this stage and could be subject to change.
Location
Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Near miss
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.
Salary
New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
Visa Sponsorship Statement
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
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 defrarecruitment.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 youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Criminal Record Check
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 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.
Internal Fraud Database Check
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 offenses. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants 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.
Full Time post
This is a full-time post but part-time working (at Least 80% FTE) and job shares could be possible, although a degree of flexibility would be required so that the job holder(s) could take full responsibility for all aspects of their own work, including attendance at relevant meetings. In order for a job share to be considered there must be two people who are successful at interview who want to work in this way. Term time working would not be possible due to the short timelines assigned to the tasks.
Higher Security Clearance
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Kashif Shah
- Email : k.shah@vmd.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : DefraRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission.
