Head of Financial Reporting

Background: The UK Space Agency: 

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the government’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision. 

Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons. 

We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country. 

Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development.  We also promote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes. 

We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency. 

More information about the Agency is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency 

To discover more please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZZ-o0IkVU

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.

This is a really exciting opportunity for a high-performing, qualified finance professional to join the UK Space Agency’s Finance team as Head of Finance Reporting.  Reporting to the Assistant Director of Finance the post will be a leading and very visible role within the UK Space Agency finance team. They will be able to demonstrate technical accounting skills of the highest quality developed within environments demanding the highest levels of transparency and probity.  Likewise, experience and an understanding of accounting principles relating to complex accounts and successfully delivering large scale business process and control improvements are also essential.  Experience and understanding of public sector accounting principles is highly advantageous. Key responsibilities will include but not be limited to: –

• Supporting the Assistant Director of Finance to embed finance future ways of working within the team and the Agency through leading a team of finance professionals to deliver the Agency’s financial objectives.
• Leading the production of the Agency’s annual accounts and financial elements of Annual Report and Accounts, such as governance statement. Ensure the application of current and accurate financial accounting policy in order to assure accurate Agency accounts.
• Management of the relationship with the National Audit Office (NAO) to ensure that they complete their financial audit to agreed timescales.
• Development of accounting policies for new grant schemes.
• Undertake proactive communications engagement with DSIT Sponsor Team to ensure awareness of any issues and full understanding of Agency mitigation. Leading on the relationship with the DSIT Financial Reporting team to ensure that they have information for the DSIT consolidated accounts meeting DSIT year-end timetable.
• Support the Assistant Director Commercial to undertake oversight and assurance activity on Grant policy and process
• Leading on continuous improvement from a Financial Reporting perspective including but not limited to improving the clarity and impact of both financial reporting and non-statutory disclosures.
• Provision of technical accounting advice such as providing IFRS 16 advice to both finance and non-finance colleagues.
• Ownership of the financial policies for the Agency. Ensuring they are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they are fit for purpose.
• Oversee the undertaking of regular financial assurance, and reviews of compliance with financial policies and procedures through advising on the design of financial controls, and on the measurement of fraud and error.
• Leading on the relationship with Shared Service provider UKSBS (UK Shared Business Services) for the financial services provided.
• Collaborating with the Agency Risk and Assurance Officer to ensure financial assurance is captured in the Agency integrated risk and assurance plan.
• Active participation in governance forums across UK Space Agency providing expert financial advice, guidance, and support to a range of stakeholders.

Essential Criteria:

• CCAB (Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies) qualified.
• Strong technical accountant, with detailed knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Financial Reporting Manual (FReM).
• Ability to construct and present accounting policies for complex transactions, and to interpret the IFRS conceptual framework in situations where IFRS standards are not directly applicable.
• Building and maintaining strong and effective relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Significant experience of dealing with auditors (or a background in auditing), and the ability to anticipate and proactively address audit risks.
• A thorough understanding of managing public money and consolidated budgeting guidance.
• An understanding of grants functional standards.
• Ability to advise and support stakeholders in the development of complex business cases.
• Ability to explain and articulate complex financial information to aid business decision making.
• Highly numerate individual with strong analytical skills
• Experience of leading a team
• Excellent written skills and an ability to explain complex financial information to non-finance audience.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills to influence senior management as well as senior programme leads or technical experts
• Ability to work on own initiative and under pressure with competing demands to tight deadlines
• Ability to work proactively to anticipate issues and develop options/solutions in order to prevent escalation
• Proven interpersonal skills with an ability to work within own team as well as with colleagues in other parts of the organisation
• Good knowledge of Excel

Desirable Criteria:

• Advanced knowledge of Excel and accounting systems
• Experience of working within a central government department
• Experience of reviewing business cases to Treasury Green Book guidance

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Developing Self and Others
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Changing and Improving
• Developing Self and Others

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Statutory Reporting, Audit (interim & Final) and Technical Finance Advice

Benefits

UK Space Agency offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.

Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.

An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.

Access to a range of retail, travel, and lifestyle employee discounts.

A generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home, or elsewhere, as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this).  If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Job contact :

• Name : Olu Mohammed
• Email : olu.mohammed@ukspaceagency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : uksarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk