Finance System Improvement – Systems Programme and Service Level Management Lead

Are you a positive, organised and proactive individual who is looking for a stretching and rewarding role within a busy and fast-moving function? Do you have a passion for leading and developing people and enjoy delivering change?

You must have a professional accountancy qualification or be working towards one, to compliment your knowledge and experience of Finance processes.  
You will be joining the Finance Systems Improvement team which is made up of 7 people and is part of a wider Directorate of Operational Finance. 
As further background, the FSI Team works closely with all stakeholders across the Department’s Finance function as well as with Commercial function colleagues and Defence Business Services (DBS). DBS are the internal shared service provider for transactional processing for the Finance function and they also operate, maintain and develop the corporate systems for all functions within the Department. These include the Department’s Financial Accounting & Commercial Management solution (based on an Oracle platform), its Management Accounting system (based on a COGNOS platform) and its combined Finance and Commercial Reporting solution (also COGNOS based).
The FSI Team are also working with wider Operational Finance, Journey to the Cloud colleagues to identify an approach for moving the Corporate Commercial and Finance systems from the current version of Oracle E-Business Suite (which is hosted on premise) to a cloud-based, Software as a Service offering. Although the role is not directly involved in these early steps for our journey to the cloud, we would welcome applications from candidates with relevant experience in this area. It is extremely likely that the successful candidate will, in the future, become part of the team responsible for implementing our journey to the cloud.

What will the successful candidate be doing?

The role is in the Finance Systems Improvement Team, which is primarily responsible for functional oversight of the on-going use, development and utilisation of the corporate Finance systems used within the Department. This includes major projects, minor change and live support issues relating to the Department’s Financial Accounting & Commercial Management solution, the Department’s Management Accounting solution and its combined Finance and Commercial Reporting solution.
In outline, this role is responsible for:

• Providing functional leadership and management oversight of the minor change programme and live support issues relating to the Department’s corporate Finance systems;

• Managing DBS performance in relation to all Finance related aspects of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) DBS has with the Department.

The MoD is dedicated towards diversity and inclusion and aspires to be an employer where all staff can fulfil their potential and feel confident that their unique perspectives and talents will be valued. As such, we proactively encourage all peoples to apply regardless of identity.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

The main responsibilities of the role are as follows:

1. Lead on developing and updating the corporate Finance Systems Programme to reflect the department’s Finance System Strategy. Continue to support development of the current finance systems and exploitation of new functionalities (including automation) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes. 

2. Oversee DBS in the timely resolution of live system incidents which relate to the corporate Finance systems.

3. Management of the Minor Change Programme, for the corporate Finance systems, to ensure minor change is progressed, by DBS, in a cohesive manner, reflecting agreed priorities of the Finance function and provide assurance/oversight of the outputs.

4. Manage DBS performance against the current Service Level Agreement performance indicators and metrics and work with DBS to develop future enhancements to the monitoring regime. Oversee the reporting of finance based, Departmental performance to external organisations e.g., Cabinet Office etc.

5. Maintain data integrity and controls of financial systems and processes. Manage performance of Department’s Internal Control and Assurance framework to maintain high level of compliance and provide briefing to senior management on performance. 

6. Line management responsibilities for 2 direct reports at Senior Executive Officer (SEO/C1) level 

7. Provision of support of other FSI objectives and wider Operational Finance team, as required.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate a blend of the following knowledge and experience which will allow them to work in a collaborative and complementary way within the FSI team, with DBS colleagues and with other Finance and Commercial colleagues across the Department:

• Professional Finance qualification (CIMA, ACA or ACCA etc.) or be studying towards one (part qualified);
• Programme or Project management skills; a programme/project management qualification is desirable but not essential;
• Proven experience of Finance Business Processes (Government/MoD processes is desirable);
• Experience of Oracle E-Business Suite and/or COGNOS systems is desirable but not essential;
• Experience of cloud-based Software as a Service solutions is desirable but not essential;
• Proven experience of leading a team with excellent people management skills with the ability to promote team cohesion, adapt to changes and improvements;
• Proven communicator, with excellent presentation skills and able to communicate at all levels and areas of expertise;
• Proven ability to build cohesive and collaborative relationships with a range of people and teams, being able to manage conflict effectively;
• Highly developed planning and organisational skills in a financial environment, including experience of delivery and meeting tight deadlines;
• Proven and effective personal resilience to work flexibly and adapt to changing priorities to meet the organisation’s outcomes.

Furthermore, the ideal candidates will be able to provide evidence of this range of blended knowledge and experience through the specific examples they provide in both their written application and, if selected, during their interview.

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

• 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%

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

This post does not offer any assistance with relocation allowances. 

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts. 

Any move to MOD 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 www.childcarechoices.gov.uk   

Please note: Interview travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment by 31st December 2022. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

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Job contact :

• Name : Daliborka (Dada) Kukic
• Email : daliborka.kukic100@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : +443001608141

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk