Defence Business Services (DBS) FCS Pensions Finance Accountant

Are you a dedicated person who is passionate about making a difference?

Would you like to work for the Ministry of Defence?

Defence Business Services (DBS) is one of the largest shared service organisations in Europe that provides a wide range of corporate services, to over 1.2 million end users, including serving and past military and families, as well as MoD civil servants and industry. DBS delivers large scale administration and smaller specialist services to enable the wider MOD to focus on its core aims, maintaining the UK’s Defence and Security. Services include Human Resources, Pay, Veterans, Finance and Procurement.

• Our Vision – To support UK defence customers with outstanding service every time.
• Our Mission – Together we will proudly support Defence, continuously improving and delivering flexible, timely, sustainable and value for money services that underpin the whole force and enhance operational capability.

DBS is committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues. We are building an inclusive culture and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us through opportunities to develop your skills and experience. We also offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career accessible to you and offer a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. Where your role permits, we support a blended working approach alternatively known as hybrid working

Applicants should note that DBS has recently undertaken a review of its operational locations in the North West, and will consolidate all activities in Blackpool. This means that DBS staff will move from both Walker House (Liverpool) and Cheadle Hulme in the late Summer of 2023 and initially relocate to Tomlinson House (Norcross). A further move, to the new Government Hub at Talbot Gateway in Blackpool, is scheduled to take place in 2026. 

As a result, all vacant DBS posts in the North West will be advertised at Tomlinson House (Norcross). There is, however, an expectation that all DBS staff, irrespective of their agreed duty station, will travel to other DBS and/or MOD site(s), as required, to complete all necessary training and to participate in team or additional collaborative activities – detached duty terms may apply. Terms of transfer have been negotiated for DBS posts relocating in the North West. DBS also supports Flexible Working, which can be discussed in more detail at interview. 

Come and join the DBS community today!,

Pensions Finance sits within the Centres of Excellence (CoE) area of the Finance Functional Leadership Service Delivery Model (see attached finance welcome pack). The post has been aligned closely with the Financial Accounting & Reporting job family within the Finance in the Business (FitB) area, providing applicants with the same access to resources as their FitB colleagues (Communities of Interest, Career Pathways, Learning and Development opportunities etc).

The SEO Financial Accountant role within Pensions Finance leads 4 personnel with 2 direct reports and is responsible for managing Pensions Finance key financial and accounting outputs in relation to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS), Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and War Pensions Benefits (WPB), such as monthly in-year management accounts and management reports, year-end AFPS/AFCS accounts, year-end WPB submission to the MOD Accounts, WPB Annual Budget Cycle (ABC) submission and managing mid-year and year-end National Audit Office (NAO) audits.

The post-holder will also be responsible for managing the Pensions Finance team’s involvement in, and contribution towards, the ongoing programme of business transformation, ensuring the teams requirements are captured within project deliverables and that associated accounting processes, impacts and risks are considered and escalated as necessary.
The post-holder will also be responsible for managing the Pensions Finance team’s involvement in and contribution towards the ongoing programme of business transformation.  Ensuring the teams requirements are captured within project deliverables and that associated accounting processes, impacts and risks are considered and escalated as necessary.

The post-holder will attend and contribute to the AFPS Accounts Committee and represent Pension Finance in a number of stakeholder user groups / workshops.  Networking and engaging with colleagues across the business in order to understand and assess current and emerging issues and risks to the Scheme finances and audit process.

Key Responsibilities:
•    To oversee the production of the monthly management reports and the year-end accounts for AFPS and WPB.
•    Production of spending plans and Supplementary Estimates for AFPS to the OBR timetable and WPB to the MOD ABC timetable.
•    Submission of forecast outturn and spending plans data into OSCAR (for HMT Spending team) and Oracle/PB&F (for MOD).
•    Managing the NAO audit of the schemes ensuring sufficient audit evidence is produced and audit observations/recommendations are addressed.
•    Production of relevant financial and scheme membership data for the Government Actuary’s Department’s (GAD) annual calculation of the AFPS liability.
•    Point of contact for all internal and external stakeholders e.g. HM Treasury, NAO, Defence Internal Audit (DIA), GAD, OBR, Defence Resources, Defence Statistics, and SSCL (the contractor).
•    Completion of the Pensions Finance Information Asset return.
•    Maintain the Pensions Finance Business Continuity Plan.
•    Act as Pensions Finance lead for Continuous Improvement Initiatives

The position reports to the G7 Head of Specialist Services & Pensions Finance through to the G6 Deputy Head of Finance & Corporate Services as part of an overall DBS Finance Function of c.30 civilian personnel.

• An experienced finance professional in providing services as a subject matter expert, preferably in the pensions, governance and scrutiny space.
• Comfortable engaging and briefing senior stakeholders, and both internal and external auditors on complex financial positions as well as leading and managing multi-disciplined teams within a wider finance function.
• Commitment to Continued Professional Development of self and team.
• A proven track record of continuous improvement of financial systems or processes.
• Qualified with CCAB, (CIMA or equivalent) with financial experience.

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Changing and Improving

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

• An environment with flexible working options Monday-Friday
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service (pro rata). In additional to 8 public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The Sovereign’s birthday
• Hybrid working where role permits
• An opportunity to be considered for Reward and Recognition – £250-£5000 per year
• Family-friendly policies including – parental leave and adoption leave
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• Professional and personal development of skills
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Minimum of 15 days special leave in a rolling 12 month period for volunteer reserve commitments
• Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days per year
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Allowances:

• CCAB Accountancy Recruitment and Retention Allowance – £3000
• CCAB Accountancy Qualification Allowance – 13% – £5330

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

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.

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

Employment Hours:

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

Job contact :

• Name : James Grimshaw
• Email : james.grimshaw106@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBS-EnhancedRecruitmentTeam@mod.gov.uk