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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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About the job
Job summary
In Year Management, Planning and Performance, Cabinet Office Finance.
Cabinet Office Finance is responsible for all aspects of the Cabinet Offices finances, including business and financial planning, performance reporting, in-year financial management, financial accounting, management of Parliamentary Supply, and production of the Cabinet Offices annual accounts. Cabinet Office Finance is within Strategy, Finance and Performance Directorate, a multidisciplinary team that bringing together finance, commercial and other corporate functions under the leadership of the Cabinet Office Chief Financial Officer.
Job description
This role will involve management and understanding of the overall Cabinet Office financial position. The post-holder will help to provide strategic financial analysis and reporting which will be used to support the departments leadership.
Presenting robust and intelligent reporting will be an essential part of the role, with forecasting and Business Intelligence systems being a key tool in achieving these aims. The post holder will have excellent data handling and analytical skills and an aptitude for developing skills in interacting with financial systems to produce powerful analyses. In addition, the candidate will have excellent written communication skills and be able to distil financial data into a compelling narrative for board reports.
The role involves working with Finance Business Partners to provide challenge to forecasts and influence the strategic direction of the business units by providing an independent view of what is happening to the Department as a whole. The post-holder will need to develop an understanding of the Government Supply Estimates process, to ensure robust forecasting and ensure financial information can be readily translated from the departments accounting system into the government-wide system operated by HM Treasury.
We are looking for individuals who are enthusiastic, self-starters who will thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
The role will provide lots of opportunity for both personal and professional development in an innovative organisation at the heart of Government.
Responsibilities
Monthly Forecasting & Reporting Process
- Deliver prompt, and accurate management information. Take a proportionate approach based on materiality, with emphasis on providing insight.
- Quality assure integrity of data used to support robust forecasting, feeding back where operational data is inadequate or inaccurate.
- Maintain a strong understanding of the overall financial position of the Cabinet Office and specific business areas. Provide incisive variance explanations of material /sensitive /volatile areas, with clear summaries and interpretation for senior management.
- Gather, maintain and interpret a record of financial Risks and Opportunities for the financial year, reporting these regularly and articulately to senior stakeholders.
- Ensure the consistency of data used for financial reporting against the internal chart of accounts and externally to HM Treasury (through OSCAR submissions).
Budget Management
- Work as part of a team on the Main and Supplementary Estimate processes.
- Oversee the forecasting process, providing trend data to Finance Business Partners to inform the annual budget and workforce plans.
- Ensure that detailed budgets are accurately profiled, documented and uploaded to agreed timetables.
- Overall control of the integrity of budget transfers ensuring they are adequately commissioned, tracked, approved, loaded and control totals are reconciled.
Continuous Improvement
- Develop and maintain effective policies to meet corporate and departmental strategic objectives.
- Work on system and reporting improvements, particularly focusing on Business Intelligence tools.
- Develop strong, collaborative relationships with finance colleagues and business areas; develop consistent and efficient financial processes, implementing continuous improvement.
- Developing and using reporting tools for maximum impact and efficient delivery through collaboration with IT, the shared service provider and harnessing relationships across government.
- Share best practice with other government departments to ensure the Cabinet Office is working towards customer service excellence.
Analytical Services
- Provide insightful data and analysis on areas of spend relating to ministerial priorities.
- Accountable for the prompt response to ad hoc commissions such as Parliamentary Questions / Freedom of Information data or data trends across the years.
- Ensure structural change is supported e.g. hierarchy changes and revised budget delegations.
Person specification
Essential
- Excellent technical skills across a wide range of financial disciplines, including financial reporting, and a proven ability to apply them effectively.
- Excellent communication skills, along with high credibility with senior colleagues and stakeholders.
- The ability to analyse and communicate complex financial information in a clear and understandable way with experience of using business intelligence (BI) tools.
- Strong data handling skills through use of tools such as Excel / Google Sheets. Comfortable both inputting and extracting information from finance systems and an understanding of financial reporting hierarchies.
Desirable
- Knowledge of government finance including the Main and Supplementary Estimate processes and reporting using OSCAR.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Data analysis – Data handling, manipulation and analysis and skills to present and communicate findings using tools such as business intelligence tools.
Benefits
£12,015 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 which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 27%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of your application you will be required to provide a CV setting out your career history and qualifications, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role, together with reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
You will also be required to provide a Statement of Suitability (500 words max.)
Please use your statement of suitability to explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification section of the job advert.
Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the ‘Person Specification’ section.
Please note – Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview where you will be assessed against the four Behaviours and the one Technical Skill outlined.
Expected timeline (subject to change)
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Interviews will be held virtually using Google Meets.
Reasonable adjustments
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 cabinetofficerecruitment.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.
Further information
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
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘contact point for applicants’ section.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to Cabinet Office 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: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.
A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a 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.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
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 offences. 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.
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Steven Inglese
- Email : Steven.Inglese@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service at: cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: info@csc.gov.uk.
For further information on the Recruitment Principles, and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.
