Head of Financial Reporting and Accounting

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth.  

Our work ranges from protecting customers through the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, to promoting British trade around the world and supporting people across the country on jobs, growth and more.  

HM Treasury is proud of a diverse and inclusive work environment, committed to fairness and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, ways of working and thinking makes us stronger and better at developing policy that reflects the needs of every community. We embrace different views and experiences and value the new perspective that people from a variety of circumstances bring to the work we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferrable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, gender, age ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status.  

We are part of the Darlington Economic Campus, a pioneering new cross-government hub which brings people together to play an active role in the most important issues of the day whilst working closer to the communities we serve. The campus provides the opportunity for people from all over the UK to help shape the future of the country, and our flexible working practices ensure you can collaborate effectively with our partners. It’s central government, made more accessible to you! 

Corporate Centre

 The Corporate Centre Group delivers a wide range of corporate services to enable people at the Treasury and many of the other organisations who form part of the Treasury Group (including the Government Internal Audit Agency and the Debt Management Office) to operate effectively and efficiently. We are a diverse group, both in terms of our professions and in our ways of working. Our colleagues are based across 3 sites in London, Darlington and Norwich. 

The Corporate Centre Group consists of a range of teams and is led by two directors (one of Finance and one of Operations): 

•  Correspondence and Information Rights 
• Finance & Commercial 
• People & Capability 
• Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging 
• Treasury Business Solutions 
• Multisite Darlington Economic Campus team
• Exchequer Funds & Accounts team 

About the team

As the Treasury’s Finance Team, within the Corporate Centre Group, we have responsibility for providing sound financial management advice and high quality accurate information for parliamentary control and public accountability purposes. We also cover counter fraud, risk and assurance. We are part of the wider Government Finance Function (GFF), which represents and supports around 10,000 members of the finance community across the civil service.

Finance is made up of approximately 50 staff based across London, Norwich and Darlington sites.

About the job

The system of annual report and accounts is central to financial accountability in the public sector. It enables Parliament and the public to understand and consider the value for money offered by public spending and, ensures Parliament can hold the government to account.

As Head of Financial Reporting and Accounting you play a key part in the accountability framework. You will lead on the production of the Treasury Group’s Annual Report and Accounts ensuring high quality reporting and driving forward best practice.

The Treasury has a range of arm’s length bodies within its group. This is an opportunity for you to gain experience working with unique entities set up to deliver government policy and financial stability.

You will collaborate closely with key senior stakeholders including the National Audit Office, as the department’s external auditors, Treasury Audit and Risk Committee and Permanent Secretary.  You will have responsibility for the completion of several smaller Treasury arm’s length bodies for which accounts are produced by your team.

You will be lead technical accountant for the group, advising arms-length bodies and internal partners on the accounting treatment and financial implications of new policy initiatives. You will collaborate closely with the NAO and internal stakeholders to ensure comprehensive and informed advice is provided. 

You will need to demonstrate excellent technical expertise in International Financial Reporting Standards as well as strong problem-solving skills. You will have the capability to clearly explain your thinking both in writing and in person. You will be tenacious in overcoming challenges and see your ideas through into action and delivery.

You will look to identify and implement efficiencies and innovation into processes and drive forward continual improvement to ensure the Annual Report and Accounts meet standards of best practice in financial reporting.  

You will also be a strong leader with the skill to articulate a vision, engage and motivate people to deliver results. You will support the ongoing learning and development of your team and demonstrate dedication to inclusive team values.

The key accountabilities include:

Annual Report and Accounts

1. Deliver the Treasury’s high quality consolidated Annual Report and Accounts, prepared according to International Financial Reporting Standards, meeting the financial accountability requirements of the public sector.
2. Lead engagement with external auditors to agree appropriate accounting treatment including on new policy areas affecting the Treasury’s financial statements.
3. Lead the production of the accounts of some arms-length bodies, including the Help-to-Buy mortgage guarantee scheme, HMT Sovereign Sukuk, infrastructure investment companies, Office for Budgetary Responsibility and National Infrastructure Commission.
4. Coordinate the group tax manager’s role in managing the tax implications and compliance, including VAT, employment and corporation tax returns, for the core department and taxable special purpose vehicles.
5. Lead a programme of innovation to achieve efficiencies in the accounts production process identifying and implementing opportunities for greater automation as well as a programme of continual improvement in financial reporting including developments in financial reporting such as IFRS 17 and TCFD.

Technical accounting and contribution to the development of policy advice

1. Liaise with policy teams to provide financial reporting support and advice on the implications of government interventions and policy development on the department, acting as a finance representative on steering boards of significant projects as needed.
2. Manage the financial implications of implementing new policies, including changes to the financial structure of the Treasury group and financial operational requirements.
3. Analyse technical financial issues and communicate complex financial information and risk to a wide range of senior stakeholders.

Management Responsibilities

1. Lead the financial accounts team of nine, including ensuring sufficient ongoing development opportunities are provided to those staff.
2. Contribute to the wider management of the Finance team through working with the other branch heads and the Deputy Director Finance.

Candidate Drop-In Session 
 

We will be running two candidate drop-in sessions for this role to give you greater insight about the role as well as the chance to learn more about HM Treasury and the recruitment process. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate links below to join the call at the right time. 

Tuesday 7th November at 3.30pm  Click here to join the meeting

Wednesday 8th November at 3.30 Click here to join the meeting

About your application

We are looking for the below skills, experience and behaviours and we will ask you to demonstrate these in your application form. Please review the Candidate FAQ document that is attached to the advert for guidance on how to complete your application form.  

1. Evidence of extensive experience of financial reporting and accounting including complex consolidations and applying IFRS in the financial services sector or of a government funded body. Experience
2. Evidence of the ability to analyse technical financial issues communicating with confidence and credibility complex financial information and risks to a wide range of stakeholders. Communicating and influencing
3. Evidence of the ability to drive forward efficiencies, innovation, and automation for continual improvement to financial reporting processes and reporting. Changing and improving 
4. Evidence of a dedication to leading and motivating a diverse and inclusive team to deliver ambitious objectives to competing timescales. Developing self and others

The lead criterion: Evidence of extensive experience of financial reporting and accounting including complex consolidations and applying IFRS in the financial services sector or of a government funded body. Experience

If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.

Required Qualifications: 

1. CCAB or equivalent qualification and membership of a professional accountancy institute.     

Candidate Guidance Support Session 
 
We will be running an overview of Success Profiles and the STAR approach; top tips for the application and interview process and an opportunity to ask general questions around our recruitment practices. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time. 

Monday 30th October at 5pm Click here to join the meeting

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others
• Delivering at Pace

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others

• 25 days’ annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King’s birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant)

• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)

• Generous parental and adoption leave package

• Onsite restaurant and coffee bar. The London office also offers a gym, showers and prayer room

• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving

• Access to a retail discounts and cashback site

• A Rental Deposit Advance Scheme to help meet the total costs of deposits for privately rented homes

• A range of active staff networks, based around interests (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity (e.g. women in the Treasury, ethnic minority network, LGBT* network, faith and belief network).

Flexible working arrangements:   HM Treasury views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including; working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.

HM Treasury operates an office based working approach across all Treasury sites – Darlington, London, and Norwich, with the expectation of achieving 50% attendance in the office as a minimum requirement, along with the flexibility of working remotely. This blended working approach allows you to work collaboratively, meet stakeholders face to face, support others and promotes a healthy work life balance (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. All our offices have been recently modernised and designed to collaborate and connect with colleagues as well as desk and quiet space to allow a range of ways to work.

Job contact :

• Name : Vikki Lewis
• Email : vikki.lewis@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk