Financial Compliance Officer

Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Leeds, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Peterborough, Reading, Warrington, Worcester, Worthing, York

About the job:-

DEFRA is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Compliance & Financial Accounting team and join our efforts to safeguard Defra’s financial resources by delivering our comprehensive compliance regime and providing support to some of our key business processes.

We are looking for two people to join our Compliance Finance Operations team, who will be responsible for conducting compliance checks on a range of Defra expenditure to ensure that it is consistent with departmental policy, to deter fraud, and to prevent error.

We are also looking for someone to to join our  Financial Control team, supporting the Purchase to Pay process owner to deliver business-critical transactional financial activity, such as reviewing accruals, chasing invoices on hold, and supporting users raise Purchase Orders.

Both of these roles will provide an opportunity to work with organisations across the Defra group, and engage with many of the thousands of users of the expenses, travel contract, procurement, and other systems.

Key responsibilities will include but not be limited to: –

• Using our specialist audit tool to review transactions, identify those that need further information, contacting employees or their managers to complete checks.
• Ensure the consistent and fair application of the departmental policies within the team’s remit.
• Respond to queries from Defra staff about the travel and subsistence policy and the government procurement card policy.
• Identify and report suspicious transactions
• Support staff to complete their expense claims or card reconcilliations in an accurate and timely manner.
• Support the processing of new procurement card applications.
• Making changes to procurement card controls in line with the agreed policy.
• Supporting staff to raise requisitions to purchase goods or services.
• Providing advice to staff on our Purchase to Pay systems, processes and policies.
• Performing assurance checks on supplier maintenance forms.
• Support our housekeeping process on invoices, purchase orders, and suppliers.
• Monitoring team mailboxes and allocating queries appropriately.

Essential Experience and Skills:- 

The successful candidates will receive training, support, and guidance to ensure they have the knowledge and skills required to fulfil their role.

• Use of Microsoft Office tools, such as Outlook, for using mail merges and managing group mailboxes, and Excel, for basic analysis of large datasets.
• Experience using an Oracle-based system for finance and people processes.
• Communicating with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels of an organisation in a sensitive and professional manner.
• Be able to work quickly to a high standard of detail, including referring to process maps and/or policy documents.
• Providing great customer service, including professional and timely communication, support and guidance, and problem-solving.

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Alongside your salary of £25,915, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes
£6,997 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 with an average employer contribution of 27%

• Blended Working

  Defra operates a blended working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others.

  Individuals are expected to work from one of the office locations stated in the advert to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs.  There is flexibility to split the working week, spending minimum of 40-60% in the workplace, unless exceptional circumstances apply and/or you are a contractual home worker.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

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Job contact :

• Name : Jan Bradshaw
• Email : jan.bradshaw@hays.com
• Telephone : 07740 817905

Recruitment team

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