Financial Reporting & Project Lead

Drop In You can find out about us and get more information about the role by attending our drop-in session. You will have the opportunity to talk to people doing the job and ask any questions, including about the recruitment process from application to interview through to offer. You can join the session at any point throughout on Tuesday, 11th July, between 15:00 – 16:00, Click here to join the meeting.

The TRA is one of the first public bodies to be set up to meet the new needs of the UK following its departure from the European Union. We play a central part in ensuring that the international trading environment is fair as well as free, by protecting British businesses from unfair trading practices such as dumping, trade-distorting subsidies and unforeseen surges in imports.

We are growing to be an organisation of over 150 people, with our headquarters in central Reading. It is vital to me that we have a friendly, supportive culture, where you will quickly get to know who works here and where you will be helped to realise your full potential. We strive to be an outward-looking organisation, learning from international best practice and looking to add our own distinctive twist, such as developing our digital-first approach to trade remedy investigations. As an arm’s length body that is independent of government, we are passionate about living our values of integrity, expertise, transparency, and inclusion.

We are looking for professionals who bring relevant skills and expertise but who are also eager to learn and develop. Nobody joins the TRA as the finished article. If you believe that you have the experience and qualities to put your stamp on something new and exciting, we very much look forward to hearing from you.

About the role:

Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) is an arm’s length body of Department for Business & Trade (DBT). TRA’s Finance team puts Finance at the heart of TRA’s decision making and plays an integral role in ensuring our reporting is compliant and fit for purpose. As such, we are seeking to recruit a Financial Reporting & Project Lead to expertly account for our financial resources and provide expert Finance support to key internal stakeholders.

This is a hands-on role where the post holder will be primarily responsible for the preparation of TRA’s annual reports and accounts (ARA) and associated year-end planning and processes. The post holder will be instrumental in leading the preparation and production of the ARA in accordance with HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual (FReM) in a timely and accurate manner. They will also play a role in ensuring TRA’s finance systems, processes, and controls are conducive and compliant with Managing Public Money (MPM) and Govs 006 (Finance Functional Standards). 

The successful candidate will lead and manage close working relationships with TRA’s key internal and external stakeholders such as TRA’s Executive Committee (ExCo), Audit Risk & Assurance Committee (ARAC), internal and external auditors, budget holders, and DBT Financial Accounting team.

You will also have the opportunity to get involved with TRA’s projects, such as providing cost modelling support or input/QA project business cases. 

Key Accountabilities:

In order to perform in this role, you will need to:

• Professionally manage the financial accounting wing of the TRA Finance team such as carrying out monthly trial balance reconciliations, related financial accounting duties, leading on technical accounting matters, provide advice to Head of Finance & Commercial on accounting issues and standards compliance.
• Lead on preparation of TRA’s ARA and ensure effective delivery of the year-end activities and the external audit.
• Ensure TRA’s financial controls are robust and that all financial transactions are in accordance with TRA’s policies and procedures.
• Where applicable, provide project support to TRA’s strategic projects such as cost modelling, inputting/Quality Assure the finance case of project business cases.
• Engage with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop and issue TRA’s financial accounting guidance on the processes required to maintain robust accounting of TRA’s resources.
• Support implementation of GOVS006 (Finance Functional Standards).
• Prepare standard financial accounting reports, dashboards, depreciation forecasts.

About you: 

To be successful in this role applicants should demonstrate the following:  

Essential skills and experience:

• CIPFA, CIMA, ICAEW, ACCA or equivalent accounting qualification.
• Highly organised with ability to plan year-end close related activities ahead of time.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal skills and authority; able to successfully foster and manage interrelationships between TRA and DBT.
• Ability to maintain pace and plan deliverables through efficient tracking of action points.
• Risk mindset such as flagging risks in a timely manner and maintain clear lines of communications between stakeholders.
• Experience of having planned and helped deliver year end statutory accounts in the public sector.
• Knowledge of consolidated budgeting guidance (CBG), Managing Public Money (MPM) and the Financial Reporting Manual (FReM).
• Advanced Excel skills.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Minimum 3 years’ experience working in a financial accounting discipline in the public sector.
• Experience of having prepared accounts for an arm’s length body (ALB) for consolidation into departmental accounts.

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

Job contact :

• Name : Rudmila Azad, Head of Finance & Commercial
• Email : Rudmila.Azad@traderemedies.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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