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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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Strategy
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About the job
Job summary
Do you have a strong financial background, analytical mindset and great people skills? Would you like to work in an organisation that prides itself on investing in staff delivering key legislation to combat economic crime and increase corporate transparency? If so wed love to hear from you.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a progressive, inclusive and award winning team within Strategic Finance at Companies House. You will play a key role in the financial management and influencing the strategic direction of the organisation.
Your main role as Finance Business Partner is to provide advice, support, and challenge in your area of responsibility to all levels including Directors, Senior Managers, and Senior Responsible Officers whilst supporting the financial reporting requirements and controls.
You will also challenge the status quo within the area to help support them to achieve their goals and maximise value for money. With that aim you will integrate within the business area to understand trends, cost drivers, identify and report on key performance indicators, and consider the full impact of decisions embedding yourself as a financial expert with their operations.
Companies House offers a flexible and welcoming culture that promotes a healthy work life balance as well as a proactive approach to wellbeing that allows us to be our best at work. We recognise that people are the key to our success so offer a fantastic benefits package including flexible working with no core hours, 30 Days Annual Leave, 8 Bank Holidays and 1 Privilege Day as well as enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme with a contribution rate averaging 27%.
At Companies House, hybrid working is about achieving an effective balance between working in the office and working from other appropriate locations. Our approach to hybrid working provides opportunities for you to be adaptable in the way you work so that you can achieve a healthy balance between your work and home life. We currently attend the Cardiff office a minimum of one day a week as well as when needed for face-to-face collaboration
About the team
Finance Business Partner teams are an essential part of the finance directorate and play an important role in supporting and enabling the ambitious transformation plans of Companies House.
The role offers a fantastic opportunity to get involved in a wide breadth of work including project activity, contract appraisal and benefit realisation. There is a strong culture within the strategic finance teams to provide training, mentoring and opportunities to develop ensuring we support you to maximise your development and to reach your full potential. Use of new technologies such as Alteryx and Power BI has seen the team win public sector and national finance awards in recent years for advancement in automation, analytics and reporting, which has created time for the team to focus on adding value.
You will be working alongside a great team, which are established and embedded within the organisation. The team support and assist each other and have developed a great team ethos, valuing their colleagues, celebrating success and the embracing the mixture of strengths and differences they possess.
The directorate recently won Public Sector Team of the Year at Finance Awards Wales, Government Finance Team of the Year at Government Finance Function Awards, and are shortlisted for four awards with Public Finance awards.
Companies House Finance Business Partners are valued contributors within the organisation and regularly are seen as being vital for the success of each directorate:
“We have a really great and transparent relationship with our Finance Business Partner and we really do appreciate – need! – their help and support. We think of them as an integral part of the Digital, Data and Technology team” DDaT Director
There is great feedback that shows the development opportunities presented to a recent new starter in the role of Finance Business Partner:
Being a Finance Business Partner at Companies House is incredibly rewarding. I work with great colleagues in Finance and across the business areas I support. Everyone is welcoming and willing to help. Since joining, I have also had the opportunity to develop new data and automation skills which are now a standard part of my day to day work. This has also allowed me to spend more time directly involved with business decisions and ultimately being a better FBP because of this. Finance Business Partner
Job description
The post holders responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
- Working with Budget holders to set and monitor performance against budgets. Support informed decision making through expert advice and challenge stakeholders
- Building financial capability throughout their areas by instilling a sense of ownership and accountability for financial performance
- Supporting the development of business cases
- Providing advice and challenge on financial assumptions and first line advice on accounting treatment to budget holders
- Ensuring investments and spending decisions are supported by proportionate and relevant investment appraisal
- Agreeing a forecast, profiled monthly with each budget holder within a directorate and reflected in the financial system
- Providing financial support and analysis of contract tender bids
- Working closely with HR Business Partners to consider and provide financial assurance regarding staff cost forecasts
- Line management of direct reports providing management support, development opportunities and a balanced workload.
- Identify risks and opportunities, taking mitigating actions where required and providing challenge as appropriate. You will have commercial acumen and be able to operate within a potential environment of ambiguity and uncertainty relating this to such areas as fees and managing public money
- Support the business by building relationships with key stakeholders to challenge and influence decision making through expert analysis and interpretation of strategic goals
- Analyse financial and non-financial datasets to gain fresh insights and understand cost drivers
- Use cutting edge software to automate data processing; establish and maintain business intelligence dashboards.
Person specification
The successful candidate must demonstrate the following essential characteristics
- CCAB/CIMA qualified accountant with evidence of ongoing continuing professional development, finalists with a commitment to qualify will be considered
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with and ability to explain financial information to a non-finance audience
- Evidence of being a self-starting individual who can build trusting relationships with stakeholders and influence them to achieve outcomes.
- Intermediate level Microsoft Excel skills
- Substantial experience in a financial role
The successful may demonstrate the following desirable characteristics
- Ability to work on own initiative and under pressure with competing demands to tight deadlines
- Demonstrable experience of using management information to support and improve overall operational delivery.
- Experience in a finance business partner role
- Experience of line management
- Experience using data visualisation tools (e.g. Power BI)
About Us
Our aim is to be the best registry in the world achieved through brilliant people working on brilliant systems delivering brilliant services. We are currently delivering an organisation wide transformation programme focussing on a complete redesign of our digital services, target operating model and culture. This change will need different skills, capabilities and mindset where adaptable, bold and curious behaviours are the norm and empowerment is encouraged and utilised.
To find out more about the great things we’re doing at Companies House please have a look at our blog posts and podcasts. and watch our video to find out more
Companies House values its people, their contributions and has created a real sense of community where people seek to create strong connections. Our commitment to learning and development is exceptional, and we believe passionately in the employee experience with is prevalent through the engagement, wellbeing and development strategies which have resulted in Platinum Investors in People and MIND index awards.
We encourage professional development, celebrate success and live our values to effect real change.
We are an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Everyone in Companies House brings something different, and so will you. We are committed to ensuring that we are representative of the citizens that we serve. To fulfill our commitment to recruiting and attracting diverse talent we welcome applications from underrepresented groups.
We are proud to be a disability confident leader. Our recruitment process is fully inclusive of all physical and mental disabilities and as such we can make adjustments as needed through our process. These could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews/assessments and receiving interview questions prior to interview, to name a few. We will be happy to discuss any niche and person-centred adjustments, please contact the Recruitment team by emailing recruitmentCH@companieshouse.gov.uk
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
£10,982 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Join us at Companies House and experience the difference of working within a culture that values you, not only as an employee, but as an integral part of our Companies House team.
We believe that our success is driven by the well-being and satisfaction of our team members at all levels of the organisation. At Companies House were committed to providing a comprehensive benefits package that goes beyond the ordinary, ensuring your career journey with us is not only fulfilling, but also rewarding. We pride ourselves on offering a quality work-life balance with our employee wellbeing being central to our working practices.
We offer an excellent benefits package that includes:
- Flexible working arrangements that empower you to strike a perfect balance between your professional and personal life. Work anytime between (6am and 8pm) and enhance your annual leave allowance using our flexi time system.
- 30 Days Annual Leave and 8 Bank Holidays and 1 Privilege Day.
- Generous maternity, adoption and shared parental leave allowances.
- A pro-active approach to employee wellbeing that allows our colleagues to flourish and be their best at work and has enabled us to become an Investors In People platinum accredited employer.
- Enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme with a contribution rate of averaging 27%.
- 3 Days paid Volunteering Leave.
- Instant Awards – to say thank you and recognise great effort and contributions.
- A focus on career development and progression.
- Inclusive Network Groups to support our colleagues and a great Sports and Social Society
- On site gym with subsidised membership and free on-site car parking.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Candidates will be required to supply a CV and Personal Statement. The Personal Statement should be no more than 1250 words and address any experience, technical skills and Behaviours outlined in the person specification. These will also be explored at interview.
- At sift candidates will be assessed against experience, technical skills and the behaviours outlined in the Job Advert and are asked to supply work history/personal statement and reference any transferable skills using the job description for reference.
- At interview candidates will be assessed against the behaviours listed in the advert and we will use Success Profiles, Behaviours and Strengths.
You can find more guidance on completing your application here.
Candidates may be required to undertake an activity as part of the selection process.
Companies House uses a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you. We use the Success Profile framework and may include Strength based questions in the interview.
Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of recruitment based on fair and open competition with decisions made on the basis of merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles.
As part of our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, we ask candidates to provide an anonymous application. Please remove all identifying personal information from your CV, personal statement and application including: name; address; date of birth; dates of education.
We are proud to be a disability confident leader. Our recruitment process is fully inclusive of all physical and mental disabilities and as such we can make adjustments as needed through our process. These could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews or assessments and receiving interview questions prior to interview to name a few. If you are unsure what may be appropriate for your specific needs, please reach out and we will be happy to have a conversation about how we can best support you. Please contact the recruitment team if needed and a member of the team will be in touch infopoint@companieshouse.gov.uk.
Any move to Companies House 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/.
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 : Tracey Brown
- Email : tbrown@companieshouse.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : tbrown@companieshouse.gov.uk
Further information
Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact infopoint@companieshouse.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission .
Civil Service Commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road SW1A 2HQ
