General Information
Descriptions & requirements
Job Title/ Position Strategic Finance Advisor
Grade SEO
Number of Vacancies 1
Business Group Financial Strategy and Partnerships
Directorate Chief Operating Officer
Location National
Hours 37
Post Type Permanent
Role Type/ Team Finance
Overview
Role Summary
Strategic Finance SEOs are expected to own the leadership of processes and products to support Financial Planning, Fiscal Events and build and maintain the single point of contact relationship with their counter parts in the HMT Spending Team.
They often have project management type roles to lead the delivery of set pieces, commissioning work, leading the collation of responses / outputs, and resolving issues presented.
They are required to understand the big picture of the delivery for their team and commission and collate with confidence, often asking senior stakeholders (including the Executive Team or someone on their behalf) in the Department to complete delivery, sometimes on short deadlines.
Typical Role Responsibilities
SEOs in Strategic Finance are responsible for building strong relationships and leading key processes and products across the Department. They aim to communicate requirements and expectations clearly and provide valuable advice, challenge and support, and strategic insight to deliver quality outputs to time, often with tight deadlines for delivery.
Role Responsibilities/Tasks
• Developing a strategic understanding of the business, its stakeholders, and deliverables.
• Building and maintaining relationships across the Department and with HMT
• Leading on areas of ownership for preparation and delivery of Spending Review and Fiscal Events, e.g., may represent a specific area of the Department
• Own strategic product development and leadership
• Leading the translation and adding insight to financial data to support key discussions across the Department and with HMT
• Providing guidance and coordination with other finance functions on HMT priorities and requirements
• Leading the drafting for briefing to seniors (Senior Civil Servants) and Ministers
• Providing ad-hoc analysis and presentations to the business and across finance functions
• Leading responses and developing resolutions as required for ad-hoc enquiries including PQs / FOIs
Travel
In addition to the standard expectations for hybrid working, there will be some ad-hoc travel required to other locations to attend some team and stakeholder meetings in person.
Interpersonal Skills
• Able to work independently, proactively, passionately, and confidently on high-profile areas across the Department and lead others to achieve quality and on time delivery of outputs.
• Comfortable and confident in working at pace to manage a full workload with conflicting short and long-term priorities.
• Building positive relationships with partners in other teams, and influencing others through excellent interpersonal and communication skills, tailored to the recipient. This includes the ability to critically consider and confidently challenge stakeholders regarding their delivery or information and translating across functions to obtain a joined-up approach.
• Influencing policy development and decisions, using analytical skills and different evidence sources to provide ministers or senior officials with high-quality advice. Transferable experience for providing written and oral briefings to Ministers and/or senior officials.
• Leading collaboratively with structure, by constructing clear timelines and processes, with interdependencies and owners, to lead others to successful delivery with clear products and outcomes for the process.
• Fostering and leading a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between policy, programmes, the business, finance, and other corporate services.
Professional Skills
Key for Levels of Professional Skills
• A = Awareness
• W = Working
• P = Practitioner
• E = Expert
Subheadings Professional Skills Level
Core
Strategic analysis and insight (Seeing the Big Picture) P
Oral and written presentation skills (Communicating and Influencing) E
Data and analytics interpretation W
Influencing Senior Leaders and Ministers (including drafting skills) (Communicating and Influencing) E
The Budgeting Framework W
Proactive problem resolution W
Understanding the role of the NAO A
Negotiating with Pragmatism W
Support the PAC Agenda W
Government Financial Reporting and governance requirements W
Useful
Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing W
Risk management and fraud A
Taxation A
Performance and risk management W
Commercial acumen W
Investment appraisal and evaluation W
Application Process
To apply please complete the online application form. Applications will be sifted by a panel who will look at the Civil Service Behaviour framework and what is evidenced in your application.
Please refer to the Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which can be found here, to complete this application: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours, and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.
Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates in advance of the interviews
Behaviours
Please provide examples of how you have met each of the behaviours below:
• Seeing the Big Picture (Lead Behaviour)
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
*Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the professional skills of Expert and Practitioner (noted above) within the responses for Seeing the Big Picture and Communicating and Influencing.
Experience
In addition to Civil Service Behaviours identified above, please provide:
• CV (anonymised)
If we receive a large volume of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead behaviour, Seeing the Big Picture
Interview Stage
Candidates who are successful following the sift process will be invited to a virtual interview.
At interview you will be assessed on behaviours (noted below) and Strengths:
Behaviours
• Seeing the Big Picture (Lead Behaviour)
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
You will also be asked to deliver a 5-minute presentation on a pre agreed topic that will be shared in advance of the interview. The presentation will assess the lead behaviour of Seeing the Big Picture. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates in advance of the interviews.
For further information please feel free to contact Stewart.McGill@justice.gov.uk
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
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.
For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).
For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.
All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
- To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.
Diversity & Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
Civil Service Nationality Rules
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
Reserve list
A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.
MoJ:
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference 13133
HMPPS
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference
Job Description Attachment
-
Strategic Finance Advisor - Job Descriptio - FINAL.docx (Job Description Attachment)
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
Other Assessments
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.