JOB DESCRIPTION

Overview

This role is within a team based within the Financial Management, Control, Risk and Governance directorate. The team support the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

The Finance Business Partner plays a pivotal role in strengthening the relationship between the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and the wider finance function. The post holder will provide expert financial insight, constructive challenge, and strategic advice to senior leaders, drawing on strong technical capability and a deep understanding of the OPG’s operational environment.

This role requires the development of effective and influential working relationships across the organisation, including with Deputy Directors, Programme Leads and Senior Managers. The post holder will support evidence‑based decision making, ensuring financial stewardship, value for money and alignment between operational delivery and financial planning.

The Office of the Public Guardian supports people in England and Wales to remain in control of decisions about their health and financial affairs and protects those who lack the mental capacity to decide for themselves. As an executive agency sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, the OPG delivers statutory services including the registration of lasting powers of attorney and the supervision of deputies appointed by the Court of Protection.

OPG operates on a cost‑recovery basis, with its activities primarily funded through the fees charged for the services it provides. The Finance Business Partner plays a critical role in ensuring that financial management, fee structures, income forecasting and operational delivery remain aligned to this model, enabling the organisation to meet its statutory obligations while maintaining long‑term financial sustainability

About the Role

SEO Finance Business Partners play a key role in supporting their directorate by building strong, trusted relationships and developing a thorough understanding of operational priorities. They translate complex financial information into clear, accessible insights for budget holders and provide constructive challenge to support informed decision‑making. As developing specialists, SEO FBPs contribute valuable financial advice, strategic analysis and practical business solutions, helping directorates plan resources effectively, manage risks and deliver value for money within a cost‑recovery environment.

This role is full time; job share may be possible.

Main Activities / Responsibilities

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

• Developing an understanding of the business, its stakeholders and deliverables

• Building and maintaining relationships with customer budget holders

• Providing advice on compliance with policy, standards, accountabilities and controls

• Translating, owning and adding insight to financial data to provide clear information and evidence to support business activities and requirements

• Providing guidance at appropriate level budget holder meetings and boards

• Reviewing and providing input to business cases/ strategic documentation

• Identifying and applying relevant costs, benefits and investment appraisal techniques

• Providing relevant coaching and training to the business

• Providing ad-hoc analysis and presentations to drive and support business decisions, such as efficiency and cost reduction options, using all available data and analytics tools

Essential Criteria

• Possesses emotional intelligence and has the ability to think empathetically, considering the strategic goals of others (seeing the big picture)

• Fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between the business, finance and other corporate services (managing a quality service)

• Can tailor their communication style to a range of audiences, including internal and external stakeholders. Uses facts and evidence to aid negotiation and influencing (communicating and influencing)

• Helps others to understand the interdependencies between business and finance. Proactive and passionate, inspiring others to continuously improve (working together)

• Ability to "speak the language" of finance to business, and vice versa, acting as the critical translator between the two (experience)

• Part qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent/working towards or willing to work towards a qualification or fully qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent.

Applications from non-qualified candidates will be considered, who are willing to develop and work towards a recognised qualification in order to meet the full requirements of the role, or the role may be adapted accordingly for a non-qualified candidate.

In addition to salary, a pensionable, non-contractual specialist allowance may be applied to this role, only for fully qualified finance staff. If working towards a qualification an allowance can be applied once fully qualified. Specialist allowances apply to certain roles only, are non-transferable to other roles and are subject to annual review.

Application process

You will be assessed against the Civil service success profiles framework.

Sift

Please refer to the ‘essential criteria’ section in the job description, which details how each of the essential criteria will be assessed.

Behaviours - please provide examples of how you have met each of the behaviours below:

• Communicating and Influencing (lead behaviour)

• Seeing the Big Picture

• Managing a Quality Service

• Working Together

Experience - please provide your experience of your ability to "speak the language" of finance to business, and vice versa, acting as the critical translator between the two

Part qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent/working towards or willing to work towards a qualification or fully qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent.

Please answer 'yes' to meeting the above if you are:
1) Part qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent/working towards or
2) Willing to work towards a qualification or

3) Fully qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent

If you are answering yes to option 2, please upload a note indicating your willingness to work towards the qualification.

Please refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details at this grade:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

If we receive a large number of applications, we will carry out an initial sift on the lead criteria of Communicating and Influencing

Candidates invited to Interview

Please note that interviews will be carried out remotely via MS Teams.

During the interview, we will be assessing you on Behaviours below and Strengths (not shared in advance) from the Success Profiles framework.

• Communicating and Influencing (lead behaviour)

• Seeing the Big Picture

• Managing a Quality Service

• Working Together

For any further information about the role please contact Lewis Clements- lewis.clements@justice.gov.uk