JOB DESCRIPTION

Overview

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is here to protect the public, reduce offending, and deliver swift access to justice. We are responsible for:

• prisons

• probation

• courts and tribunals

• a range of services to help victims of crime, children, vulnerable people, and those seeking access to justice.

The roles advertised are in MOJ’s Financial Accounting and Reporting team. The team produces financial accounts for the MOJ Group and agencies and supports accounts production for arm’s length bodies (ALBs).

Information about the MoJ and its priorities can be found at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about

About the Role

The Senior Financial Accountant will be expected to produce statutory financial accounts, ensuring they meet the Government Financial Reporting (FReM) and HMT reporting standards. Training on the FReM can be provided. The Senior Financial Accountant will liaise with a range of colleagues and wider stakeholders to obtain and assure the information relevant to the production of these external reporting outputs.

Senior Financial Accountants work with Management Accounting and Finance Business Partnering colleagues to support the organisation they have responsibility for, but are also a part of, and are supported by, the wider Financial Reporting team which covers the whole of MOJ.

In addition to salary, a pensionable, non-contractual specialist allowance will be applied to this role. Specialist allowances apply to certain roles only, are non-transferable to other roles and are subject to annual review. This applies to fully qualified candidates only.

Progression Routes

Staff in this role typically move into other SEO roles in Finance or progress to Financial Accounting and Reporting G7 or wider finance G7 roles.

Main Activities / Responsibilities

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

• produce high-quality quarterly financial statements to challenging timescales;

• reconcile ledger balances on a monthly basis and making sure discrepancies are resolved in a timely manner;

• prepare robust working papers and analyse variances;

• review current systems and processes to ensure they incorporate the appropriate financial controls and that system documentation is accurate and up to date;

• answer queries from internal and external auditors and resolving issues raised in management letters;

• maintain a strong working relationship with the NAO and other external stakeholders;

• prepare or contribute to technical accounting papers and present these to senior management;

• work with Business Partners and Management Accounting to better understand operational issues behind the financial information;

• line management.

The post holder will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post. This may also include working closely with other MoJ Finance staff to develop solutions/problem-solve, engaging in project work to drive finance improvements.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• Qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent

• Working towards a qualification

• Financial experience over an extended period.

Key Skills

• Knowledge of IFRS and/or FReM reporting requirements for central government (assessed via statement of suitability)

• Experience of providing professional finance services to stakeholders, including experience of dealing with external auditors (assessed via communicating and influencing)

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders (assessed via working together)

• Ability to manage a team and coach staff ensuring all professional training and development requirements are met (assessed via making effective decisions)

• Excellent Microsoft Excel skills (assessed through statement of suitability)

• Adaptable and willing to review role and priorities with senior management team to meet the current and future needs of the organisation (assessed via delivering at pace)

Application process

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

Sift

Behaviours

Please provide examples of how you have met each of the behaviours below:

• Making Effective Decisions

• Delivering at Pace

• Communicating and Influencing

• Working Together

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 Making Effective Decisions.

Experience

In addition to the Civil Service behaviours identified above, please also submit:

• a 750-word Statement of Suitability which should outline your financial experience and skills, giving clear examples of how you meet the criteria outlined in the essential criteria above.

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, Technical and Strengths from the Success Profiles framework.

Please provide examples of how you have met each of the behaviours below:

• Making Effective Decisions

• Delivering at Pace

• Communicating and Influencing

• Working Together

You will also be assessed on strengths and a technical based question which are not shared in advance of the interview.

If you have any questions on the role please contact - sesek.hairedin1@justice.gov.uk