Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice sits at the heart of public service delivery and the government’s wider social reform agenda, working to protect and advance the principles of justice.  The department has been at the forefront of the government’s efficiency agenda, making finance roles an exciting and challenging opportunity.

The Ministry’s functional leadership model for finance brings together specialists into a single unified team across the department with the vision of putting finance at the heart of decision making.  The Finance Business Partner (FBP) teams support budget holders across the department, assisting them in delivering their financial management responsibilities, ensuring corporate controls and processes are followed and supporting the business areas to have confidence in their financial position and to drive efficiency.  FBPs work alongside the businesses they support and have a close understanding of their work to enable them to help drive better outcomes.  We protect value, drive value and add value.

Overview

As a Finance Business Partner in Government, your role is to protect, drive and add value. We aim to be a leading edge finance function, continuously learning and developing, with a strong focus on adding value and insight, developing our people, and robust financial management. You will be part of a committed and positive leadership team who work together to make our vision a reality. 

You will partner and collaborate with colleagues across the organisation, acting as the face of finance and helping to ensure that finance is at the heart of decision making.  You will act as a critical friend to areas that you are partnering, ensuring the stewardship of public funds, efficient and effective use of budgets and provide insightful financial analysis to support decision making. 

Digital and Technology 

The MOJ’s Digital and Technology function aims to put the user first and deliver digital solutions to improve user experience and improve efficiency.  The environment is one of change, as different delivery options are explored and commercial arrangements reviewed.  The Finance Business Partner should have a good appreciation of the MoJ Justice Digital and support the business to deliver best value for money. 

Ministry of Justice Digital Services designs, builds and supports user-centred digital and technology services for the justice system: services that make a real difference to our staff, members of the public and their families who use them. Millions of people every year interact with our services, and Digital & Technology play an important role in improving access to justice and making that experience much easier and less distressing. 

This role will be part of the Finance Business Partner Team supporting Digital change. The immediate team supports the Director of Tech Services in his role as SRO of the portfolio of projects.  

The change portfolio currently includes implementing a future oriented technology strategy including multiple contract re-tenders, in-housing key services and transition to a new operating model.  The finance team is key to the successful implementation of the change portfolio through contributing to project governance, including business cases, financial documentation for procurements, tender evaluation, financial reporting and management of project finances. 

Role Responsibilities/Tasks

·       Act as the financial adviser to your business area, maintaining standards for financial management and ensuring that the Financial Control Framework is understood and adhered to across the business and that the requirements of the Green Book are understood and adhered to.

·       Complete finance sections of Business Cases, ensuring that the full cost implications are clearly established, the correct spend classification is applied and project affordability is accurately assessed for affordability

·       Prepare and ensure the QA of financial documentation for tender exercises, undertake financial evaluation of completed tender documents, in line with required standards and procurement regulations

·       Provide financial input to relevant governance and approval frameworks, including advice to the Accounting Officer, Investment Committee, senior leaders, ministers, Cabinet Office and HM Treasury

·       Develop an understanding of the financial drivers, risks and opportunities associated with your projects’ objectives and spending plans within delegated expenditure limits.  Track, forecast and report on expenditure, including risks, opportunities and uncertainties.

·       Liaise with business as usual colleagues to ensure that the financial implications of change on business as usual is properly understood and accounted for, with clear plans for handover of work at the appropriate time.

·       Work with commercial colleagues to ensure that commercial decisions and contract performance management are aligned with financial controls and processes.

·       Manage the financial position of the project: profile budgets, complete forecasts and ensure that costs are accurately recorded and reported and month end processes, including accruals and adjustments, are completed.     

Behaviours Required

·       Leadership

·       Communicating and Influencing

·       Delivering at pace

·       Working Together

·       Managing a Quality Service

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. Should many applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour - Communicating and Influencing

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses. 

Sifting – the following will be assessed at sift:

CV

Behaviours – 250 words each -    Communicating and Influencing (lead behaviour)
                                                   Working Together
                                                   Delivering at Pace
                                                   Managing a Quality Service
                                                   Leadership

Interview – the following will be assessed at interview:

Candidates who are successful following the sift process will be invited to interview, and will be assessed on the following success profile elements:

Behaviours - Communicating and Influencing
                     Delivering at Pace
                     Managing a Quality Service

Strengths – These are not shared prior to the interview.

Interpersonal Skills

·       Possesses emotional intelligence and can think empathetically, considering the strategic goals of others

·       Fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between the business, finance, and other corporate services

·       Can tailor their communication style to a range of audiences, including internal and external stakeholders

·       Uses facts and evidence to aid negotiation and influencing

·       Helps others to understand the interdependencies between business and finance

·       Proactive and passionate, inspiring others to continuously improve

·       Ability to "speak the language" of finance to business, and vice versa, acting as the critical translator between the two

·       You will be able to build relationships quickly, building trust and rapport with service owners and stakeholders in the business.

·       You will be able to exercise sound judgment in providing advice, balancing the need to challenge and support business colleagues appropriately.

·       You will be a positive, service focused finance professional with a clear emphasis on delivering at pace and understanding the needs of the business and your key stakeholders.

·       You must have the ability to translate the numbers and link it to the business and ‘story’. 

Professional Skills

Key for Levels of Professional Skills

·       A = Awareness

·       W = Working

·       P = Practitioner

·       E = Expert

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.

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.