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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £35,335- £37,847, London salary range is £40,014 - £42,859. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
03-Sep-2025
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
HEO
Number of jobs available
2
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
9118

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Job title: Accountant (Management Accounts Team)

Directorate: Chief Financial Officer

About us

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice.  We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and want to make a difference in people’s lives in delivering justice. If you’re interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

About the role

Your role as Accountant will be to support the administration of the month end reporting cycle, ensuring timely, fit-for-purpose products. You will be required to work with other finance and operational colleagues to support all relevant finance processes and delivery of information. You will also play a key role in supporting, developing, and improving a range of transaction processes to ensure that postings to the HMCTS accounts are accurate and robust.  As well as delivering processes, you may also lead and support the objectives for a small nationally based finance team. By providing effective, active and dynamic leadership, you will also be a change leader for Management Accounting Team when impacting and implementing improvement plans for your team.

We take pride in being a welcoming, friendly team with a supportive culture and can-do attitude. We take learning and development seriously both for individuals and in driving continuous improvement.  

Reporting to a Senior Accountant, your role will encompass several key aspects (but not limited to): 

  • Support the preparation of month end accounts and provide narrative for their interpretation and presentation.
  • Provide analysis and assurance on the integrity of transactions in the general ledger and month end accounts.
  • Oversee and lead on the preparation of journals, ensuring they are posted in accordance with policy and procedure and advising on the correct accounting treatment of transactions.
  • Ensure you and your team delivers the month end activities in a timely manner and to the required standard.
  • You may also manage staff who you will coach, motivate, and seek development opportunities for.
  • Provide ad-hoc financial analysis and insight for the area you cover.
  • Ensure effective controls and procedures are in place to maintain the accuracy of the data in our financial systems, for your area.
  • Work collaboratively with the senior accountant, financial controller and other senior finance staff to both deliver and improve on the finance processes and products owned by the MAT
  • 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 post.

 Who are we looking for? (Person Specification)

The ideal candidate for this position should demonstrate:

Essential

  • Experience in the review and preparation of month-end management accounting activities and narrative input to the management accounts.
  • Adaptable and willing, with the ability to work in a culture of change; continually improving (products, processes, and priorities) to meet the current and future needs of the organization.
  • Experience of leading and managing a team, with excellent communication skills, both written and verbal in order to build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders
  • Strong IT capabilities, particularly in Microsoft Excel and other Office tools.
  • Knowledge of using Oracle Financials (Hyperion), Smartview and Essbase MS Excel add-ins is desirable

 Desirable

  •  CCAB part qualified desirable (CIPFA, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI part or full membership highly desired), AAT qualified, or with considerable financial experience. 

 How to apply

Application Stage

Please submit;

  • An anonymised CV
  • Statement of Suitability demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria (up to 500 words)
  • Behaviour example illustrating the Civil Service Behaviour “Communicating and Influencing” (up to 250 words).

 

Please ensure you cover both ‘what’ you do but also ‘how’ you do it. (i.e., the effective skills, knowledge & experience needed to undertake the role)

We will aim to sift the CV, Statement of Suitability and “Communicating and Influencing” behaviour but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the “Communicating and Influencing” behaviour only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the “Communicating and Influencing” behaviour will either:

  • ⁠progress to a full sift where all application assessment criteria are then assessed.
  • or progress straight to further interview.

Interview Stage

If successful at sift, you will be invited to attend a remote interview, via Microsoft teams. During your interview, you will be assessed against the following Civil Service Success Profiles which will include:

Questions in relation to the following Civil Service behaviours:

  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Delivering at Pace

 Strengths will also be assessed however these are not shared in advance.

 Further details

Allowance

The post is eligible for a specialist allowance depending on location.

Working pattern

All applications for Full Time, Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working will be treated fairly and, on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the MoJ’s flexible working policy and equality policy.

Travel requirements

There will be a requirement to travel occasionally in any HMCTS site, typically for team meetings or away days where you will have an opportunity to meet all colleagues in person. 

About our benefits

We reward our people for their hard work and commitment. We have family friendly and flexible working polices that will help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition, we offer a range of employee benefits which include generous annual leave, a highly competitive contributory pension scheme, childcare benefits, season ticket and bicycle loans.

Proud to Serve. Proud to keep justice going.


Additional Information

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

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.

Contact Information

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 9118

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 9118

Allowance

The post is eligible for a specialist allowance depending on location.

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Communicating and Influencing
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability
Statement of Suitability
Guidance for the Statement of Suitability
Please submit a Statement of Suitability demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria (up to 500 words).
Please ensure you cover both ‘what’ you do but also ‘how’ you do it. (i.e., the effective skills, knowledge & experience needed to undertake the role)
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Interviews expected late September 2025, subject to change
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Working Together
Delivering at Pace
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)
You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.
Level of security checks required
Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)