Army - Finance Operations Staff Officer Level 2

Ministry of Defence; York; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK government department in York is seeking a Finance Operations Staff Officer to manage financial operations and support budget management. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills and experience in a fast-paced financial environment. The role involves coordinating finances, ensuring accuracy, and supporting organizational decision-making. This position offers a competitive salary and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

25 days paid annual leave

Highly competitive pension scheme

Personal and professional development

Qualifications

• Experience in a fast-paced financial environment.
• Ability to communicate at all levels.
• Previous financial experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage HQ 1(UK) Div’s in-year budget.
• Compile monthly forecasts and financial briefs.
• Support headcount planning and review expenditure proposals.

Skills

Strong communicator

Planning and organisational skills

Ability to work flexibly

Education

Level 4 qualification in accounting (AAT or CCAB/CIMA)

Job description

Location

York, YO10 4HD

We are passionate about Smarter Working and believe that a combination of flexible working practices, digital technology and modern workspaces will give you the opportunity to enjoy a healthy work-life balance, while ensuring you deliver your outcomes effectively and efficiently – we expect you to know where to be to have the most impact, balancing your individual needs with that of your team and the organisation. However, recognising the benefits of face to face working, especially for new joiners, there is an expectation that you would be in the office at least 60% of the time (3 days a week).

About the job

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that,with responsibility for an annual budget of over £10bn, the Army is a major part of the Ministry of Defence and one of its largest operating centres who employaround 12,000 Civil Servants located at over 300 locations supporting the110K regular and reserve soldiers across the Army. This Civil Service workforce isdiverse, with many different functions and professions ranging from police officers, security guards, trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff.

As the UK’s Light and Airborne Division, the 1st (UK) Division acts on an operational level to provide agile, lethal and versatile response options globally, being ready to fight when necessary. 1 UK Div is the UK’s light and airborne warfighting division. We make up the majority of the Army’s high readiness Reaction Forces and will be first to the fight. Our purpose is to fight and win battles on and from the land.There are 29,000 Regular and Reserve military personnel and 670 Civil Service and permanent contractor personnel in the Division spread over more than 180 UK sites based in the Division’s headquarters, nine subordinate brigade/command headquarters or its 80+ units.

Working within the Division Headquarters (HQ), our civilian staff deliver crucial outputs and play a meaningful part of the team. When you see our service personnel being reported on in the media whilst out on operations around the world, providing support and help to others overseas and at home, or out training so they can be the best at what they do, you will have immense pride knowing you played some part in making it happen.

Please be advised that the Army is conducting a review of its current Finance and HR Operating Models. At the time of advertisement this post is deemed to have an enduring requirement and it is not anticipated that this post will be likely to change in the immediate future, however, is in scope of ongoing reviews.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

We are looking for an experienced finance individual to support the management of the Financial Operations Team within HQ 1(UK) Div, ensuring that Financial Operations is effective and complementary of other finance processes. Your technical knowledge, insight, and ability to work constructively with people at all grades will make you a valued contributor to the decision-making process and a champion for change. You will need to establish and develop effective working relationships with contributing teams and individuals across the Division, Field Army, Army and Defence.

As the Finance Operations Staff Officer Level 2, you will be responsible for the co-ordination, monitoring and financial planning of all budget and finance issues directly associated with HQ 1(UK) Div.

You will be responsible for:

Managing HQ 1(UK) Div’s in-year budget by ensuring the integrity and accuracy of transactions on financial systems, with effective controls and checks in place by:

• Monitoring, and where appropriate approving invoices, engaging with commercial and suppliers when required to resolve issues
• Reviewing and undertaking the input of budget profiles into corporate reporting systems
• Utilising standardised templates / forms for recurring requests, advising what information is required and enabling efficient review, ensuring this aligns to policy where applicable
• Engaging with the business where evidence for manual accruals is insufficient and flagging issues, by exception, to the HQ 1(UK) Div Finance Business Partner
• All mis-bookings are to be corrected at source, removing any need for future manual intervention. Engaging with Project and Commercial staff to resolve any issues and work towards a right first-time input
• Month end activities, ensuring that the correct accounting entries are completed in compliance with the relevant internal and wider government policy and a robust audit trail maintained
• Compile monthly forecasts for HQ 1(UK) Div Finance Business Partner to approve before submitting the final version to the Field Army, Senior Finance Business Partner
• Compile the monthly finance brief for HQ 1(UK) Div senior management
• Support the HQ 1(UK) Div Business Manager Workforce with headcount planning
• Review of HQ 1(UK) Div business cases for expenditure proposals and provide financial input regarding affordability
• Provide support for savings and costings exercises

Annual Budget Cycle (ABC) planning round submissions and costing of new expenditure proposals:

• Work with the HQ 1(UK) Div Finance Business Partner and branch heads to review proposed spend for future years
• Support HQ 1(UK) Div military planners on the production of the Annual Budget Cycle (ABC) submission in line with the HLB timetable, providing accurate data on previous Financial Year outturn and highlighting any in-year variations to the previous costed submission
• Completion of ABC Workbooks including checking of headcount figures
• Costing of new expenditure proposals to be included in the ABC submission

Contracting, Purchasing & Finance(CP&F) super user:

• Provision of advice to HQ 1(UK) Div users on CP&F issues
• Creation of new contract and contract amendment requisitions
• Raising of purchase requisitions and receipting
• New user requests

Person specification

Essential skills:

• Strong communicator, able to communicate at all levels and good presentation skills
• Ability to work flexibly and adapt to changing priorities
• Ability to develop collaborative relationships with a range of stakeholders and teams
• Experienced planning and organisational skills in a fast-paced financial environment and experience of delivery and meeting tight deadlines within changing priorities

Desirable skills:

• Previous financial experience
• Level 4 qualification in accounting such as Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) or Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB)/Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) or currently working towards such training

Behaviours

We\'ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Highly competitive pension scheme
• Personal and professional development of skills
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
• Learning and Development

Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 24th September 2025

For further information, and to apply, please visit our website via the “Apply” button below.