Army - Finance Operations Support

ACCA Careers; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in Gloucester is seeking an experienced finance professional to manage its Financial Operations Team. This role involves coordinating budget management, ensuring timely reporting and supporting various teams. Candidates should have strong communication skills and experience in financial planning. The position offers a salary of £36,530 and various benefits including a competitive pension scheme and flexible working options.

Benefits

25 days paid annual leave

Highly competitive pension scheme

Access to Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced parental and adoption leave

Qualifications

• Experienced planning and organisational skills in a fast-paced financial environment.
• Ability to develop collaborative relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• Good presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and monitor all budget and finance issues associated with ARRC.
• Manage ARRC’s multi-million pound budget, highlighting key risks.
• Compile the monthly finance brief for ARRC senior management.

Skills

Strong communicator

Experience in financial planning

Ability to adapt to changing priorities

Attention to detail

Education

Level 4 qualification in accounting (AAT or CIMA)

Job description

Location

Gloucester, GL3 1HW

About The Job

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, the Army is a major part of the MOD and employs around 12,000 Civil Servants located at over 300 locations supporting the 110K regular and reserve soldiers across the Army. This Civil Service workforce is diverse, 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. HQ ARRC (Allied Rapid Reaction Corps) sits within the Field Army structure and is part of the Army and a major part of the MOD. HQ ARRC provides NATO with a rapidly deployable, flexible HQ that can act as a Joint, Land or Corps HQ for operations and crisis response. Its multi-national ethos, combination of cultures and innovation, strong professional reputation in NATO and proven track record in interoperability are unique among its High Readiness Force (Land) peers. We are currently recruiting an experienced finance individual to support the management of the Financial Operations Team within Field Army, ensuring that Financial Operations is effective and complementary to 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 Field Army, Army and Defence. Please note that the Army is conducting a review of its current Finance Operating Model. 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, it is in scope of the ongoing review. This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

You will be responsible for the coordination, monitoring and financial planning of all budget and finance issues directly associated with the ARRC. Reporting to the Field Army Finance Business Partner, you will be responsible for managing ARRC’s multi-million pound in-year budget, highlighting the key risks, issues and opportunities for senior management, which will involve presenting complex financial information.

Key Responsibilities

• Regularly work with colleagues in all parts of ARRC and with the Field Army’s Finance Business Partner.
• Keep abreast of team and Departmental activities and priorities to support the efficient management of ARRC budget.
• Build and sustain strong working relationships within the ARRC and externally with the Field Army.
• Ensure that financial information is accurate, timely, and complete, and that reporting requirements relating to in-year financial management and annual budget planning are met.
• You will be responsible for the coordination, monitoring and financial planning of all budget and finance issues directly associated with ARRC.

Managing ARRC’s In-year Budget

• Hold regular meetings with ARRC team heads to plan and monitor spend against funding bids.
• Compile monthly forecasts for Director ARRC to approve before submitting the final version to the Field Army, Finance Business Partner.
• Compile the monthly finance brief for ARRC senior management.
• Support the ARRC Business Manager with headcount planning.
• Review of ARRC business cases for expenditure proposals and provide financial input regarding affordability.
• Provide support for savings and costings exercises.
• Act as primary contact for financial issues in ARRC.

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

• Work with ARRC section heads to review proposed spend for future years.
• Staffing of ABC plan to Chief Of Staff, ARRC before submission to the Field Army, Higher Level Budget.
• Completion of ABC Workbooks including checking of headcount figures.
• Costing of new expenditure proposals to be included in the ABC submission.
• Liaison with Finance Business Partner.

Contracting, Purchasing & Finance (CP&F) Super User

• Provision of advice to ARRC users on CP&F issues.
• Creation of new contract and contract amendment requisitions.
• Raising of purchase requisitions and receipting.
• New user requests.

Person specification

Are you the sort of person that likes to solve problems, pays attention to detail and is unafraid of spreadsheets? If so, this could be the job for you!

Essential Skills Required

• 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

• Level 4 qualification in accounting such as Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) or CCAB/Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) or currently working towards such training.

Behaviours

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

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,530, the Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 towards your Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension. 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 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)
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year for volunteering
• 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.