CSM - Finance Manager

Ministry of Defence; West of England; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Ministry of Defence is seeking a finance professional to lead core budgeting, forecasting and reporting within the CSM Approvals, Cost, Benefits and Finance team in Bristol/London.

You will provide clear financial advice, manage accruals and reporting, and support the ABC process while engaging senior stakeholders on risks, underspends and overall programme position.

Qualifications

• Experience in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting in a finance or business environment.
• Ability to manage in-year financial processes, including accruals and ledger activity.
• Experience giving financial advice and challenging assumptions with stakeholders.
• Understanding of governance, controls and accounting standards.
• Ability to analyse performance, identify risks/opportunities and make evidence-based recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder management across finance, workforce and programme teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage key finance processes including forecasting updates, accruals, general ledger activity and financial reporting.
• Provide finance and accounting advice to ensure compliance with MOD accounting standards and processes.
• Complete finance system actions to support in-year and ABC forecasts.
• Collaborate with workforce planning to ensure contingent labour forecasts are accurate and timely.
• Maintain relationships with local finance and Strategic Finance teams; respond to queries and savings requirements.
• Support senior leaders with financial advice on programme performance; prepare briefing material for governance boards.

Skills

Financial planning

Forecasting

Budgeting

Financial reporting

Stakeholder management

Education

ACCA / CIPFA / CIMA

Job description

Location

Bristol, London

About the job

Job summary

This role sits within the CSM Approvals, Cost, Benefits and Finance team and reports to the Finance, Costs and Benefits Lead. The post holder will manage CSM core finance processes and financial reporting, covering both in-yearfinancial managementand Annual Budget Cycle (ABC) activity.

The role provides financial and accounting advice to support compliant, evidence-basedfinancialdecision-makingand adviceacross CSM.The successful candidate will work with colleagues across CSMand wider Ministry of Defence finance teamstomaintainaccurateforecasts, manage financialrisksand support advice to senior leaders on theprogramme’soverall financial position.

The post is suitable for a finance professional who can combine strong financial control, forecasting and reporting discipline with the confidence to advise and challenge stakeholders on financial performance, affordability, risks, underspends and overspends.

CSM is a high priority for the Ministry of Defence and offers substantial exposure to senior level decision-making and therefore offers opportunities for further career development.

The CSM portfolio is recruiting to two-year FTAs, with the possibility of extension subject to business requirements and approvals.

If you are a permanent MOD civil servant and are successful in securing an advertised Fixed-Term Appointment (FTA), it may be possible to agree a Temporary Transfer,subject to the agreement of your current MOD business area. Where a Temporary Transfer is agreed and the post is at a higher grade, any promotion will be temporary, and you will return to your substantive grade at the end of the Temporary Transfer.

Existing Civil Servants from outside MOD and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on a loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant, including arrangements regarding grade on return.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Part-time and job sharing arrangements may be considered providing that full time hours are covered.

Job description

• Manage key finance processes including forecasting updates, accruals, general ledgeractivityand financial reporting.

• Provide finance and accounting advice to ensure CSMremainscompliant with relevant Ministry of Defenceaccounting standards,policiesand processes.

• Completefinance systemactions to supportaccuratein-year and Annual Budget Cycle forecasts.

• Work jointly withinternalworkforceplanningcolleagues to ensure contingentlabourand workforce forecasts areaccurateand completed totimescales and standards.

• Maintain effective working relationships withlocalfinanceandMinistry of DefenceStrategic Financeteams, responding to queries, taskings and in-year savings requirements.

• Workacross theteam toform recommendationsfor seniorson options for managingpotentialunderspend, and financial risks.

• Support theteaminproviding financial advice to the Programme Director and Senior Responsible Owner on theprogramme’soverall financial performance.

• Produce clear,timelyand robust financial information, analysis and briefing material for governanceand,decision-makingboardsand senior stakeholder engagement.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who can manage core finance activity,provideclearadviceandmaintainhigh standardsof financial control. You will be comfortable working with financial data, explaining financial issues to non-finance stakeholders, and supporting decisions where there are competing priorities,pressuresor savings requirements.

Essential criteria

• Experience of financial planning, budgeting,forecastingand reporting in a finance or business management environment.

• Ability to manage in-year financial processes, including accruals, forecastupdatesand ledger-relatedactivity.

• Experience ofprovidingfinancial advice to stakeholders, including explaining financial information clearly and constructively challenging assumptions.

• Understanding offinancial governance, financial controls and compliance with accounting standards,policiesand processes.

• Ability toanalysefinancial performance,identifyrisks or opportunities, and make evidence-based recommendations.

• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work across finance,workforceand programme teams to meet deadlinesand build effective relationships between teams.

Qualifications

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants(ACCA),Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy

• (CIPFA)orChartered Institute of Management Accountants(CIMA)qualification; or

• Willingness to work towardsthese qualifications

• Experience in a similar finance role.

Desirable criteria

• Experience working with MinistryofDefencefinancial processes, Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting activity, or equivalent public sector finance processes.

• Experience supporting senior leaders with financial advice,briefings,or governance reporting.

• Experience working with workforce or contingentlabourforecasting.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture