Deputy Director Finance, People and Performance - ICS

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ); Cardiff; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the UK is looking for a Finance Leader to oversee the finance function within Integrated Corporate Services. This role involves ensuring high-quality finance services across various government departments, managing significant budgets, and driving efficiency improvements. The ideal candidate will be financially qualified (CCAB, CIMA or equivalent) with experience in a senior finance role. Strong people management and strategic thinking skills are essential. The position is based in Cardiff and may engage with multiple departments.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in senior finance role within complex organisation.
• Strong understanding of people management and performance frameworks.
• Ability to influence change in policy and practice at senior level.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership of the finance function.
• Ensure compliance with HMG requirements and strive for best practice.
• Lead the ICS PMO, ensuring robust programme delivery and reporting processes.

Skills

Financially qualified CCAB, CIMA or equivalent

People management

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Education

CCAB, CIMA or equivalent

Job description

Location

Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Salford

Job summary

Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) provides essential shared services to key government departments and their Arm’s Length Bodies through an innovative model with significant growth potential. ICS delivers Digital, Security, Estates, and elements of Commercial, HR, and Finance to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ), the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), and other connected organizations. Some services are delivered in partnership with third parties like the Government Property Agency (GPA) and UK Shared Business Services (UKSBS).

ICS is also a key partner in the Matrix programme, preparing to manage the intelligent client function for the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution (Neo) across five departments over 2026-2027.

This initiative enhances ICS’s role as an expert manager of shared services and expands its service delivery to new departments and their Arm’s Length Bodies. ICS is leading the transition to new digital platforms, improving efficiency, transparency, and value for money across the government, while its employees, hosted within DESNZ, deliver expert services across supported departments and organizations.

This is a pivotal role, reporting to the ICS Managing Director and a member of the ICS Senior Leadership Team. As ICS prepares to extend our service offer to more organisations and to prepare for our role as the NCO for Neo, it is critical that we have highly effective financial processes and systems that are fit for our purpose as a provider of shared services across multiple government departments and within a complex system of partnership. It is also critical that we have the systems, approaches and culture to steward all of our resources – including our 400 colleagues – to the highest possible standards.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership of the finance function, ensuring the delivery of consistent, high-quality finance and internal controls services across ICS, including finance business partnering, business and strategic planning, NCO financial governance and internal controls processes.
• Ensure compliance with all HMG requirements and strive for best practice.
• Lead the ICS response to driving efficiency in all ICS operations and scaling up strategy and through the ICS contribution to driving efficiency initiatives across the Matrix department group.
• Use strategic and commercial acumen to champion effective decision-making and risk management.
• Provide overall leadership to the ICS PMO, ensuring that programme delivery, risk, business continuity and performance and reporting processes are robust, effective and provide value for money.
• Provide overall leadership to the ICS People team, ensuring that our workforce planning, people development and engagement processes are in place and aligned to the strategic objectives of ICS.
• Lead continuous improvement in the modernisation of all ICS business services, striving for business excellence across own teams and across ICS.
• Engage and collaborate across multiple government departments and partner organisations to represent ICS and advocate for shared and innovative approaches to shared services resourcing in order to further our mission.
• Manage significant budgets, contracts and service level agreements with a clear focus on value for money, continuous improvement in service and overall efficiency.
• Be an active contributor to the ICS senior leadership team, actively championing the ‘One ICS’ vision and our values of creativity, Connection, and Capability.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Financially qualified CCAB, CIMA or equivalent with proven experience in a senior finance role within a complex organisation and, ideally, a multi-organisational system.
• Demonstrably strong understanding of people management and performance frameworks.
• Proven ability to think strategically and deliver within a context of ambiguity and change.
• Proven ability to build and lead high-performing, collaborative and diverse teams who are confident in their ability to influence across and beyond team and organisational boundaries.
• Excellent communications, stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills, with proven ability to influence change in policy and practice at senior level
• Demonstrably able to deliver at pace, make and support decisions in ambiguous settings and prioritise team workloads to achieve results.

Qualifications

Financially qualified CCAB, CIMA or equivalent with proven experience in a senior finance role within a complex organisation and, ideally, a multi-organisational system.