Enhanced Shared Services Deputy Manager

UK Ministry of Defence; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence is seeking an Enhanced Shared Services Deputy Manager to lead a finance team in Bristol. This role includes ensuring effective service delivery in finance and procurement, supporting team development, and maintaining stakeholder relationships. Key requirements include leadership skills, finance competencies, and experience using Microsoft applications. The role offers a competitive salary, benefits, and a flexible working environment.

Benefits

Civil Service pension with employer contribution of 28.97%

25 days' paid annual leave, rising to 30 after five years

Flexible working options

On-site gym and cafés

Qualifications

• Experience in finance and accounting roles.
• Proven competency using Microsoft applications.
• Ability to mentor and manage a team.

Responsibilities

• Lead team management and performance oversight.
• Ensure effective service delivery around finance systems.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to streamline procurement.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Education

Finance Skills Foundation (or willingness to obtain)

Level 4 AAT, CCAB or CIMA Qualified Accountant

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

ePC System

Job description

Hybrid working, based at Abbey Wood, Filton, Bristol BS34 8JH, with an expectation of some travel to other locations on official business as required. Expected minimum of 60% working time in office or out on official business ie detached duty.

Job Summary

As the Defence integrator, Strategic Command (UKStratCom) sits at the heart of Defence, giving us the winning edge in an ever uncertain and competitive world. Every single operation relies on the connectivity and skills we offer the whole of the Armed Forces.

The UKStratCom Finance Function supports multiple Service Directorates: the Headquarters; Defence Medical Services; Defence Intelligence; Defence Digital; Special Forces; National Cyber Force; Directorate of Overseas Bases; Defence Support and the Permanent Joint Headquarters.

Following implementation of Finance Transformation (FinTx) in January 2025, the function is now made up of over 180 finance personnel across Finance Operations, Specialist Services, Finance Business Partnering Teams and Finance Military Operations.

The Enhanced Shared Services (ESS) team sits within the Finance Function’s Specialist Services team and works collaboratively across all Directorates and wider Finance colleagues.

Reporting to the Enhanced Shared Services Manager, this role carries line management accountabilities and is responsible for managing outputs from the Enhanced Shared Services team as a centralised service offering to the Command’s Directorates, covering an expanding range of services including finance systems’ onboarding and administration, a virtual electronic procurement card (ePC) hub and transactional services.

This role requires working within our newly implemented central Service Delivery Model, to support principal service users, Directorates and other relevant stakeholders in the execution of their activities through the delivery of transactional and enabling services. This role also requires building and maintaining an extended network of finance contacts within the wider MOD and other Commands to leverage best practice to the benefit of Strategic Command Finance.

This role is key in establishing this new service offering from the centralised Finance Function and streamlining the provision of shared services to Directorates.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description

The Enhanced Shared Services Deputy Manager is responsible for:

Leadership

• Line management, performance management, mentoring and countersigning tasks as required by the role. Empowering, motivating and coaching to enable effective delivery. Currently this role has 1 direct report and 1 countersigning role (as the services we offer develop, the team may expand with more line management responsibility attached to this).
• Supporting team members’ personal development and career aspirations as identified and aligning to business requirements, ensuring time for individuals to develop themselves and their direct reports.
• Deputising for the ESS Team Manager as per business requirements.
• Maximising resources, including people, by encouraging innovation, championing diversity and inclusion, flexibility and continuous improvements for UKSC Finance Function, Directorates and Defence.
• Identifying and tackling improvements through development and prompt management action.
• Championing improvements in employee engagement underpinned by a clear and communicated action plan.
  
  

Routine Requirements

• Collaborating with multiple stakeholders to include Finance Operations, Finance Business Partners, Commercial and Defence Business Services (People Services) to support procurement and system use.
• Knowledge of differing procurement and payment processes together with associated systems, including ePC, Digital Workplace (People Services) and Contracting, Purchasing and Finance.
• Overseeing a team of Executive Officer (EO) and Administrative Officer (AO) staff providing an expanding list of transactional services to Directorates including but not limited to:
  
  

ePC Virtual Hub and ePC administration aligned to Joint Service policy and guidance ie JSP 332

• maintaining an up to date ePC card holder/virtual deployer register and robust audit trails
• monthly reconciliations and completion of assurance checks
• advice to procurement card holders and virtual card deployers
• scrutiny and management of requests for delegated limit increases, including Letter of Delegation (LoD) updates
• centralised virtual ePC deployer
  
  

CP&F Management

• customer and supplier onboarding activities, to include obtaining correct approvals and Government agreed requirements
• centralised system user to assist with procurement activities where necessary
• income generating invoicing
• finance system access controls
• Payment Solutions:
• pilots across MOD including Tail Spend Solution (compliant, pre-competed low complexity procurement) administration
• miscellaneous personal payments’ approvals and administration
• other non-core procurement activity
• Ownership for service quality, including the timely response to service requests and ad-hoc enquiries.
• Other ad-hoc tasks commensurate with the role, including aiding financial, system and procurement processes.
  
  

Personal Development

• Developing expertise in one or more areas of ESS responsibility alongside a robust understanding of all areas of responsibility; undertaking personal learning, development and upskilling as required.
  
  

Routine Requirements

• Collaborating with multiple stakeholders to include Finance Operations, Finance Business Partners, Commercial and Defence Business Services (People Services) to support procurement and system use.
• Knowledge of differing procurement and payment processes together with associated systems, including ePC, Digital Workplace (People Services) and Contracting, Purchasing and Finance.
• Overseeing a team of Executive Officer (EO) and Administrative Officer (AO) staff providing an expanding list of transactional services to Directorates including but not limited to:
  
  

ePC Virtual Hub and ePC administration aligned to Joint Service policy and guidance ie JSP 332

• maintaining an up to date ePC card holder/virtual deployer register and robust audit trails
• monthly reconciliations and completion of assurance checks
• advice to procurement card holders and virtual card deployers
• scrutiny and management of requests for delegated limit increases, including Letter of Delegation (LoD) updates
• centralised virtual ePC deployer
  
  

CP&F Management

• customer and supplier onboarding activities, to include obtaining correct approvals and Government agreed requirements
• centralised system user to assist with procurement activities where necessary
• income generating invoicing
• finance system access controls
• Payment Solutions:
• pilots across MOD including Tail Spend Solution (compliant, pre-competed low complexity procurement) administration
• miscellaneous personal payments’ approvals and administration
• other non-core procurement activity
• Ownership for service quality, including the timely response to service requests and ad-hoc enquiries.
• Other ad-hoc tasks commensurate with the role, including aiding financial, system and procurement processes.
  
  

Personal Development

• Developing expertise in one or more areas of ESS responsibility alongside a robust understanding of all areas of responsibility; undertaking personal learning, development and upskilling as required.
  
  

Person specification

You Should Possess The Following Skills:

• Proven experience of using Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Outlook.
• A working knowledge of all other Microsoft applications.
• Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing.
• Good analytics skills and strong organisation skills.
• Good attention to detail.
• Demonstrate a keenness to learn new skills and techniques.
• Demonstrated skills of effectively working in a team and able to work independently with minimal supervision, together with experience of leading a team.
  
  

Essential: Finance Skills Foundation (held or willing to obtain within first 6 months of taking up this role).

Desirable: Proven experience in a finance environment and Level 4 AAT, CCAB or CIMA Qualified Accountant or equivalent or working towards.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
  
  

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
  
  

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.

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• 25 days' paid annual leave rising (one day per year) to 30 days after five years' service, bank holidays and an extra day's holiday for the King's birthday.
• Abbey Wood site has an on-site gym, cafés, parking facilities (noting these can be restricted) and is conveniently located next to a railway station.
• Opportunity to work flexibly which includes a flexible working hours scheme and some hybrid working.
  
  

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

At Sift, You Will Be Assessed Against The Following:

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
  
  

Separate 250 word statements addressing the specified behaviour. Please use the STAR format when writing your statements.

When choosing your Behaviour examples, please make sure you use real life scenarios that relate to your own experiences. Whilst technology may help to enhance your written submission, presenting the ideas of others or those generated by technology, could result in your application being rejected.

Experience

• Candidates will be required to provide a CV, details to include job history, qualification details, previous skills and experience.
• Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability of not more than 500 words. Please provide details of skills and experience relevant to the role as detailed in person specification.
  
  

At interview, You Will Be Assessed Against The Following:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
  
  

Interviews will be conducted in person at Filton Abbey Wood.

In The Event Of a Strong Field Of Candidates At Interview, The Following Desirable Criteria Will Be Considered To Distinguish The Order Or Merit:

• Proven experience in a finance environment
  
  

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: [e-mail] .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and 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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact :

• Name : Shirley Otley
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service

commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: [e-mail].