Finance Manager

Public Sector Resourcing, managed by AMS; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Ministry of Defence (MOD) seeks a Finance Manager (Inside IR35) for a 6-month hybrid contract based in Abbeywood, Bristol. The role requires active SC clearance and will manage budgeting, forecasting, and robust financial control across a substantial portfolio.

You will lead month-end processes, maintain the general ledger, and provide financial insight to senior stakeholders. Experience with Oracle, Cognos, and TPM, plus advanced Excel skills, is essential for success.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of financial accounting principles and management accounting practices.
• Experience preparing year-end accounts and supporting audits.
• Strong analytical and financial modelling skills.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of a varied workload.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders and providing financial business partnering support.
• Advanced Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning activities.
• Prepare, maintain and monitor in-year budgets, forecasts and monthly financial commentary packs.
• Manage month-end and year-end accounting processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Maintain the general ledger, including journals, accruals, prepayments and reconciliations.
• Complete year-end accounts and lead audit return activities, ensuring governance requirements are met.
• Ensure project accounts, asset registers and inventory records are reconciled.
• Provide financial analysis, cost modelling and business case support for decisions.
• Support portfolio approval processes and governance requirements.
• Deliver robust financial reporting and management information for decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with financial controls and VfM evaluations.
• Review business cases and accounting processes for continuous improvement.
• Build relationships with budget holders and senior stakeholders.

Skills

Budgeting

Forecasting

Financial accounting

Management accounting

Stakeholder management

Advanced Excel

Power BI

Financial modelling

Audit support

Tools

Oracle

Cognos

TPM

Excel (advanced)

Job description

On behalf of the MOD, we are looking for a Finance Manager (Inside IR35) for a 6 month contract based hybrid in Abbeywood, Bristol.

This role requires an Active SC clearance.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence, as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.

The MOD is one of the biggest public procurement organisations in Europe and the single largest customer for UK industry. It currently manages approximately £20 billion of spend on capital investments in equipment and infrastructure every year. Over the next decade the MOD is committed to spending over £190 billion on equipment and support. The MOD's customers include both the armed forces and national security agencies, and it has a diverse range of requirements, including military fighting vehicles, education services, nuclear submarines and facilities management.

The MOD's aim is to provide its armed forces with the best capabilities to enable them to protect the UK's security and advance national interests, both now and in the long term.

To do this the MOD has an annual budget of almost £53 billion and a workforce comprising 197,000 people. of which 54,000 are civilians working for the UK MOD.

The work really matters; the MOD offers a range of engaging roles which have a direct impact on the quality of services they provide, in many locations across the UK. We support teams working in HR, Primary Health Care, Corporate Services, and many others.

Role Profile:

To support a high-profile portfolio within a large government organisation. This role combines strategic financial planning, budgeting and forecasting responsibilities with hands-on financial accounting and financial management activities.

The successful candidate will support a substantial portfolio of services, working closely with senior stakeholders to deliver robust financial management, governance forecasting and year-end statutory reporting requirements.

This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive finance professional who can work independently, manage competing priorities and provide high-quality financial insight within a complex operational environment.

As a Finance Manager, your main responsibilities will be to:

• Lead budgeting, forecasting and long-term financial planning activities, including Programme Cost Reviews (PCR) and Annual Budgeting Cycle (ABC) submissions.
• Prepare, maintain and monitor in-year budgets, forecasts and monthly financial commentary packs.
• Manage month-end and year-end accounting processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Maintain the general ledger, including journals, accruals, prepayments and reconciliations.
• Complete year-end accounts and lead audit return activities, ensuring all statutory and governance requirements are met.
• Ensure project accounts, asset registers and inventory records are accurately maintained and reconciled.
• Provide financial analysis, cost modelling and business case support to inform investment and approval decisions.
• Support portfolio approval processes, including IXD financial approvals and governance requirements.
• Deliver robust financial reporting and management information to support decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with financial controls, governance frameworks, Value for Money (VfM) assessments and affordability reviews.
• Review business cases, accounting processes and financial returns, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Build strong relationships with budget holders and senior stakeholders, providing financial advice, challenge and support.
• Support the rollout and ongoing use of Power BI financial dashboards and reporting tools.
• Work across multiple finance systems, including Oracle, Cognos, TPM and advanced Excel-based reporting.
• Manage resources effectively within the area of responsibility and contribute to efficient financial management across the portfolio.

Essential:

• Strong understanding of financial accounting principles and management accounting practices.
• Experience preparing year-end accounts and supporting external or internal audits.
• Strong analytical and financial modelling skills.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of a varied workload.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders and providing financial business partnering support.
• Advanced Excel skills.

Desirable:

• Experience working within the Civil Service, Defence, Government or wider Public Sector environment.
• Familiarity with Power BI reporting and dashboards.
• Experience using Oracle, Cognos, TPM or similar enterprise finance systems.
• Understanding of government financial governance frameworks and approval processes.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, the MOD guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

The MOD guarantees to interviewveterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, wewill interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.