Strategic Finance Advisor

Government Recruitment Service; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector organization in the UK seeks a Strategic Finance Advisor to provide expert financial advice to senior officials and Ministers. The role focuses on shaping transport policy with an emphasis on budget controls and efficiency improvements. Key responsibilities include advising on financial risks, collaborating with budget holders, and preparing for Spending Reviews to ensure sufficient funding. This position plays a crucial role in influencing financial decisions within the department.

Qualifications

• Expert financial advice to senior officials and Ministers.
• Ability to work collaboratively with budget holders.
• Experience in developing financial plans.

Responsibilities

• Identify financial risks and provide advice on options.
• Consult and negotiate spending plans with HM Treasury.
• Prepare for upcoming Spending Reviews.

Job description

The Department for Transport is seeking a Strategic Finance Advisor to provide expert financial advice to senior officials and Ministers on budgets, spending and efficiencies. You will play a key role in shaping future transport policy and ensuring finance is central to decision‑making. Working across Strategic Finance and the Finance Centre of Excellence, you’ll be involved in fiscal events, business planning, and financial assurance, influencing stakeholders across government and HM Treasury on high‑profile projects and future transport priorities.

Your main duties will include:

• Develop an understanding of transport policies in order to identify financial risks and provide advice on options and actions that can be taken to control costs. Improve the accuracy of forecasting through constructive challenge and by identifying evidence to underpin assumptions.
• Collaborate with budget holders to develop medium and long term plans that are affordable and aligned with government’s economic and fiscal objectives. Consult and negotiate with HM Treasury colleagues to agree spending plans.
• Ensure that the departmental approach to efficiencies and productivity is embedded and look for opportunities to continually improve this process, from leading on quarterly Government Efficiency Framework reporting to considering how to embed efficiencies and productivity throughout the department.
• Work as part of the Fiscal Events team to prepare for upcoming Spending Reviews to ensure that the department secures sufficient funding by working closely with internal stakeholders such as Strategy Unit (SU), Finance Business Partners (FBPs) and policy teams to develop potential funding options as well as external stakeholders such as HM Treasury (HMT).
• Provide quality and timely strategic finance advice on the Department’s spending proposals as part of the Finance Centre of Excellence.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.