Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location East Kilbride About the job Job summary You will lead the FCDOs Financial Accounting and Reporting function. This role is suitable for a high performing finance professional who is able to engage successfully at a senior level, build relationships and influence, think strategically and quickly dive in and help grip a wide range of issues. You will manage 4-5 key managers and leaders (at the Grade 6/7 level) and be a member of the Finance Senior Leadership Team. Job description The Deputy Director, Financial Accounting and Reporting is responsible for: Leading a significant portfolio, motivating and developing a diverse team to deliver an effective and efficient service, with a strong ability to building capability and develop people in a fast paced and challenging environment. Leading the financial accounting and reporting function, creating a strong cultural identity and cohesion, empowering staff, promoting accountability and the autonomy to deliver internal and external objectives. Timely laying of unqualified annual report and accounts, meeting high quality standards. The submission of Estimates and ambits to HM Treasury and Parliament. Reporting to the Audit Committee and other key stakeholders on the financial accounts. Delivering accurate and timely financial information that meets the business needs providing financial analysis and insight. Explaining the latest financial results at senior level e.g. Board meetings. Leading the financial accounting and reporting function, creating a strong cultural identity and cohesion, empowering staff, promoting accountability and the autonomy to deliver internal and external objectives. Person specification The Civil Service is open to talented people from any career background and where possible we will always seek to identify transferable skills from the individuals experience. To help you succeed in this role, you will need to demonstrate that you have the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this role, as well as leadership skills to succeed at Deputy Director level in the Senior Civil Service. The successful candidate should evidence the following Essential Criteria: Essential Experience (to be tested at application and interview): Highly developed planning and organisational skills in a finance environment, with experience of delivery and meeting tight deadlines. Able to think creatively and strategically to solve problems and manage risks, including in relation to publication of data. Adept at building strong stakeholder relationships, using your network to support delivery against your objectives. Technical Skills (to be tested at application and interview): Strong oral and written presentational skills, with ability to explain complex financial issues to non-specialist audiences. An authentic and credible leader, with the ability to engage and motivate those around you and lead an inclusive culture. Ability to see change as a chance to drive efficiency and innovation; acting as an agent for change wherever you identify the opportunity to protect, drive and add value. Qualifications The successful candidate must be a CCAB, CIMA or equivalent qualified accountant. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Leadership Making Effective Decisions Seeing the Big Picture Communicating and Influencing Benefits Alongside your salary of £76,000, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office contributes £22,017 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead. Youll benefit from a wide range of training and development opportunities, regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, youll be entitled to a large range of benefits. This includes: 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays and one privilege day to mark the King's birthday. A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire; Flexible working patterns including part-time and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours; Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers; Childcare benefits (policy for new employees as of 5 April 2018): The government has introduced the Tax- Free Childcare (TFC) scheme. Working parents can open an online childcare account and for every £8 they pay in, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2000 a year for each child or £4000 for a disabled child. Parents then use the funds to pay for registered childcare. Existing employees may be able to continue to claim childcare vouchers, so please check how the policy would work for you here ; Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle; The opportunity to use onsite facilities including fitness centres and staff canteens (where applicable); and Occupational sick pay. Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. Application To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process no later than 23:55, Thursday 30 th January 2025. This will involve completing the online application form outlined below: A CV of no more than 2 pages setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. A Statement of Suitability of no more than 1,250 words explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification. Failure to submit all documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. Assessment If shortlisted, you will be invited to undertake a series of assessments as part of this recruitment prior to a final interview panel. This will likely include: A Staff Engagement Exercise (SEE) An Alternative Leadership Assessment (ALA) Psychometric assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panels decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates. All stages of the Assessment process may be held virtually. Shortlisted candidates may also have the opportunity to speak to a senior member of the FCDO prior to the final interview to learn more about the role and the organisation. Please note, this is not part of the formal assessment process. Interview If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to attend a panel interview via MS Teams in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. The interview will be a blended assessment consisting of a series of questions against the Civil Service Success Profiles; Experience, Technical and Behaviours. Candidates may be required to give a presentation on a particular topic at the interview and this will be sent to you in advance. Reasonable Adjustment If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service at: scscandidate.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. Complete the assistance required section in the personal information page of your application form to provide information we should be aware of that will enable us to support you further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional. Reserve lists A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitable vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Further Information If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact: scscandidate.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk This job requires Developed Vetting security clearance as a condition of employment. If you are successful at interview, you will be asked to complete a number of security questionnaires. Employment references will also be obtained. There will be checks on your nationality and other matters, before a formal offer of appointment can be made, including checking applicant details against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Database Any move to FCDO 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 Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above. 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 developed vetting (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 Open to UK nationals only. 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. 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). Apply and further information 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 : SCS Recruitment Team Email : scscandidate.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : scscandidate.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information Civil Service Commission Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact; scscandidate.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at infocsc.gov.uk and more information can be found at www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk Attachments 2024-12-19 Deputy Director, Financial Accouting and Reporting - Candidate Information Pack v6 Opens in new window (pdf, 512kB) 380369 Accessibility Pack v4 (1) Opens in new window (docx, 214kB) Share this page Print Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn GMail