Joint Campaign (1) Director Strategic Finance and Investment Approvals, (2) Finance Director Military Strategic Headquarters
Location:
MOD Main Building, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB
About the job
Job summary:
Director Strategic Finance and Investment Approvals:
The Director of Strategic Finance and Investment Approvals is responsible for the management and allocation of the Department’s annual £60bn budget, scrutiny and approval of all significant investment programmes and strategically managing the department’s relationship with HM Treasury. The Director leads a Directorate of around 80 members of staff and holds a budget of circa £80M. The role reports to Director General Finance.
Finance Director Military Strategic Headquarters:
As a new role in a new organisational construct, a key part of the role will be shaping the role and team to deliver on the Secretary of State’s intent. More broadly, you will work with the Chief of Staff for the Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ) to jointly provide a Control and Balance function, leading the Finance Function with responsibility for the management of finance within the MSHQ, and acting as a conduit between the Department of State and Military Commands on finance allocations and budgetary advice.
Job description:
Director Strategic Finance and Investment Approvals:
1. Leading allocation of the Department’s budget and delivering the aims of Strategic Defence Review and Spending Review
o Delivering a Strategic Budget Cycle round that implements the Spending Review outcome, ensuring financial resources are aligned to the MOD’s strategic, operational and capability ambitions.
o Drive an ambitious cross-departmental transformation and efficiency programme working with the budget units and cross-departmental programmes to maximise savings and drive efficiency.
2. Deliver MOD’s overall In-Year Finances within the Control Totals set by Parliament
o Manage MOD’s annual budgets on the basis of the Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (RDEL) and Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (CDEL) Control Totals.
o Continuous improvements of the financial management information and insight on budgets across Defence to enable advice to Ministers and the Executive Committee on the Department’s financial position and to support Director General Finance in the quarterly Finance Deep Dives with the budget holders.
3. Lead the Investment Approvals secretariat and Scrutiny Team in investment decisions
o Support Senior Responsible Owners (SROs) to deliver their projects and programmes, including facilitating effective HM Treasury and IPA engagement.
o Working with SROs to ensure that robust evidence and management information is produced to support investment decisions, maintaining Ministerial and HM Treasury confidence, putting Defence in the best possible position to deliver.
4. Reforming the approach to Financial Planning, Budgeting and Capability Management
o The MOD is going through significant reform as part of the Defence Reform Programme, creating a new Military Strategic Headquarters, and a new National Armaments Headquarters.
o You will oversee key changes to the approach in financial planning and budgeting, and capability management as part of this reform programme.
5. Leadership of strategic finance, public spending and Across Government working
o You will play an integral part of the senior executive/ leadership team within the organisation and will be part of the Government Finance Function senior leadership network.
o Build effective and trusting relationships with Finance Directors across the Department to manage the Department’s In-Year financial resources to enable maximum benefit to be achieved.
Finance Director Military Strategic Headquarters:
* Senior Finance Officer to Chief of Defence Staff, providing advice and management of all aspects of financial policy including effective delegation of budgets within the Armed Forces Enterprise.
* You will report to the Vice Chief of Defence Staff, with functional responsibility to Director General (DG) Finance.
* Role model Civil Servant leadership whilst playing an integral part of the senior executive/ leadership team within the organisation, MSHQ and will be part of the Government Finance Function senior leadership network.
* Jointly run the Armed Forces Balance of Investment process to develop and present options to the Department of State and Ministers, including effective balance of risk.
* Work with the National Armaments and Department of State to agree realistic investment and spending plans – to include the establishment and delivering of portfolios. Alongside the Chief of Defence Staff, you will need to provide delegations to Command Budget holders.
* Work with the Commands to deliver Value for Money through effective command planning, resourcing, cost control and management. Champion a longer-term and sustainable resourcing approach for the Armed forces. Responsible for consolidation of the Armed Forces financial position and submitting to the Department of State.
* Lead the establishment and transformation of the Armed Forces finance function, including direction of the Corporate Services Modernisation programme, and the broader finance structure, with DG Finance.
* Senior lead for corporate governance within the Military Strategic Headquarters, ensuring that effective and proportionate internal controls exist to manage business risks and ensure compliance with Departmental requirements.
Person specification:
The successful candidate must first be able to demonstrate their experience and skills against the following core essential criteria:
* Experience in a variety of relevant Board level financial management positions, including cost control, commercial, policy and people management.
* Highly developed inclusive senior leadership skills, with the ability to create, inspire and engage high performing, diverse and inclusive teams.
* Excellent senior stakeholder management skills and the ability to command the confidence and trust from a range of Board level stakeholders and senior officials, with diverse professional backgrounds and perspectives, including on sensitive issues or where opinions are divided.
* Experience at performing in large organisations which has a complex operating environment, with the ability to manage through high levels change and uncertainty.
* Comfortable making evidence-based decisions, solutions and recommendations, in fast-moving scenarios, whilst balancing political and financial considerations.
* Extensive experience in interpreting financial information to help shape and influence organisational strategy. You will need to demonstrate when you have led negotiations and successfully influenced a variety of senior leaders to ensure delivery, while maintaining value for money.
* Exceptional analytical skills as well as a confident strategic thinker who can present complex information and flag risks or current challenges to senior leaders clearly, helping to shape the debate in a global defence and security context.
* Must hold the relevant Professional Finance Qualification - Qualified accountant with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent.
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a strong field of candidates when there is a need to distinguish between candidates. This will be as a second sift, after the essential criteria has been considered:
Director Strategic Finance and Investment Approvals
* Experience in change leadership and organisational design.
* Comfortable in building and developing effective relationships with HM Treasury spending teams.
Finance Director Military Strategic Headquarters
* As this is a new role building a new team, strong experience in change leadership, supported by organisational design principles.
Benefits:
Alongside your salary of £120,000, Ministry of Defence contributes £34,764 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%
Apply before: 11:55 pm on Sunday 30th March 2025
For further information, and to apply, please visit our website via the “Apply” button below.
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