Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location Bristol, Exeter, Truro About the job Job summary CPS - South West is delighted to advertise the role of Area Finance Manager. The Crown Prosecution Service has fixed rates for its Higher Executive Officer grade a developing rate (the starting salary) and a spot rate (the maximum salary). Applicants typically join us on the developing rate and, after completing a 18-month development period, move to the spot rate this is subject to your line manager confirming that youre performing the role to a satisfactory standard. If youre joining the Crown Prosecution Service on a lateral transfer from another government department, you should contact us about the impact on your salary and the implications of any time youve already spent at that grade before applying or accepting an employment offer. Your salary may be adjusted if your location changes when you join us. This adjustment will also takes into account any existing allowances that may have previously been consolidated into your basic pay theres no guarantee that you can retain these when you transfer. The Crown Prosecution Service is based in England and Wales. If youre applying for this role and live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you must let us know when accepting this offer as you need permission to work from your home address if hybrid working is part of you r role. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that this approval will be granted. Please note that applicants must be aged 18 before starting in the role, start dates would be expected to be 8-12 weeks after the closing date of this advert. Please note that as part of this role you will be expected to undertake direct line management responsibilities. Please note that the below are deemed essential experiences to be eligible to apply for this role: IT literate and good Microsoft Excel skills. Experience of using financial accounting systems, budgeting and forecasting, resource planning and procurement. Please note that you must be able to meet the essential technical skills detailed below to be eligible to apply for this role: Financial accreditation / qualification held or desire to complete this if appointed. For further information on how to apply, please see the Candidate Pack at the bottom of this page. Job description You will play a key part in the CPS assurance and control framework working with HQ Finance colleagues and will provide assurance to the Head of Business Centre (HoBC) that the Areas financial management complies with departmental and civil service standards. You will be responsible for providing support, guidance and assurance to the Area Business Manager (ABM) in relation to all financial matters through reviewing resources, budget data, providing cost analysis and financial data. You will work collaboratively with peers across Partner Areas; sharing good practice and lessons learnt to deliver the business and to ensure resilience. Person specification You will ensure that local financial controls are understood and applied by senior managers and other relevant individuals and that breaches are investigated and followed up, escalating as appropriate. In partnership with HQ Finance, ensuring the delivery of appropriate training and direction in finance, budgeting, purchasing and fraud prevention. You will prepare timely, accurate and complete financial reports for the Area Strategic Board (ASB) and flag any significant compliance issues for action by senior managers. You will ensure that finance routines across the Area including accruals, forecasting and workforce capacity planning are completed within deadlines proactively leading on behalf of Head of Business Services. You will have a high degree of autonomy in advising and guiding ASB/senior managers about annual expenditure and financial management matters in general to ensure sound financial decisions are made across the organisation. You will provide leadership in all aspects of financial management including efficiency savings. Work with senior managers in developing the Areas financial plans to support the delivery of plans within budget. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Making Effective Decisions Managing a Quality Service Working Together Changing and Improving Communicating and Influencing Delivering at Pace Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Financial accreditation / qualification held or desire to complete this if appointed. Benefits Alongside your salary of £34,680, Crown Prosecution Service contributes £10,046 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Join the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and have a future that matters: Find Your Purpose CPS is passionate about ensuring that we are a top performing organisation and a great place to work. We are committed to be an equal opportunities employer and creating a culture where everyone can bring their whole self to work and individuality is truly appreciated. We want to ensure all our employees can thrive at work and home and offer a range of support to achieve a balance. This includes where possible, flexibility of working hours, flexibility to support caring responsibilities and a flexible approach to deployment, which means that where you work (i.e. a court, an office, or a remote setting such as your home) will be based on the kind of work you are undertaking. This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks covering Disability, Faith and Belief, LGBTQI, Race, Social Mobility alongside our Mental Health First Aiders Programme and Wellbeing Sessions. CPS commits to offer its employees the following experience Impactful, purposeful work making a difference to your local communities The ability to learn and grow, with access to the right opportunities and resources To care about your wellbeing To feel valued, trusted and included We also offer the following range of benefits: Civil Service Pension Access to employee savings Cycle2Work scheme 25 days leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years service. 1 extra privilege day entitlement to mark the Kings Birthday. Competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave Flexible working and a family friendly approach to work. Childcare vouchers unless already registered with the Government Tax Free Childcare Scheme Diversity at the Crown Prosecution Service is about inclusion, embracing differences and ensuring our workforce truly reflects the communities we serve. We want you to feel that you belong and can thrive, whatever your background, identity or culture. As a Disability Confident employer, we're happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments and improve your recruitment experience. If you'd like any reasonable adjustments made to our recruitment process, let us know within your application or contact Priya.Vickerscps.gov.uk. We want to ensure our employees can thrive at work and home, and offer a range of support to achieve a balance. This includes flexibility of working hours, flexibility to support caring responsibilities and a flexible approach to deployment. We offer a hybrid working policy. From September 2024, you must spend at least 40% of your contracted hours over a four-week period at court, in an office or another official workplace depending on business need and the kind of work you're doing. The CPS also has a range of development programmes to support all aspiring, new and experienced managers with developing the skills, behaviours and knowledge to build their confidence and capability. Our Manager Induction Programme is mandatory for all managers appointed from April 2024. This is a fantastic opportunity to arm all our new CPS managers with the tools required to perform effectively in their roles. Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills. Recruitment Process The recruitment process will consist of an online application, interview and assessment which are expected to take place on Tuesday 11th February 2025 at Temple Quay, Bristol. A member of our recruitment team will be in touch with further guidance, if you have any queries about this please contact Priya.Vickerscps.gov.uk. You should keep this date free or notify us if you are not available. We will make every effort to accommodate you in your preference for dates; however we cannot guarantee that they will be met. Assessment Please note, you will be asked to undertake an assessment as part of the recruitment process for this role, details of which will be provided immediately prior to your interview. P ersonal Statement You will also be asked to complete a personal statement of no more than 1250 words setting out how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience, match the requirements as detailed in the Candidate Pack. You will also need to address the core behaviours for this role, detailed in the behaviours section of the candidate pack, which are; Making effective decisions - lead behaviour Managing a quality service Working together In addition, you will need to demonstrate the following experience/technical skills required for this role, detailed in the experience/technical section of the candidate pack, which are: IT literate and good Microsoft Excel skills. Experience of using financial accounting systems, budgeting and forecasting, resource planning and procurement. Financial accreditation / qualification held or desire to complete this if appointed. In addition you will need to demonstrate the CPS or Civil Service Values. Please note, the panel has the right to assess the lead behaviour making effective decisions first. If the standard on this behaviour isnt met, the other behaviours wont be considered and your application wont progress. The panel also has the right to raise the minimum standard pass mark. Please note, the panel may also refer to the lead behaviour at the interview stage to determine merit order. CV You will not be required to upload your CV however, when submitting your application there is a CV section. You will be required to provide information regarding your employment/academic history for the past 3 years. Please note that it is the candidates responsibility to provide the specified application information in the requested format to ensure that they are considered for the post. Please note, if you are unable to cover 3 years through employment/ academic, a character reference will be required for clearance purpose s. Strengths Please note, strengths will be tested at interview stage, the strengths being tested will not be shared in advance of the interview. Use of AI Candidates must ensure that their applications, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note, that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. Other This is a full-time post. However, requests for flexible, part-time working and job share will be considered, considering at all times the operational needs of the Department. Clearance Required The successful applicant will be required to secure DBS clearance. If successfully appointed, you will be asked to complete the Character Enquiry Form and Nationality and Immigration Questionnaire. If you are an internal member of staff, you will not be required to undergo this DBS check as you will already hold this clearance. The job you are applying for is covered by Article 3(a) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, consequently Section 4(2) of that Act does not apply. For the reasons outlined above you are required to disclose all previous convictions and cautions, including spent convictions. Failure to make a full declaration will result in the withdrawal of an offer of employment if our checks reveal convictions that have not been disclosed. Waiting List Candidates who are recommended by the selection panel but not appointed to the current vacancy will be placed on a waiting list for 12 months and may be offered another post, should any further vacancies for a Area Finance Manager arise in their chosen location. CPS may also approach candidates on the waiting list to fill other roles requiring similar knowledge and exper ience, including in other locations. Feedback Feedback will not be provided until the vacancy is complete, please note that written feedback will not be provided for candidates who do not pass the application stage. Fair Processing Notice (FPN) From April 2018, the CPS will provide a Fair Processing Notice (FPN) to all new applicants after they have been successful at interview. These candidates will be informed that, as one aspect of pre-employment screening, their personal details name, National Insurance Number and date of birth - will be checked against the Internal Fraud Database (IFD) and that anyone included on the IFD will be refused employment unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances. The Strategic Resourcing team in the CPS will, on behalf of the vacancy holder, inform applicants when they are refused employment because of their inclusion in the IFD. Civil Service Commission If you are dissatisfied with the recruitment process and wish to make a complaint, please contact Strategic.Resourcingcps.gov.uk with your concerns. If you remain dissatisfied and wish to make a further complaint, please click on the following link to the Civil Service Commission complaints page https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/ Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles can be found here https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/ Details of the Civil Service Nationality Rules are located at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements. For the most up-to-date information on the requirements of working in the UK, please go to the UK Visas and Immigration website: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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. 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 : Priya Vickers Email : Priya.Vickerscps.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : strategic.resourcingcps.gov.uk Attachments Candidate Pack - SWAG3324 Opens in new window (docx, 207kB) NEW CPS Personal Statement Guidance 2023 Opens in new window (docx, 269kB) NEW CPS Terms and Conditions 2024 Updated Opens in new window (docx, 253kB) Share this page Print Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn GMail