Defra group Finance team which is passionate about delivering a high-quality finance service that meets the standards expected of us by our partners and by ourselves.
This is a complex time for central government bodies with multiple financial pressures meaning that the next Spending Review (SR) will be challenging for Defra and the EA. You will lead a team of finance business partners who work closely with colleagues in the Environment Agency to support strategic decision making looking at trade offs and choices in managing their business, optimising outcomes and value for the taxpayer. You will provide financial support to an infrastructure programme which supports the UK in being more resilient to the effects of flooding.
As Senior Finance Business partner and member of the Finance Leadership Team you’ll act as a role model and standard bearer for our business. You’ll lead and inspire a team of around 20 business partners and other specialists, assuring investments and delivering insight. You will be key in ensuring a strong and trusted relationship between the EA and Defra Finance, particularly including our centralised management reporting service and supporting improvements and success of our our financial model. You will occupy a unique role, providing leadership both within the EA and our Group Finance model.
The role holder will be an outstanding finance leader capable of leading, motivating and developing a high performing finance business partnering team delivering a great service to the Environment Agency. You’ll also be capable of driving a broad range of improvements to support EA to make most effective use of its finances. This is a challenging but highly rewarding role, with complex stakeholder management.
As Head of Business Partnering for the Environment Agency you will:
* Lead and maintain a strong and diverse team of 20 to provide insight into the financial position of the Environment Agency providing strategic financial advice and insight to the Environment Agency executive and their teams.
* Work closely with leads on major projects and programs to ensure robust business cases are developed with strong commercial focus, options appraisal, realistic benefits and risk management within appropriate governance. You will provide advice on the Agency’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management Programme and other significant investments.
* Be an integral member of the Finance Senior Leadership Team and be a trusted partner to senior leaders across the Environment Agency
* Set the correct financial tone for the Environment Agency and ensure finance is at the heart of all key decision making through oversight, support and challenge.
* Provide oversight of the delivery of effective outcomes by providing tailored guidance, insight and effective solutions, ensuring public funds are being spent wisely and represent value for money
* In the event of a major national incident managed by the EA, provide necessary financial knowledge and advice to the incident, and, if necessary, manage any financial implications and escalate needs for funding.
Key responsibilities of the role are:
* Leadership of EA’s finance business partnering team, ensuring that the team is well led and managed and that all individuals are supported to perform at their best and develop in their careers.
* Support EA to manage their in-year budget, ensuring the agency lives within its delegated budgets and recommending controls and actions to bring budgets back on track as needed.
* Ensure project appraisal is robust and support the agency in developing business cases and optimising the investment resource available
* Ensure that the EA finance business partnering team is visible, influential and well plugged into the work of the Environment Agency. This is through your own personal relationships and impact as well as through the culture and ways of working of the team.
* Act as a member of the Finance Leadership Team, supporting the EA Finance Director and Defra Group CFO to make Defra Group Finance a great place to work.
* Act as a catalyst for change to improve financial processes, innovation and value for money, ensuring advances in data and analytics are fully used to support financial reporting.
* Able to influence and make positive impacts at highest levels through excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including by building and maintaining networks and relationships.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to put complex financial issues into layman's terms for non-specialist audiences across a wide variety of stakeholder groups
* Able to collaborate and seek constructive outcomes in discussions, balancing a firm stance with a willingness to compromise when beneficial to the operation.
We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted by Anna Caffyn, Finance Director for the Environment Agency and will take place on:
Thursday 19th September between 9:00 - 10:30
The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department.
It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have about the application, and the interview and assessment process. Please email Rachel.Kingsmill@defra.gov.uk who will send you an invite to the session.