Contents Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information Location Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Ipswich, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham. (Croydon and Stratford will only be available to existing employees of the Insolvency Service). About the job Job summary The Insolvency Service is a leading Government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty. We are recruiting a Finance Business Partner within the Insolvency Service' Finance, Commercial, Sustainability and Property directorate. This is an interesting and rewarding role within an established team of finance professionals. Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups underrepresented in our workforce. The Insolvency Service strives to ensure that the agency is a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work and to help the agency to achieve its diversity objectives. We have 10 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability & Health, FACES Network Group, Grass Roots, LGBT, Mind Matters, No Limits, Part Time Workers, The Shed, and Womens Network Group. We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working. We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, though our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities. The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career Job description The Finance, Commercial, Sustainability and Property Directorate manage, oversee and analyse the Agencys financial and commercial activity. By reporting on our current position, forecasting our future budgets and working closely with internal and external stakeholders, we play an active part in understanding the agencys performance and in shaping its current and future financial position. The role is within the Project & National Interest Case FBP Team which works within the Finance, Commercial, Sustainability and Property Directorate, and is strategically placed at the heart of the organisation to provide project finance advice to key stakeholders and Senior Leaders across a varied project portfolio. What do Project FBPs do: The team supports the organisation in the delivery of change projects (with the NIC Accountant separately helping to administer National Interest Cases) by providing expert financial guidance and reporting. We help the business achieve this by offering robust challenge, realistic financial forecasting and support with HM Government finance processes. We also provide input to business cases and deliver specific accounting advice to shape commercial decisions. What we can offer people in the role: Qualifications and Training Support to complete your professional accountancy qualification if applicable (note: you must be qualified or within 12 months of qualifying to apply for this role) Support to complete the CIPFA Diploma in Finance Business Partnering Opportunity to complete other related training, such as CIPFA Better Business Cases training Teamwork Team members are encouraged to support each other and work together, for example knowledge-sharing or simply giving time to one another to help overcome challenges Autonomy All of our team members are encouraged to identify issues and develop solutions as part of wider stakeholder groups. Over the past year a range of initiatives have been undertaken on the team: a complete overhaul of the project forecast books, the introduction of a team SharePoint site, standardised reports harnessing PowerBI, amongst others Working with others These roles offer a great opportunity to directly work with people outside of Finance, Project FBPs: Act as the Business Expert, utilising their comprehensive knowledge of key business drivers and the wider political environment to continually add value Have an Influential Voice, utilising strong emotional intelligence to influence at the highest level, bring constructive challenge and enhance the quality of decision-making Are the businesses Financial Advisors, providing the options for the business to develop by combining their technical knowledge, strategic insight, commercial acumen and an understanding of business risk and opportunity Responsibilities The successful candidate can expect to be involved in a range of the following: Finance Business Partnering: Be the single point of Finance contact for your stakeholders, fostering excellent working relationships Hosting or attending meetings, e.g. monthly forecast review meetings, presenting key finance information at project boards Field and reply to finance queries from stakeholders, focussing on delivery outcomes whilst remaining impartial and providing appropriate challenge Being a key stakeholder on strategy formation, working collaboratively with stakeholders and Finance colleagues Technical and Accounting: Ensure accounts are reflective of the accruals concept Provide auditable and transparent records relating to accounting transactions Monitor and address potential issues of novel and contentious spend Provide advice around accounting and VAT treatment of transactions, ensuring financial transactions are appropriately recorded Business Case Development: Provide financial input into business case development, working collaboratively with stakeholders to obtain information, challenging assumptions when necessary Assessing financial impacts across multiple years, e.g. capitalisation and IFRS16 lease accounting Assisting with obtaining necessary internal and external approvals of business cases Budgets, Forecasts and Spending Reviews: Work closely with stakeholders to support them with developing robust financial forecasts, utilising available tools, e.g. resource tracker Understand potential under and over spends and areas of financial risk early, reporting and monitoring appropriately Provide monthly consolidated returns to stakeholders such as the Management Accounts and Financial Accounts team Provide annual budget and spending review returns to the Financial Planning Team, matching these to internal forecasts and applying narrative to support Line Management: This role may require the line management of a Cost Centre Manager (CCM), undertaking quarterly performance reviews and developing capability Oversight of CCMs Cost Centre and Ledger Management duties relating to transactions and journal processing Oversight and support the CCMs cross-team task Provide CCM direction on non-standard reporting requirements, ensuring delivery to stakeholders in a suitable method and reviewable time-frame Please note that as this is a Finance role month-end is a critical time, therefore leave for the 1st and 2nd working day of each month can only be approved by exception Person specification You will have an inquisitive mind and be able to constructively challenge at all levels to achieve the right results You are able to keep your own and the teams efforts focused on the goals that really matter and successfully manage, support and stretch yourself to deliver agreed outcomes by being proactive and taking ownership and accountability for decisions and commitments You will have a keen eye for detail and a tenacious approach to your work You will have strong analytical and problem solving skills and be able to recognise patterns, trends and draw key conclusions in a wide range of evidence and data You will have the ability to build and establish positive relationships with a range of stakeholders to support the delivery of business outcomes and possess good interpersonal skills and communication skills, written and verbal Essential Criteria You must be a CCAB member (including CIMA) or in the final year of studies towards full CCAB/CIMA qualification. Those in their final year of studies must clearly demonstrate their current exam progress status, and will be committed to completing their studies and log book within 12 months of appointment Experience in Management or Project Accounting Have a strong level of excel skills, with the willingness to enhance further Be able to work autonomously without prompt Desirable Criteria Experience of PowerBI Experience of Business World Important If you are not a fully qualified accountant, but in your final year of studies, you will be committed to completing your qualification and log book within 12 months of appointment. This will be a contractual obligation. Successful applicants will receive funding towards their final year of CCAB or CIMA qualification, if appropriate. Qualifications It is essential that applicants already hold a full recognised Professional Accountancy qualification (CCAB or CIMA) or will complete their qualification, including log book, within 12 months of appointment. Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Short accounting treatment assessment presentation. Details will be provided to candidates successful at sift Benefits Alongside your salary of £41,880, Insolvency Service contributes £12,132 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. We want you to have a good work-life balance and want to support you in all that you do, so we offer a great benefits package including: flexible working arrangements and flexi-time full time new entrants to the Civil Service and those Civil Servants on modernised terms and conditions will be entitled to 25 days leave increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years service in addition to this you are entitled to 8 public/bank holidays plus an additional day of privilege leave competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave 5 days paid leave for learning and development 5 days paid for volunteering a Cycle to work scheme staff have access to an employee assistance programme, Workplace Wellness, for confidential, independent support and advice during difficult times in either their professional or personal life Things you need to know Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths, Experience and Technical skills. As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and a 500 word personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. Your personal statement should be no more than 500 words and should explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the job description, responsibilities and person specification. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. We will assess your experience as part of the application process, and if successful, you will be invited to a short interview where we will test your experience, technical skills and strengths. Full details of the selection process will be made available to shortlisted candidates once the sift has been completed. Expected timeline (subject to change) Sift w/c 21/01/2025 Interview w/c 03/02/2025 Location - MS Teams Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of this if you are selected for interview. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process. 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. Further Information A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Any move to Insolvency Service 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 If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. Transforming Workplaces The Insolvency Service is currently delivering an exciting five-year transformation project that started in April 2022 which will define our future direction supporting a gradual migration to a Regional Centre model combined with smarter ways of working. As part of this, transforming our estate will align us with the government modernisation programmes making The Insolvency Service a great place to work. We are letting you know about our future plans because if you are joining the Insolvency Service and are recruited into an office over the next five years that is not one of the Regional Centres, you will be expected to move to one of the Regional Centres in the future. This move would not attract financial assistance. The 11 Regional Centres are : Birmingham, Cardiff, Croydon, Edinburgh, Exeter, Ipswich, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Stratford. Hybrid Working Insolvency Service operates a hybrid working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others. Individuals are expected to work from one of the office locations stated in the advert to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs. There is flexibility to split the working week, spending a minimum of 60% in the workplace, which includes the office, site visits, court etc. 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 via Insolvencyrecruitment.grs cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. Complete the Assistance required section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section. 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. The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). 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 : Sarah Jeffrey Email : sarah.jeffreyinsolvency.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : InsolvencyRecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information A candidate can raise a complaint to the Insolvency Service if they think that: They have been discriminated against under the Equality Act 2010. There have been procedural irregularities at any stage of the recruitment process. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance: insolvencyrecruitment.grscabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission. All complaints must be received by the contact point for applicants within 24 hours from the date the applicant is advised of their non-success at sift, assessment or interview. Complaints will be considered by an independent third-party outside of the recruitment campaign. The decision will be conveyed to the applicant, in writing, within 5 working days of receipt of the complaint. The recruitment process will usually be put on hold until the complaint has been resolved. Complaints may also be made to the Civil Service Commission at any time if the individual believes their application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles (appointment on merit through fair and open competition). However, complaints must first have been raised with Government Recruitment Service. 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