Finance Business Partner (Qualified)
Department for Work and Pensions
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 7th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
DWP is one of the largest Departments in Whitehall, managing the delivery of benefit payments to citizens totalling over £200bn annually. As a Finance Professional in Government, your role is to protect public funds and add value through finance assurance activities.
The Financial Management and Partnering Directorate support the business to develop credible multi-year plans that deliver business objectives, supported by robust financial forecasts. We also work with the business to ensure that financial matters are considered in long-term policy and service delivery decisions.
Financial Management and Partnering is organised into teams supporting each of the DWP Director Generals. This vacancy is for various roles in these teams.
Places for Growth and Social Mobility
As part of the Places for Growth Programme, we are committed to delivering a more geographically diverse Civil and Public Service that will better serve the public and ministers. As part of this initiative, we are continuously reviewing how we recruit into each location.
Postings
Posting will be made in merit order by location, this will be based on the geographical requirement at the time. A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location.
Successful candidates will be posted to a specific role. Standard promotion rules will apply, and successful candidates will be placed on the pay scale and terms and conditions of DWP. The roles available will be based in:
- Birmingham 3 Arena Central, Bridge Street, Birmingham B1 2AX.
- Blackpool Peel Park, Brunel Way, Blackpool FY4 5ES.
- Leeds – Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7UA.
- Manchester – 2 St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 3AA.
- Newcastle – Benton Park View, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE98 1BA.
- Sheffield – Hartshead Square, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S1 2FD.
- London – Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1 9NA.
Occasional travel will be required.
Job description
As a key member of the finance team, the Finance Business Partner will provide leadership as well as professional, evidence-based decision making support, challenge and advice.
You will need to:
- Build and maintain key relationships, developing trust and managing the expectations of senior managers and stakeholders.
- Develop a good understanding of the business, seeking opportunities to understand wider project, commercial and/or operational drivers.
- Provide timely, accurate and clearly communicated financial management information and analysis to support decision making.
- Support and challenge the business to develop accurate and affordable multi-year financial forecasts and plans.
- Working closely with leads on projects, policies and programmes to ensure sound business cases are developed and monitored with risk management, internal control and governance procedures followed.
- Ensure effective support and advice to the business. Engage with other finance teams to identify and pursue opportunities for continuous improvement.
Hybrid working
This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.
This role can only be delivered from the UK.
Person specification
The candidate will meet the following Essential Criteria:
- (Lead Criteria) Demonstrate a strong working knowledge of the key principles of financial management. Ability to identify and evaluate financial and business information to inform business decisions with a clear view of the financial implications.
- Excellent inter-personal, communication, relationship building and influencing skills. The professional and personal credibility to operate as a finance leader and advisor, generating confidence in stakeholders.
- Proven ability to communicate complex financial information to a non-financial audience, including the production of high-quality financial reports and briefings.
- A strong track record of delivering at pace and prioritising workload. The ability to deliver through others and maintain professional standards in the face of pressure.
Qualifications
In addition, we accept applications from candidates with a chartered level international qualification where a reciprocal agreement exists with the ICAEW or where the criteria of the ICAEW Pathways programme are met.
More information on ICAEW membership agreements can be found here Members of other bodies a z , ICAEW.
Memberships
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Leadership
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
Benefits
Alongside your salary, the Department for Work and Pensions contributes 28.97% towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
- Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
- Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
- Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
- Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
- Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
- Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
- An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement of no more than 1,000 words, against the Essential Criteria as outlined in the Person Specification.
In the event of a high level of applications, we reserve the right to conduct the application sift based on a single Lead Criteria, as indicated in the Person Specification section. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Interview stage
If you have been successful in sift stage, you will be invited to an online interview via Microsoft Teams. You will need to produce evidence of ID at the MS Teams interview.
You will be required to do a short presentation at the start of your interview on the following Lead Criteria:
'Demonstrate a strong working knowledge of the key principles of financial management. Ability to identify and evaluate financial and business information to inform business decisions with a clear view of the financial implications.'
Further details of the presentation and what is required will be supplied as part of the invite to interview.
You will also be assessed against the behaviours outlined in the job advert.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Application sift is planned to be carried out week commencing: 11th November 2024.
Interviews are planned to be carried out week commencing: 9th December 2024.
Please be advised that the above dates are indicative only and are subject to change.
Further Information
Find out more about Working for DWP
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to DWP 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
Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Reasonable Adjustment
At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:Contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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 you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
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 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.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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 applicant’s 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.
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
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Michael Richardson
- Email : michael.richardson1@dwp.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.
