Systems Accountant
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 29th September 2024
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Length of employment
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Job summary
This newly created post joins MHCLG as we look to embed efficient processes, high quality service delivery and a culture of continuous improvement across our Finance function. We are also in the process of upgrading our current SAP finance system from ECC6 to S4 Hana and participating in the cross-government Unity Programme, preparing to move our operational finance functions across to an HMRC-led Shared Service from 2027.
As our Systems Accountant within the Finance Process and Data team, you will be a key member of the team determining the business requirements and processes needed to underpin the new S4 Hana system. In addition you will take a leading role in a specific programme of improvements being implemented across our finance operations processes. This is an exciting opportunity to deliver tangible benefits. The successful candidate will be a team player with excellent communication skills with experience of systems development as well as strong accounting skills, and would enjoy working in a fast paced, demanding project role.
Job description
The post holder will take an active role in:
- leading project activities, including business process design, assessing system solutions, requirements gathering & developing specifications, designing and checking accounting processes are working correctly, report development, supporting system testing including writing test scripts and testing, data migration, user training and business support following project implementation.
- Take the lead on implementation of a range of improvements across our financial operations processes, including interpreting and putting into practice a range of recommendations and quick wins, as identified in a recent review of services.
- Helping to define business requirements for the implementation of S4 Hana and our planned joining of the Unity Shared Service. In addition, they will help embed a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, consistency and innovation. This includes:
- Acting as a key interface between finance systems users and our in-house SAP team – explaining and assessing the business impact of technical changes, and identify where such potential changes could have a positive impact.
- Developing strong working relationships with stakeholders including the wider user community, IT colleagues and external consultants
- Build on existing data to expand the development of KPIs and reporting throughout the Directorate
Person specification
The post holder will:
- Hold a recognised full CCAB or CIMA Global qualification, or be part qualified to professional level with extensive systems experience.
- Have experience of finance systems development and implementation, as well as delivering business change.
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of a breadth of finance processes as well as technical accounting skills.
- Demonstrate a capacity to think in strategic terms, able to evaluate systems solutions and business processes to ensure they meet the strategic vision of the business.
- Show strong analytical, creative and pragmatic problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and implement operational improvements in response to business needs, whilst reflecting best practice.
- Demonstrate excellent communication, relationship building and influencing skills, with the ability to present information clearly and explain complex issues to a range of audiences with varying levels of understanding.
- Demonstrate an ability to develop operational plans, with excellent planning, organisational and project management skills to deliver.
Benefits
- 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%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of our pre-employment checking process we will be using your CV to confirm your job history. Please note that by providing us with your CV you are consenting to us using the information enclosed as part of the checking process.
CV Declaration
We recruit based on your knowledge and skills, and not background, gender or ethnicity - this is called name blind recruitment.
Please remove references to your:
- name/title
- educational institutions
- age
- gender
- email address
- postal address
- phone number
- nationality/immigration status
Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that your application would be viewed by different assessors.
At sift, through your CV and Experience Questions we will be assessing:
Experience
Experience Question 1 – Please outline your experience of finance systems development and implementation, as well as managing the accompanying business change impacts.
Experience Question 2 – Please outline your ability to develop operational plans, with excellent planning, organisational, stakeholder engagement and project management skills to deliver.
Your Experience Question answers should be no more than 250 words
The interview will be of a blended nature consisting of experience, technical, behaviour based questions as listed in the advert. The strength based questions will require natural responses from the candidates.
Candidates invited to interview will be expected to prepare a presentation further details of this will be sent along with interview invites.
In full the campaign will test the below Success Profile Elements:
Experience: Yes - Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description
Technical: Yes – Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.
Behaviours: Changing and Improving, Working Together
Please contact the vacancy manager if you have any questions about the role.
We do not consider direct CV applications – you must apply for this role via the application link on Civil Service Jobs:
Please note that near miss offers may be made at the lower grade to candidates who do not meet the grade criteria for this campaign
Grade 7 salary
- The salary for this role is circa £57,000 (National).
- For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If you apply for a role that requires a transfer of location, for example if you are transferring from London to a National location, your salary will be adjusted in accordance with our policy on transfer between HQ pay ranges.
- For qualified chartered accountants an additional accounting allowance of £4,000pa will also be paid. In order to receive this allowance, you must be fully qualified and in a qualifying post as agreed by the Finance Head of Profession.
Please note that the average employer pension contribution is based upon the National minimum salary for this role. Should your agreed starting salary for this role be different, the average employer pension contribution will be calculated accordingly. If you are a Secondee, this will not apply as you will remain on your home organisation’s terms and conditions.
Benefits
Transfers across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018:
Any move to MHCLG 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.
For further information about the benefits available to MHCLG employees, please see the attached Candidate Pack.
Location
- Wolverhampton
- Darlington*
- Birmingham
- Manchester
- Leeds
There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.
*Please note: The Darlington Economic Campus is a pioneering new cross-government hub which will bring together people across departments and public organisations to play an active role in the most important economic issues of the day. The work of the Campus will make a real difference to people both across the UK and internationally. There will be substantial career opportunities and exciting prospects - a career at the Campus means you will be working at the heart of Government, with access to the benefits and fantastic opportunities offered by the civil service.
For further information on the DEC, please take a look at the attached DEC candidate pack.
Sift and Interview dates
sifting is envisaged to take place Starting 29/09/2024with interview dates to be confirmed. The interviews will be held face to face when applying you will be asked to choose what location you would like your interview to be held in.
Reserve List
In the event that we identify more appointable candidates than we currently have posts available, we will hold applicant details on a reserve list for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. This may include roles at a lower grade. Candidates placed on a reserve list will be informed of this. Those candidates who do not wish to remain on the reserve list should contact recruitment@communities.gov.uk to be removed from the reserve list.
Fixed Term Details
For external candidates– you will be offered a 1 year fixed term appointment with a possibility of permanency.
For existing civil servants – you will be offered a 1year loan opportunity. Before applying for the role, you will need to seek approval from your parent department to take up a loan appointment should you be successful.
For MHCLG employees - you will retain your existing contract
Before starting your application it’s very important to make sure that you are eligible to apply and meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. All candidates are expected to read the information provided in the MHCLG candidate pack regarding nationality requirements and rules
Candidate Pack Information
Please see attached Candidate pack for further information.
Internal Fraud Database
The Internal Fraud function of the Fraud, Error, Debt and Grants Function at the Cabinet Office processes details of civil servants who have been dismissed for committing internal fraud, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned. The Cabinet Office receives the details from participating government organisations of civil servants who have been dismissed, or who would have been dismissed had they not resigned, for internal fraud. In instances such as this, civil servants are then banned for 5 years from further employment in the civil service. The Cabinet Office then processes this data and discloses a limited dataset back to MHCLG as a participating government organisations. MHCLG then carry out the pre employment checks so as to detect instances where known fraudsters are attempting to reapply for roles in the civil service. In this way, the policy is ensured and the repetition of internal fraud is prevented.
For more information please see- Internal Fraud Register
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 : Hannah Cahill/ Debbie Walker
- Email : cahill.walker@communities.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@communities.gov.uk
