Financial Accounting Team - Finance Manager HEO

About the job

Job summary

Air Command’s Finance Function is based at RAF High Wycombe; headquarters for the Royal Air Force; interacting with numerous stakeholders across the Command. We have an opportunity for a HEO Finance Manager within our wider Finance Operations team. This is an excellent opportunity to gain insight into the financial recording and planning for Air. We are building a learning culture within the Function and your continued development is important: Support may be available for you to undertake further appropriate qualifications or attend CPD events.

This is a civilian role within a military environment; you will develop a great understanding of the RAF and the Ministry of Defence and, with excellent training and development available, the wider Civil Service could be open to you for your future career.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Finance Operations team is responsible for the foundation activities that underpin the Function’s support to, and engagement with, the business. It owns all report production, initial analysis and guards one version of the truth upon which insightful business decisions can be made.
Within Finance Operations, we have a specialist Financial Accounting Team. This team plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of Air Command’s transactional data held in MOD finance systems and coordinates the Command’s contribution to the preparation of MOD’s Annual Report and Accounts, including liaison with NAO auditors. The team also provides first line advice to business units on technical accounting issues (e.g. VAT treatment), liaising with MOD central technical specialists. The team comprises 2 x SEO, 2 x HEO and 2 x EO

Person specification

Your activities will fall into these main areas: 

• IFRS 16 – understanding and application of the lease accounting standard in Air Command.
• Monthly reporting and accounting for leases in Air Command
• Analysing the monthly asset movements, challenging transactions where necessary
• Provision of advice on asset capitalisation
• Manage the Asset Delivery Schedule and ensure timely delivery of assets to the Non-Current Asset register
• Undertake the annual Asset Verification exercise and Short Life exercise and action any required changes
• Ad hoc asset tasking
• Ensuring the integrity of data for external reporting purposes and that good controls and checks are in place to maintain accuracy
• Interpreting financial data against relevant accounting standards and being able to explain it in a non-technical format
• Engage with Finance Business Partners on the In-Year Management and Annual Budget Cycle inventory forecasts to ensure they are taut/realistic
• Reviewing, analysing and interpreting financial data for use in the Annual Report and Accounts and estimates submissions.
• Provision of specialist financial accounting advice to Air Command Finance Business Partners, business managers and other Finance Operations teams i.e. VAT and other tax advice
• Provide cover for absence of other Financial Accounting team members
• Line Management of 1 x EO

The Air Command Financial Accounting Team operates a hybrid working policy, which involves 2-3 days in the office per week to coincide with the other members of the team, with the flexibility to work from home for the remaining days subject to business requirements. 

The post may require occasional travel to meetings and potentially overtime at busy times in the monthly/annual cycle, for which flexi time is available. 

The post is open for all working patterns but please note that part time or job share may potentially only be considered if full time cover can be achieved.

Qualifications

• Candidates must be CCAB/CIMA qualified (Level 7) or hold a Level 4 accountancy qualification and are working towards Level 7.

Memberships

• Membership of CCAB/CIMA professional organisation (student/associate/fellow)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Flexible working
• Training and personal development opportunities
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• 25 days paid annual leave rising to 30 days on completion of 5 years’ service
• In addition to 8 public holidays per year you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday
• A highly competitive Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Subsidised membership to a fitness suite and lunchtime/evening Military led fitness classes
• Café and shop on site

For further information, and to apply, please visit our website via the “Apply” button below.