Financial Planning Advisor (Ref: 89498)

Location

East Midlands (England), East of England, London (region), North East England, North West England, Scotland, South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands (England), Yorkshire and the Humber

About the job

Job summary

This position is based nationally

Job description

Job Title/ Position Financial Planning Adviser

Grade SEO

Number of Vacancies 2

Business Group COO Group

Directorate Financial Strategy & Partnerships

Location National

Hours 37

Post Type Permanent

Role Type/ Team Finance

Ministry of Justice an Inclusive Employer

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer of choice and ensuring equity of opportunity for all. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring in terms of their culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Overview

The Finance Strategy and Planning Team is responsible for setting MoJ's financial strategy and delivering our medium-term financial plan. We work with colleagues in every area of the department at every level, to make sure that finance is at the heart of decision making, and that when developing our strategic plans, we understand and have gained buy-in from policy, operational and corporate colleagues. We also represent the department to HM Treasury, for whom we are the main link, including in negotiations over the department's financial settlement.

Our work is fast paced, high priority and strategic, regularly reporting directly to the Executive Committee, the Permanent Secretary and the Secretary of State, and influencing all areas of departmental planning.

Key work will include planning for, negotiating and delivering the recently announced Spending Review, assisting Ministers in forming their plans and priorities over this Parliament, managing the annual budget allocations process, and continuing to scrutinise and challenge how funding supports delivery of the department’s key objectives.

FSP is a friendly multi-disciplinary team, representing policy, finance, and strategy experience. We work hard to foster an inclusive atmosphere and value a broad range of experiences in the team. We have a good record of colleagues leaving these roles on promotion and to other high-profile roles in Private Office and at the centre of Government.

Role Summary

SEO Financial Planning Advisers are expected to own the leadership of processes and products to support Financial Planning, Fiscal Events and build and maintain the single point of contact relationship with their counter parts in the department’s business groups.

They often have project management type roles to lead the delivery of set pieces, commissioning work, leading the collation of responses / outputs, and resolving issues presented.

They are required to understand the big picture of the delivery for their team and commission and collate with confidence, often asking senior stakeholders in the Department to complete delivery, sometimes on short deadlines.

Typical Role Responsibilities

SEOs in Financial Planning are responsible for building strong relationships and leading key processes and products across the Department. They aim to communicate requirements and expectations clearly and provide valuable advice, challenge and support, and strategic insight to deliver quality outputs to time, often with tight deadlines for delivery.

Entry Routes

May be suitable for staff with the required skills and/or experience from within finance, analytical or strategic roles.

Within Finance

This role may be suitable for Finance individuals at HEO or SEO with the required influencing and interpersonal skills.

From Outside Finance

This role may be suitable for individuals with the required numeracy, drafting and analysis skills, either as a route into a finance career or to develop financial competencies that may assist with future analytical or other specialist roles.

Progression Routes

Staff in this role typically move into other SEO roles or often on promotion to G7 within Finance, Policy or Private office.

Role Responsibilities/Tasks

• Developing a strategic understanding of the business, its stakeholders, and deliverables.
• Building and maintaining relationships across the Department
• Leading on areas of ownership for preparation and delivery of Spending Review and Fiscal Events, e.g., may represent a specific area of the Department
• Own strategic product development and leadership, including embedding improvements in analytical capability across the team (including experience of or willingness to develop skills on Power BI or similar data analytical tools)
• Leading the analysis of financial data to support key discussions across the Department and with HMT
• Providing guidance and coordination with other finance functions on HMT priorities and requirements
• Leading the drafting for briefing to seniors (Senior Civil Servants) and Ministers
• Providing ad-hoc analysis and presentations to the business and across finance functions
• Leading responses and developing resolutions as required for ad-hoc enquiries including PQs / FOIs
• Working closely with the management accounting team to ensure join-up, particularly through ongoing dataset alignment, and effective handovers of future-year information for in-year management.

Behaviours Required

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

Please refer to the Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which can be found here, to complete this application: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717275/CS_Behaviours_2018.pdf

If we receive a large volume of applications, we reserve the right to conduct the sift based on one lead behaviour. The chosen lead behaviour for this campaign is Working Together.

In addition to Civil Service Behaviours identified above, you will need to provide:

• CV
• Statement of suitability (250 words)

Interpersonal Skills

• Able to work independently, proactively, passionately, and confidently on high-profile areas across the Department and lead others to achieve quality and on time delivery of outputs.
• Comfortable and confident in working at pace to manage a full workload with conflicting short and long-term priorities.
• Building positive relationships with partners in other teams, and influencing others through excellent interpersonal and communication skills, tailored to the recipient. This includes the ability to critically consider and confidently challenge stakeholders regarding their delivery or information and translating across functions to obtain a joined-up approach.
• Influencing policy development and decisions, using analytical skills and different evidence sources to provide ministers or senior officials with high-quality advice. Transferable experience for providing written and oral briefings to Ministers and/or senior officials.
• Leading collaboratively with structure, by constructing clear timelines and processes, with interdependencies and owners, to lead others to successful delivery with clear products and outcomes for the process.
• Fostering and leading a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between policy, programmes, the business, finance, and other corporate services.

Professional Skills

Key for Levels of Professional Skills

• A = Awareness
• W = Working
• P = Practitioner
• E = Expert

Subheadings

Professional Skills Level

Core

• Strategic analysis and insight P
• Oral and written presentation skills E
• Data and analytics interpretation W
• Influencing Senior Leaders and Ministers (including drafting skills) E
• The Budgeting Framework W
• Proactive problem resolution W
• Understanding the role of the NAO A
• Negotiating with Pragmatism W
• Support the PAC Agenda W
• Government Financial Reporting and governance requirements W

Useful

• Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing W
• Risk management and fraud A
• Taxation A
• Performance and risk management W
• Commercial acumen W
• Investment appraisal and evaluation W

Qualifications

Recommended:

• This role would suit a qualified or part qualified accountant (CCAB/CIMA) or those with strong analytical and numeric ability who are looking to develop their skills in finance.

In addition to salary, a pensionable, non-contractual specialist allowance can be applied to this role if the successful candidate is eligible. Specialist allowances apply to certain roles only, are non-transferable to other roles and are subject to annual review.

Travel

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

You are advised to access the JCC/JSO office map, which is updated whenever a new JCC/JSO site opens, to determine potential travelling times and distances to MoJ locations before applying for a job.

Application Process

To apply please complete the online application form. Applications will be sifted by a panel who will look at the Civil Service Behaviour framework and what is evidenced in your application. Should many applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Working Together.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the essential role requirements within the application behaviour responses.

Candidates who are successful following the sift process will be invited to interview, where the behavioural elements and strengths will be tested further alongside other elements of the post. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates in advance of the interviews.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees.

Interview dates: Expected early to mid September

For further information please feel free to contact Sarah Blake, sarah.blake2@justice.gov.uk

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,868, Ministry of Justice contributes £10,804 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

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