Department of International Trade Hiring for Head of Financial Accounting Job at Darlington, North East England, England Full Time

The Financial Accounts team lead on the production of DIT’s financial accounts, DIT’s relationship with the National Audit Office (NAO) and advise DIT’s Financial Controller on the department’s delivery within its Control Totals. The team are also critical in embedding high quality financial accounting controls practices and processes in DIT, within and beyond the Finance team.
Job description

This high profile role in the Financial Accounts team will play an important role in embedding high quality financial accounts and processes in the Department.

Key responsibilities:

• Leading on the production of financial statements including notes to the accounts, commissioning and collating information required for the accounts
• Managing 2 x G7 and leading the Financial Accounting team
• Leading on the relationship with the National Audit Office, ensuring a good working relationship, excellent communications and delivery of on-time and accurate financial and other information
• Playing an important role in the leadership of the Finance Function across DIT, helping build and develop financial capability and professionalism both inside the function and across DIT
• Senior stakeholder engagement across DIT to ensure that any advice is based on solid financial evidence, has been reviewed at the appropriate level and that any issues are raised in a timely and appropriate manner and supporting the Financial Controller as a trusted advisor for Finance matters in DIT
• Building a trusted relationship with the member of the DIT Audit and Risk Assurance Committee who leads on Financial Statements
• Playing a key role in developing and assessing business cases and investment decisions, ensuring the financial accounting and budgeting implications are clearly understood
• Working alongside Finance colleagues in the department to ensure that best practice is implemented across the unit and ensuring that all known technical accounting issues are dealt with in a timely and planned manner

Hybrid Working

The role will be based in Darlington.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas.

Informal hybrid working arrangements will be available as agreed with the vacancy manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Most DIT employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in an office, on average. If your office location is London, you will be eligible to receive London weighting.

Appointments will be made to candidates in merit order based on location preferences.

Responsibilities

Essential Criteria

• Experience of producing or reviewing financial accounts
• Experience of using an accounting model for the production of accounts
• Experience of leading and developing a team of people
• Experience of working with auditors

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working with Audit Committees
• Experience of working with the Oracle financial system
• Strong accounting standard technical knowledge
• Demonstrate significant experience of government accounting regulations ie IFRS, FReM and Managing Public Money

Person Specification

• Ability to lead and motivate a diverse team to deliver challenging objectives against short-time scales
• Develop collaborative relationships with senior managers and key internal stakeholders, communicating with confidence and credibility on complex financial issues
• Develop and manage relationships with external stakeholders including NAO, HM Treasury and Internal Audit
• Ability to successfully manage conflict both internally and externally with stakeholders
• Being innovative in how we provide and use financial accounts and information

Support in applying for our vacancies is available by joining a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Finance

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension

Things you need to know
Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

See our vetting charter.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.
Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

We are closely monitoring the situation regarding the coronavirus, and will be following central Government advice as it is issued. There is therefore a risk that recruitment to this post may be subject to change at short notice. In addition, where appropriate, you may be invited to attend a video interview.

Please continue to follow the application process as normal and ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

Sift will take place week commencing 29/08/2022.

Interviews will take place week commencing 05/09/2022.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and a Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please align your CV with previous skills and experience. Maximum of 2 A4 pages.

In your Personal Statement please explain how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the person specification listed above.

In the event that there is a high volume of applications, a short sift will be conducted based on the CV.

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 (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs) stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

The Department for International Trade embraces and values diversity in all forms. We welcome and pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has on the work we do, and we promote equality of opportunity throughout the organisation.

Please note – harmonised terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to the Department for International Trade 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 here.

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 (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs) 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 an interview, or if you’re 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.

Vetting Requirements

All security clearances require you to provide evidence of your UK footprint where you have been physically present in the UK. The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

If you require SC clearance you will need to provide evidence of the below requirements.

Checks will be made against:

• Departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
• UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
• Your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
• Security Services records

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.
Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

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 : (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs)
• Email : (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs)

Recruitment team :

• Email : (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs)

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DIT by email: (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs)

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.

Attachments – (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs)

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent
Part-time hours: 15 – 37 per week

Salary: £58,130.00-£68,493.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexitime
• Life insurance
• Sick pay
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Reference ID: 31372