Management Reporting Manager in London

In the Defra group, we deal with a vast range of issues that profoundly impact on people’s lives. We are responsible for England’s environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards.

We are looking for an experienced finance professional and leader to join our Management Reporting team within the Defra Group Finance function. You will have responsibility for providing high quality, accurate and robust financial management and insight. Through analysing data and applying value added skills to tell the story of the financial position, you will help corporate leaders and budget managers to make well-informed business decisions. The role also plays a key part in Defra’s finance transformation, contributing to the shift to more digital, self-service ways of working and supporting the transition to a new Finance system.

You will be responsible for producing and presenting the monthly financial reports to the senior leaders within Natural England. You are responsible for providing effective leadership to your team of Senior Management Accountants to deliver a robust and influential management accounting service. You will have a good understanding of the financial position at a strategic level and the wider operating environment to provide insight and highlight the key issues, risks and opportunities to the budget holders and Finance colleagues. To do this you will need to build a good understanding of their business area and the key delivery risks, while embedding a culture of self-service and digitally enabled finance operations.

Key Responsibilities

• You will provide effective leadership including the management and development of the Senior Management Accountants. This will include setting objectives, actively and effectively communicating, managing performance, and creating an inclusive environment where people feel valued, respected, safe to challenge and where contribution is recognised.
• You will need to develop a detailed understanding of the management reports audience and commission solutions. Continually check the wider internal and external environments to ensure that the management reporting continues to meet end user needs and is presented in a medium to best convey key messages using continuous improvement philosophy/principles.
• You lead on the delivery of prompt, accurate management reports, translating data into meaningful outputs, with a breadth of reporting across internal and external environments.
• You will provide incisive variance explanations and clear summaries/interpretations for senior management. Provide narrative for management reports using compelling and persuasive language to influence and challenge.
• You deliver intelligent analysis of complex financial information, drawing out common themes and understanding linkages/dependencies.
• You maintain a strong understanding of the overall financial position of Natural England.
• You undertake scenario modelling and provide a range of options to inform budget holder decisions.
• You oversee the management accounting aspect of the annual budgeting/forecasting cycle and any in-year changes to the approved position liaising with Finance Business Partners.
• You work with Finance colleagues to oversee the month end activities, ensuring the ledgers are ready to close and reporting deadlines are met in accordance with the agreed timetables.
• You liaise with Finance colleagues where the need for additional business support or data analysis as required.

Essential Skills

• You have substantial Finance Function experience with a good understanding of financial practices and processes.
• You are an experienced finance professional. Fully or part-qualified (CIMA, CIPFA, ACCA, ACA) or equivalent experience, with a strong background in management accounting.
• You have proven experience of leading a diverse team, managing multiple responsibilities and deadlines across the team, ensuring that all team members are supported and that work is delivered accurately and on time.
• You are a people-focused leader with the ability to bring out the best in others. You will inspire, empower, and nurture a high-trust, positive team culture built on support and collaboration.
• You have well-developed relationship management skills, working with key stakeholders across an organisation.
• You can communicate with and challenge stakeholders to obtain the necessary explanations for variances and movements.
• You have good coaching and leadership skills with the ability to effectively manage a team.
• You have excellent cross-functional collaboration skills to provide a comprehensive, high quality finance service to budget holders.
• You are confident in using Office 365, with the ability to work with large quantities of data to identify key messages.

Behaviours

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

Technical skills

• As part of the interview process, candidates will be asked to deliver a presentation on the day. This will focus on the theme of communicating and influencing within a financial management context.

Throughout our shortlisting process, we will make decisions about your capability to do the job, based on evidence you provide against the essential criteria.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.