Financial Analyst x2

Chief Finance Officer’s Directorate supports the Mayor’s Office and wider GLA on a variety of different aspects: from managing daily financial decisions to setting long-term objectives; budget setting; and observing and recognising projects and opportunities in the market that may be worthy of development or investment.

About The Team

The Group Finance team within the CFO’s directorate manages the preparation and consolidation of the Mayor of London’s £21 billion annual revenue budget and capital spending plan for the entire GLA group including Transport for London, the London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police. We also lead on accounting and monitoring of the £6 billion+ of revenues the Mayor receives annually in council tax, business rates and the dedicated taxes funding the Elizabeth line (the Crossrail business rate supplement and Mayoral Community Infrastructure levy). The team also provides oversight to the GLA’s various Mayoral Development Corporations including those covering Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Old Oak Common and Oxford Street and supports various new key transport projects including the DLR extension to Thamesmead and planned West London Orbital rail scheme.

About The Role

The Greater London Authority (GLA) is looking to recruit two highly motivated individuals to join its Group Finance team as a Financial Analyst. Reporting to the Senior Finance Managers, the post holders will play a key role in the consolidation of the Mayor of London’s annual £21 billion revenue budget and capital spending plan across the GLA Group’s functional bodies including Transport for London, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (which oversees the Metropolitan Police), the London Fire Brigade and the three Mayoral Development Corporations covering Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Old Oak Common (the proposed initial terminus of HS2) and Oxford Street as well as the GLA itself and the London Assembly.

The team also leads on local government funding matters for the GLA including accounting for its annual £6 billion+ income from council tax and retained business rates as well as the Mayor’s business rate supplement and community infrastructure levy used to finance the Elizabeth line. The scope of this area of work is expected to expand as a result of the government’s proposed fiscal devolution agenda for Mayoral Strategic Authorities including the Mayor of London.

The postholders will also co-ordinate the preparation of GLA Group statistical revenue and capital returns for Government, as well as supporting the GLA’s financing and funding of key projects – in addition to the Elizabeth Line – such as the Northern Line extension to Battersea Power Station, the proposed DLR extension to Thamesmead and the West London Orbital rail link as well as major regeneration programmes such as the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone. This work will involve working closely with colleagues in the GLA’s functional bodies, London Councils the 32 London boroughs, the City of London Corporation as well as central government.

These roles would suit individuals with an interest in local authority strategic and corporate finance issues, who enjoy researching and keeping up to date with developments in local government finance, local taxation and funding and are capable of assessing the implications for both the GLA Group and London Government more generally.

What your day will look like:

• Supporting the development of the Mayor of London’s annual £21 billion revenue budget, capital spending plan and capital strategy providing advice as appropriate to senior managers and finance colleagues within the GLA and its functional bodies.
• Negotiating and liaising with colleagues within the GLA and its functional bodies as appropriate to ensure the Mayor’s budget is developed in line with his/her budget guidance and timetable and is accurate, consistent and integrated across the GLA group.
• Supporting the Senior Finance Manager in the ongoing management, monitoring, forecasting and year end accounting of the GLA’s c£6 billion of revenues annually via the Mayor’s council tax precept, the Business Rates Retention System and the Elizabeth line Business Rate Supplement and Community Infrastructure levy liaising closely with the GLA’s Treasury function.
• Engaging with the GLA’s fiscal devolution work including on business rates retention zones (including those the Northern Line extension to Battersea Power Station and the Royal Docks).
• Supporting the Senior Finance Managers in the forecasting and accounting of council tax and business rates revenues across the 32 London boroughs and the City of London including funding projects which maximise these.
• Supporting the Senior Finance Managers on other related group and public finance issues including the financial impact of Government Budget and Spending Review announcements, the local government finance and police funding settlements, new and existing business rates retention zones (also known as designated areas) within the London area and existing and potential future Mayoral Development Corporations, infrastructure and transport projects, working with key stakeholders as applicable.
• To assist as directed by the Senior Finance Managers in analysing GLA group efficiency savings and to lead on the preparation and submission of the GLA Group’s capital and revenue financial statistical returns to Central Government and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy ensuring they are presented on a consistent basis and allow for any inter group financial transactions.

Skills, Knowledge And Experience

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• Part or fully qualified membership of a CCAB recognised accounting body (ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS or Chartered Accountants Ireland) or CIMA.
• An understanding of revenue and capital budgeting processes ideally in a local government setting.
• A working knowledge of local government finance, funding and accounting including business rates retention and council tax.
• The ability to research and interpret complex data and information and present the findings in a clear and understandable format.
• A high level of numeracy and a detailed focus with a concern for accuracy; advanced skills in using spreadsheets and word processing packages including experience in preparing financial models.

Benefits

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. In addition to a good salary package, you will be paid every four weeks, providing frequent salary payments. We also offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Interview adjustments

Providing extra time in assessments and interviews; Providing questions in advance of the interview; Holding interviews in different formats – such as over the phone or via a video call.

Additional Information

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

More Support

If you have a disability which makes submitting an online application form difficult, please contact support@londongla.org.uk.