22674 - Finance Manager (Procurement), Business Support Team, Judicial Office in London

Role title:

Finance Manager (Procurement)

Team/Directorate:

Finance – BST Corporate Services

Overview of the Judicial Office

The Judicial Office (JO) reports to, and is accountable, to the Lady Chief Justice (LCJ). It was established in 2006 to provide support to the LCJ and to the wider judiciary in upholding the rule of law and in delivering justice impartially, speedily and efficiently, following the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.

In addition, we support, and are accountable to, the Senior President of Tribunals, whose responsibilities extend to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The JO is an interesting and unique place to work. Everything we do is in support of upholding the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. We work closely with HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and others across Government as well as with the legal professions.

We are an Arm’s Length Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. This creates an interesting and complex environment in which to work where we agree our priorities with the senior judiciary and receive our funding to deliver them from the Ministry of Justice. The Judicial Office has been through a period of significant growth resulting from an expansion of our remit and responsibilities.

Overview of the team

Overview of Business Support Team.

The Business Support Team sits at the centre of the Judicial Office with a broad corporate portfolio that includes responsibility for the departmental budget.

The team is led by the Head of Corporate Services and provides a wide range of support, advice, assurance and services for Judicial Office staff and to the Judicial Office Management Board. This includes accommodation, health & safety, people survey, staff engagement, business continuity, learning & development, people services, risk management, financial planning and budget management & forecasting. The team also work closely with specialist teams in the wider Ministry of Justice and Whitehall.

The growth of the Judicial Office has resulted in a larger and more complex budget and the Finance Team is lead by a qualified finance professional.

Hybrid Working Requirement

This position is eligible for hybrid working (current minimum requirement for time spent at base location is 60%, which is subject to business requirements).

Summary of the role

The main responsibility is management of the procurement process, providing operational support on Commercial matters. This involves giving advice & support to the business to take forward procurement activity, following the financial controls & approvals to enable the right entry point & solutions. The role works closely with MOJ Commercial team in following the correct procedures updating the Supplier register, maintenance of contracts & pipeline.

The role will also lead the JO SPOC network for procurement (Senior Point of contact for budget managers). Providing best practise maintaining connection & links with the procurement community ensuring we have access to latest insights & developments

Regular monthly Directorate meetings in identifying & resolving issues & aiding month end reporting

Preparing the monthly accounts on time to meet month end deadlines, variance analysis and commentary, highlighting any risks or opportunities.

Monthly forecasting, uploading Directorate templates into Hyperion budget system. Monthly Returns into the Ministry of Justice (cashflow)

Other month end tasks and reporting, journals & intercompany journals, and support analysis & advice within the team working alongside a second finance manager

Support business case clearance, logging all cases & approvals.

Manage statements of financial responsibilities

Provide cover for the Paybill Finance Manager

Provide operational support to the business on counter fraud matters

Support with transition from SOP to Synergy Finance System

Line management of one EO

Responsibilities, Activities & Duties:

Main responsibility is for the Judicial Offices procurement process, providing operational support on commercial matters, giving the JO direction in following the correct procedure alongside MOJ Commercial following financial controls & approvals

Work with SPOCs across the JO and MOJ Commercial lead on Commercial to update costings.

Manage the budget & monthly forecasting to ensure that Hyperion is accurate.

Report on the monthly actuals as per month end deadlines.

Work with directorates to give meaningful commentary on the variance analysis (actual to budget) explaining differences and highlighting the risks & opportunities.

Monthly financial returns into MOJ (headcount and cashflow)

Quarterly disclosure return & manual accrual return

Assist in other month end tasks, other Directorate reports (Private Offices, CMS) Redfern Reports journals, intercompany journals

Support Senior Finance Manager in ad hoc information requests & analysis.

Work with team to provide support & analysis to JO DD’s

Work with the Senior Finance Manager on assurance and controls. That processes are followed & transparent, and that these are reviewed and approved at the correct authority level.

Deliver Finance training through Finance hub & intranet pages

Oversee & support Assistant Finance Manager

Essential Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Breadth of finance experience in Government incl month end reporting, & finance systems.

Good at working with other Internal teams & stakeholders.

Good communication skills using multiple channels

Good Organisation & Planning skills, must meet deadlines

Desirable Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Self-starter, and highly motivated

Able to work independently to get the job done.

Part qualified would be good and/or looking to study towards a relevant finance qualification

Behaviours (for Recruitment/Success Profiles):

Seeing the Big Picture

Changing & Improving

Working together

Delivering at pace

Assessment process at application

CV Required

Statement of suitability (500 words)

Assessment process at interview

Behaviour and strength Questions and technical

Accuracy, Reconciliations. Ability to check authenticity of data.

Audit trail of information.

Resource Accounting

Following Processes & procedures

Security clearance required:

Select one of the below. (this will be determined by the location)

- DBS

- CTC

- SC

- DV

Please note:

Central Government policy dictates that applicants for National Security Clearance must be a resident in the UK for these minimum periods:

- CTC - 3 years

- SC - 5 years

- DV - 10 years

CTC BPSS

Working Arrangements & Further Information

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). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

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.

For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

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.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from