Finance Policy Officer (Grade E2) (Maternity Cover)

This fixed term role provides maternity cover within the Finance Directorate, supporting the delivery of key finance priorities during a period of significant transition and operational change. Working closely with the Deputy Director of Finance and the wider Finance Leadership Team, you will support project activity required to maintain effective financial operations and enable the successful integration of new processes and responsibilities into SFC systems. The role ensures continuity of critical functions, including project coordination, data assurance, stakeholder engagement, and the production of high quality analysis and reporting to inform senior decision making. You will contribute flexibly across the directorate, helping sustain collaborative, efficient, and well governed finance services throughout the maternity leave period. The Finance team is responsible for all financial processes across SFC which has an annual spend (excluding non-cash expenditure) of approximately £2bn p.a. You will have close working links, providing advice and support to the Director of Finance, the Finance Leadership Team and SFC business areas.

Key Responsibilities:

• Working as part of a team and reporting to the Deputy Director and support the development and implementation of Finance priorities.
• Plans and co-ordinates the complete lifecycle of the Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) process, encompassing project management, organisation, initiation of commissions, establishment of data quality assurance protocols, and maintenance of robust governance processes to ensure successful delivery of the ARA.
• Manages capacity and workload, actively planning workstreams and areas of activity to support effective project management and delivery within the team.
• Provide advice and guidance and support and develop close working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Working across groups in SFC on various policies, programmes, and projects.
• Promotes team collaboration and open communication across roles, flagging opportunities to improve effectiveness and/or efficiencies of work.
• Provides and facilitates data analysis and makes recommendations to inform decision making at senior levels.
• Produces reports and papers as necessary for Senior Management, committees, and other stakeholders.
• Contributes flexibly to the work of the wider Finance directorate and other groups in SFC as appropriate.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise:

It is important through your CV / Cover Letter that you give evidence of proven experience of each of the following essential criteria:

• Educated to degree level (or equivalent) or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Project experience including initiating, planning and managing a variety of projects, taking a proactive approach with the ability to identify gaps or shortfalls in information and search for sources of information to fill these.
• Ability to plan work and co-ordinate implementation across a wide range of stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the tertiary education sector and an understanding of the university and college funding cycle.
• Working knowledge of activities across SFC and an ability to grasp how these contribute to SFC’s wider mission.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to plan and prioritise effectively, with an awareness of the directorate’s business plans and priorities.
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with discretion.
• Proven ability to exercise resource, judgement and initiative appropriately, drawing on experience and expertise to design practical solutions to problems.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to motivate others.
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team, with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Good IT skills including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications e.g. Microsoft Project, Word, Excel, SharePoint, Outlook, Teams.
• Ability to sustain a high standard of performance under pressure and when working to deadlines.
• Ability to analyse, interpret, and explain information, including numerical information, to audiences with varying degree of expertise.

Terms and Benefits:

• Normal full-time hours of work are 35 per week. We will consider flexible working arrangements.
• A flexi-time system is in operation.
• Annual leave entitlement of 30 days pro-rata, plus public and privilege holiday entitlement of 13 days pro-rata.
• A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home anywhere in the UK for some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.
• Annual pay review: approved within the framework of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy and negotiated with our recognised trade union, Unite.
• Salaries are reviewed annually in April for employees who commence employment prior to 1 October in the preceding year.
• Eligibility to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
• Support for continuous professional development.
• Support for health and wellbeing, including generous occupational sick pay, free access to confidential advice and support through our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• Support for travel to and from work, including a salary sacrifice cycle loan scheme, cycle storage and shower facilities, an interest-free loan for bus or rail season tickets and free office car parking for employees on a first-come basis.
• We are happy to discuss part-time or compressed hours to suit a candidate's circumstances.
• We will consider secondment applications for most salaried fixed-term or temporary positions.