Corporate Finance Manager - Leeds

At UK Government Investments (UKGI), we create value for society from government’s most complex commercial interests. Our team comprises 150 experts drawn from the public and private sectors who work together to provide high quality advice to departments.

Please note, this role is available in either our Leeds or London office. Our work is delivered in four areas:

• Governance: Promoting best-practice stewardship on behalf of 9 departments for 26 publicly owned businesses which together employ over 109,000 people, generate around £25bn of gross income and manage over £284bn of assets.
• Corporate finance: Advising departments on corporate finance matters, including all major government financial interventions into distressed corporate structures and corporate finance negotiations.
• Asset Realisation: Preparing and executing all significant corporate asset sales by the UK Government, including supporting the policy to return NatWest Group to the private sector.
• FInTAG: Improving management of fiscal risk by strengthening expertise within government.

These are some of the most complex and demanding tasks across government, ultimately having a significant social, economic and political impact across the UK. Working for UKGI provides a unique opportunity for talented individuals from both the public and private sector to contribute to work of national importance.

The Role: Our Managers work across a variety of teams within UKGI, and regularly divide their time between corporate finance matters and other teams within the organisation, such as the governance and monitoring of some of HM Government’s most important assets. Your time will generally be divided amongst these teams, with the opportunity to apply your financial expertise on up to two of our assets to help ensure that they are run in the best way possible, and meeting the policy objectives set out for them by the government.

You will normally have 5-7 years’ experience in one or more of the following areas with proven corporate finance background at analyst or associate level (or equivalent):

• Corporate finance
• Investment banking
• Debt restructuring
• Accountancy
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Financial strategy

Specific tasks of a Manager might include:

• Regular financial analysis and reporting to Assistant / Executive Directors;
• Financial modelling including reviews of historic and projected performance;
• Regular portfolio monitoring to support quarterly and annual shareholder reviews;
• Valuation of the Government’s holdings;
• Supporting Assistant/Executive Directors on specific portfolio companies;
• Cross-portfolio discussions and external interactions (with portfolio companies and other Government Departments);
• Working with key stakeholders and external advisers to execute major asset sales by the Government;
• Providing analytical support on UKGI’s involvement in special situations and the Government’s commercial negotiations;
• Managing contract deliverables and performance.

Required Experience: We are looking for applicants to be able to demonstrate the following skills and behaviours:

• An understanding of capital structures;
• The ability to value assets and manage and contribute to asset sales;
• A good understanding of corporate governance and corporate finance;
• An understanding of financial analysis, company valuation and accountancy;
• Relationship management of a range of senior level stakeholders both internally and externally;
• Strong written and oral communication skills to be able to convey complex financial scenarios with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm to non-specialists;
• Ability to work collaboratively, share information and build supportive, responsive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions as part of a team and with colleagues at all levels;
• Deliver timely performance with energy and take responsibility and be accountable for quality outcomes;
• Working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way;
• Ability to swiftly gain an understanding of a wide range of complex issues and organisations.

Diversity Statement: UKGI has a strong commitment to equality and diversity. Our aim is to be an open and inclusive organisation, recruiting and retaining diverse, talented and high-performing people who support and develop one another. UKGI is a Disability Confident Employer. This means we’ve been recognised as an employer which is confident and leading the way in recruiting and retaining staff with disabilities. We will offer an interview to any applicants with a disability who have indicated they wish to take part in the disability confident scheme, provided they meet the essential criteria for the post set out in the person specification. If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please tell us about this in your application. UKGI is also part of the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative. This means that as part of our commitment to diversity and equality in our recruitment and retention policy, we will offer an interview to any eligible applicants from His Majesty’s Armed Forces provided they meet the essential criteria for the post set out in the person specification. Please indicate on your application that you wish for your application to be considered as part of this initiative.

In line with company policy, we will be employing a hybrid working model based, with 40% of your time being home-based. At UKGI we place a high degree of value on work life balance and as such applications from individuals seeking flexible working, reduced hours contracts and job shares are also actively encouraged.

How to apply: If you would like to be challenged by genuinely fascinating work in an environment where work life balance is taken seriously, please apply online with a CV and covering letter outlining how you meet the criteria of the role.