Finance Business Partner

Portsmouth, South East England, PO2 8BY

Job Summary
Navy Command Headquarters (NCHQ) in Whale Island, Portsmouth, is the nerve centre of the Naval Service. It supports operations around the globe and provides the ships, people, aircraft and equipment to deliver the UK’s defence policy.

The NCHQ supports all the Royal Navy’s activities from front-line operations to personnel support and training, finance and governance; safety; equipment acquisition; programmes and planning; and Defence Engagement. Civil Servants and Armed Forces personnel work together in a wealth of interesting and challenging jobs in different disciplines, from finance; legal services; personnel and HR; project planning and managing contracts, to media and communications.

This is an exciting time to be part of the MoD’s finance function as we evolve to put finance at the heart of decision making through our Finance Functional Leadership programme. This is an ambitious programme to build capability in the MoD’s finance function and to introduce a revised finance operating model which is consistent with that in other government departments.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job Description
The vision for the finance function for financial management is: Protecting Value, Driving Value, Adding Value and putting finance at the heart of decision making to support and enable delivery of Defence outputs. The Assistant Finance Business Partner (AFBP) is a critical role which is key in achieving this vision by demonstrating the need for finance, ensuring that the function is included in decision making, with responsibility for building and sustaining the partnership between Finance and the Business.

The role requires a wide range of skills and requires the incumbent to utilise a combined skill set encompassing interpersonal skills, professional skills and technical knowledge. By applying these skills together with their contextual understanding of the business’ goals, plans, performance and risk management, the AFBP will be equipped to provide financial advice and enhance the quality of decision-making.

Relationship management and stakeholder communication is a key part of the AFBP role to ensure stakeholder confidence and raise awareness of interdependencies ensuring timely delivery against objectives.

Person specification
As part of the finance team you will support the wider finance function staff providing opportunities for development and encouraging ideas for improving team performance.

Responsibilities
As part of the finance team for you will provide support to the Deputy Finance Business Partner, as well as cohering activities across the other areas of the business unit.

You will be responsible for the effective financial management of the respective business area. Provide advice and guidance to the Budget Holder regarding their financial situation. Capture and review financial risks and opportunities to mitigate their impact.

Provide support to the planning round through preparation of robustly costed 10-year plans. Undertake a full re-cost of the business area by assessing current commitments and future opportunities.

Undertake financial scrutiny, review and financial approval of business cases ensuring propriety, regularity, value for money and affordability.

Support to audit activities ensuring robust evidence is presented to National Audit Office (NAO).

Applicants will need to give evidence to demonstrate their experience of:

• An aptitude for working with data and figures. With a track record of creating, maintaining and manipulating spreadsheets in Excel to a high standard.
• Good interpersonal skills and be able to quickly form collaborative teams and partnerships with MoD colleagues to produce timely, accurate and effective management information.
• Able to work with and exploit a variety of different IT systems.

Desirable But Not Essential Skills

• Experience of Programme and Portfolio management.
• Professional Accounting Qualification or studying towards qualification.
• Experience of managing a team. Provide support and motivate the team to ensure priorities and deadlines are met.

Behaviours
We\’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

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

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £36,530, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,582 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

As a civil servant in Navy Command, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects, and a job that makes a difference.

Navy Command prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other Benefits For Navy Command Civil Servants Include

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service.
• Personal & professional development.
• Alternative working patterns for many roles.
• Access to a confidential, professional support service.
• Discount schemes.
• Bicycle / season ticket loans.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
• Special paid leave to volunteer up to 6 days a year.

Our headquarters in Portsmouth also offers an impressive range of on-site facilities including a gymnasium, tennis courts, and other sporting facilities, a children’s nursery, a bistro restaurant, a shop and plenty of car parking spaces.

In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (500 – Word count)

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and Statement of suitability and the following behaviours:

• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

At interview, you will be assessed against the following behaviours:

• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

This vacancy assesses candidates through Success Profiles, the new recruitment framework used within the Civil Service. Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly.

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of gender and ethnic group. Appointment will be based on merit alone.

Following assessment of applications successful candidates will be contacted to arrange interview. Candidates will be assessed against behaviours and experience on application form and at interview.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview. #J-18808-Ljbffr