Army - Station Finance Manager

Job summary

RAF Odiham is the home to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinook helicopter. The chinook is called upon by Defence around the world 365 days a year – 24/7, supporting this capability requires engagement in varying ways.

The Unit is committed to various Operations and provides aircraft and personnel at high readiness to react and support Defence as required worldwide. As part of the Joint Aviation Command (JAC), RAF Odiham supports the British Army, Royal Navy (RN) and the RAF on exercises and training for Operations.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The roll offers challenges and high engagement with all Permanent Staff and Recruits across the establishment. RAF Odiham is a stimulating and fast paced place to work that has excellent opportunities working within a department that provides pivotal support to all members of personnel.

This post will be accountable for the financial business support to the Chinook Force based on station. Providing financial support, financial scrutiny, and approvals for the units along with mentorship and policy advice.

Responsible to the Finance manager for the primary duties of the role that includes but not limited to:

• Analysis of financial cost and income data to advise the forecast of outturn (the monthly forecast of what the end of year position will be) and the In-Year position, including shortfalls and surpluses against the budget allocated.
• First line of Scrutiny for all requests for funding less than £1M and financial approvals up to the post’s delegation limits. (JAC One Page Finance Requests, Official Hospitality and Commemorative events).
• Have oversight of electronic procurement cards to ensure they are being used for the purpose intended.
• Produce data to support draft cases, letters, briefs, Parliamentary Questions etc as requested.
• Ensure compliance with accounting policy and procedures, including Management accounting standards, regularity and propriety, value for money and affordability.
• Scrutinise monthly accounts to identify any Resource Accounting Code mis bookings and initiate transfer paperwork.
• Provide advice on procurement, in particular to the Contract and Purchasing & Finance (CP&F) and Tailspend users, providing advice and mentorship to units on route to market and processing payments.
• Use the CP&F Cognos Management Information system to assist with the analysis of the monthly accounts.
• Line management responsibilities for two administration Officers.

Person specification

Essential Skills Required:

• You will hold a Financial Skills Certificate Foundation or will acquire this within the first six months of employment.
• Good understanding and working proficiency in Excel.
• Strong eye for detail to identify errors, ensure compliance with policies, and maintain high standards of financial control and propriety.
• Ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance staff, provide advice, and build effective working relationships across units.
• Capability to manage multiple tasks (approvals, reporting, scrutiny) in a fast-paced environment, ensuring deadlines are met and work is prioritised effectively.

Desirable Skills:

• knowledge of CP&F based Cognos applications; training in role will be offered for the application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership

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

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,905 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

The Army 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 Army civil servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Highly competitive pension scheme
• Personal and professional development of skills
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme, a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
• Learning and Development

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 a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.

A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

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.

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

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

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. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours.

You will need to complete a Online Civil Service Numerical Test when applying.

At application stage you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Seeing The Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing & Improving

Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of Making Effective Decision.

The remaining elements will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.

At interview stage you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Communicating & Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Further Information:

Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into 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.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

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)
• 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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Karen Jackson
• Email : Karen.Jackson430@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Attachments

ADR013810_EVP_Booklet_A5 Opens in new window (pdf, 273kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)