Commercial Finance Lead

Job summary

The College of Policing are the professional body for the police service in England and Wales. We work with everyone in policing to set standards, to share knowledge and good practice and to support the development of police officers and staff. Our mission is to drive a consistent approach across policing where the public and the service expect it, to boost professionalism and to improve leadership at every level.

Although we're a small organisation, our work has a big reach. We are uniquely placed to work both with national policing organisations and local forces to support frontline officers, staff and volunteers in their day-to-day roles.

We offer a supportive and inclusive environment for people to thrive. Our extensive flexible-working policy, employee wellbeing support, family friendly policies, employers’ network for equality and inclusion membership (ENEI silver award winners), and status as a disability confident leader means everyone can bring their whole self to work.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to lead on commercial finance for the College of Policing. The College’s expenditure is c. £90m per annum, of which c. £30m is currently funded by trading and commercial income.

As the finance lead for all aspects of the College’s commercial activity, your responsibilities will include pricing & charging strategy and accurate costing of new products and services.

In addition, you will also lead on income analysis by identifying trends and supporting accurate forecasting and ensuring alignment with Home Office and HMT guidance.

The role will allow you to help shape the College’s overall commercial strategy, including for international business and play a key role in turning the College into a more commercially minded organisation.

As the Commercial Finance Lead you will be responsible for:

• Overseeing the College’s costing and pricing model ensuring the costing and pricing strategy of new products or services is transparent, accurate and developed with a clear understanding of key guidance such as Managing Public Money. The role will also oversee the College’s charging policy and core customer list.
• Influencing the reporting of regular financial and commercial analysis to the College’s Executive Team and Board, demonstrating strong analytical and leadership skills to enable accurate and insightful financial forecasting.
• Contributing to medium-term financial planning and fiscal events, such as cross government spending reviews within the College, working closely with corporate development and training delivery colleagues to demonstrate the value of the College.

For more information about the role and for a full list of key responsibilities, please see the link to the Job Pack below.

https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/job-detail/commercial-finance-lead/ref/jn-022026-6937969

Person specification

To be successful in this role you’ll need

• To be a Qualified Accountant (CCAB or equivalent)
• Experience of providing financial analysis and insight to support decision-making
• A solid understanding of accounting principles
• Experience of influencing and advising senior managers on financial issues
• An ability to develop financial proposals and business cases and deliver value for money
• To be effective at building working relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels and work collaboratively to achieve objectives.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,430, College of Policing contributes £16,637 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

£57,430 - £64,236, plus £5,074 London allowance where appropriate. (Tier 3 (18), Grade 7)

Staff applying on promotion within the Civil Service will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or receive a 10% increase on their existing salary. Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing salary.

Alongside your salary of £57,430, College of Policing contributes £16,637 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

For more information about our benefits and staff networks, please visit the Job Pack Information.

https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/job-detail/commercial-finance-lead/ref/jn-022026-6937969

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 and Experience.

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

Application Stage

As part of the application process, you will be required to provide:

A personal statement of no more than 1000 words attached to your CV that explains how your skills and experience meet each of the criteria below:

• Experience of providing financial analysis and insight to support decision-making, and a solid understanding of accounting principles and experience of applying this knowledge to a complex operational environment.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels and work collaboratively to achieve business and commercial objectives
• Ability to analyse, summarise and communicate financial data and information clearly and accurately to a wide range of audiences including non-financial and senior colleagues.

A supporting CV outlining your job history and qualifications (including how you meet the essential criteria for the role)

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Interview Stage

Full details of the interview process will be made available to shortlisted candidates in the invite to interview

Closing Date is 11:55pm on the 20th February 2026

Interviews are expected to take place w/c 9th March 2026

All dates are indicative and subject to change. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality Requirements: Click Here

Working for the Civil Service

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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Security

Please note, 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.

Location

This post can be fully remote or based at our sites in either Ryton-on-Dunsmore (CV8 3EN), Durham (DL15 8DS), Harrogate (HG1 1EP) or London.

Hybrid working opportunities can also be discussed prior to you taking up your post.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/job-detail/commercial-finance-lead/ref/jn-022026-6937969

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

Security

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.

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 : Bradley Glen
• Email : bradleyglen@michaelpage.co.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@college.pnn.police.uk