Deputy Director - Finance Business Partnering

Job summary

As Deputy Director Finance Business Partnering you will be responsible for providing timely, accurate and clearly communicated financial management and analysis to senior stakeholders across UKHSA. You will build and maintain strong, collaborative, and influential working relations providing strategic advice and analysis on financial impact, performance and risk to senior stakeholders. These relationships will set the correct financial tone at the top of the operation and ensure finance is at the heart of all key decision making through oversight, support and challenge. They will focus on protecting value, driving value, and adding value across the organisation. As part of this you will lead on the communication of financial data and reports including localised monthly variance reports to assigned directorate groups contributing to the strategic direction of the wider business area. You will also be responsible for leading on financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and analysis. In addition to this you will be responsible for supporting and challenging investment appraisals and business cases with financial analysis whilst supporting commercial activity within costings, bespoke reports to grant awarding bodies or ad-hoc analysis.

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/ukhsa-hub/

Job description

The role responsibilities and duties will include:

• Responsible for overseeing and delivering the UKHSA Investment Appraisal and Assurance system.
• As a senior leader within the Finance, Performance, Risk and Assurance Directorate you will pro-actively participate in SLT, propose and champion changes to deliver our efficiency targets over SR period and champion GFF best practice throughout your role.
• Provide strategic support to the business planning process for the Agency working across the Agency to develop robust plans that are aligned with organisational priorities.
• Responsible for providing timely, accurate and clearly communicated financial management and analysis to the executive to drive efficiency and effectiveness through value added insight and advice.
• Providing strategic advice and analysis on financial impact, performance and risk to senior stakeholders and through this, contributing to strategic direction of the wider business area. This includes supporting accurate forecasting and leveraging a strong understanding of the business.
• Championing financial assurance, governance and compliance across the business area and in the finance community. To include promoting stewardship of the assets of the operation and compliance with financial control.
• Acting as a catalyst for change to improve financial processes, innovation and value for money, ensuring advances in data and analytics are fully utilised to support financial reporting.
• Working closely with leads on major projects and programmes to ensure sound business cases are developed with strong commercial focus, options appraisal, realistic benefits and risk management with appropriate governance.
• Developing and maintaining strong, collaborative and influential relationships with budget holders, and more widely across the business with senior stakeholders and externally including senior managers and input to the NHS, Local Authorities, other government departments, HMT and Cabinet Office.
• Working with peers to enable delivery of departmental strategic objectives championing the use and value of data and analytics, embedding this as part of Senior level reporting. Keeping up to date with available tools and development in data and analytics, adapting to changes in technology to make the best use of available data and tools at all levels within Finance.

The role sits within the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Directorate, working directly to the SCS2 CFO. The post holder will lead the Business Partnering team, directly line managing up to 6 G6 staff. The CFO directorate sits within the Chief Operating Officer Group, one of 4 DG level areas within the agency.

This role will require significant management, engagement, and influencing of the following key stakeholders:

Internal:

• UKHSA Executive Committee.
• UKHSA Director General, Chief Operating Officer.
• Director Finance, Performance, Risk & Assurance.
• Finance Performance, Risk and Assurance directorate Senior Leadership Team (SLT).
• All senior managers; including Heads of Departments and Budget Holders.
• All senior finance staff.

External:

• Finance Directors and other senior finance staff of NHS bodies.
• Finance and other staff within the Department of Health and Social Care and Devolved Administrations.
• Finance and other staff within Local Authorities, NHS England, HM Treasury and Cabinet Office.

As one of its most senior leaders, you will also be a visible role model for the Civil Service Leadership behaviours We expect all our senior leaders to be:

• Inspiring – about our work and its future.
• Confident – in our engagement with others.
• Empowering – to allow our teams to deliver.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• People focussed leader. Substantial experience of leading, motivating and developing a diverse team of finance professionals.
• Relationship building and stakeholder management. Ability to influence and make positive impacts at the highest levels through excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including by building and maintaining credible networks and relationships, often at pace, under pressure and in ambiguous circumstances.
• Delivery focus at a strategic level. Experience of providing strategic advice and analysis on financial impact, performance and risk to senior stakeholders, ensuring financial data and figures are accurate and that complex budgeting / financial rules are complied with.
• Expert communicator. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to put complex financial issues into layman’s terms for non-specialist audiences.
• Collaborative team player with whole agency outlook. Ability to collaborate and seek constructive outcomes in discussions, balancing a firm stance with a willingness to compromise when beneficial to the operation.
• A qualified accountant (CCAB or CIMA) with significant post-qualification experience.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,000, UK Health Security Agency contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

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.

External

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Stage 1: Application & Sift

This vacancy is using Success Profiles

At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the job advert.

You will be required to complete an:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1000 word Statement of Suitability.

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role against the essential criteria listed.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V – please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible).

If we receive a large number of applications an initial sift against the lead behaviour of Leadership will be conducted.

Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Should candidates wish to discuss the role further, please contact James Doyle at FPRAprivateoffice@ukhsa.gov.uk

Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)

You will be invited to a remote interview.

Due to panel availability, Interviews will be held on 6th May, please note this date is fixed.

This vacancy is being assessed using Success Profiles. During the interview we will assess you against the following behaviours:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

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

Security Clearance Level Requirement:

All successful candidates must meet the basic security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is:
• Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).
For this role you will also need to meet:
• Security Clearance (SC).

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Salary Information

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/huge-biosecurity-centre-investment-t…
The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Please note: The Chief Operating Officer (COO) group, where this role sits, is undergoing organisational change over the next 12–18 months. While the process is still in the planning stage, some roles may be affected by future restructuring. We are committed to keeping candidates informed and will share updates as they become available.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

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.

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

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Luke Heath
• Email : FPRAprivateoffice@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : SCS.MDrecruitment@UKHSA.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk