Finance Analyst

Job summary

ICS

The Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) is a shared corporate service. It provides corporate services (HR, Finance, Digital, Commercial, Security and Estates) across the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT).

Our team of over 400 professionals will be leading the way in how these functions will be delivered in the future. Our ambition is to be the leading provider of integrated corporate services for government and set the standard for quality, efficiency, and innovation in our field.

We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.

Find Out More

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/

Job description

The Matrix Programme is a transformation initiative involving 7 Government Departments (listed at the end). It is a unique cross-government collaboration that will unlock simpler, better, and more joined up working by bringing together the systems, processes, and ways of working for key government functions.

Over the coming months we will be preparing to roll out Neo, our powerful new HR and Finance technology and service for the Matrix cluster - driving a more modern, digital government. The first Departments will go live in June 2026. Neo is a cloud-based system, powered by Workday that will replace legacy HR and finance technology and offline processes across multiple Government Departments and associated Arm’s-Length Bodies (ALBs). Designed to streamline administrative activities and promote intuitive self-service, Neo is enabling time back to focus on what we value the most – serving the public. Moreover, Neo’s adoption means we are harnessing the power of shared technology at scale. This unified way of working delivers better, more accurate data - eliminating errors, creating one trusted source of truth and accurate reporting. Neo is more than just a new system; it’s enabling us to be data-led, to work smarter, respond faster and deliver services that truly meet the needs of the public.

The Neo Centre Office (NCO) is the strategic service management function for the Neo Service. Hosted within Integrated Corporate Services (ICS), its purpose is to monitor, direct, and advise on the delivery of the Neo service, ensuring it operates efficiently and meets performance expectations. It provides central oversight, enabling consistent service quality, timely issue resolution, and continuous improvement. By acting as a governance and coordination hub, the function ensures alignment with strategic objectives, fosters stakeholder confidence, and supports the seamless delivery of Neo across all relevant departments.

Whilst the NCO will be hosted within ICS, some roles are temporarily aligned to the programme (hosted within Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT)) until all departments are fully onboarded. Whilst the NCO will have employees hosted across both ICS and DSIT, it operates as one unified team and plays a vital role within the ICS organisation.

The Departments forming the Matrix Programme include Cabinet Office (CO), Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Department for Education (DfE) and His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT).

This role provides accounting, budgeting and financial management support for the NCO, providing awareness of drivers of financial performance, supporting accurate forecasting and reporting and engaging in the budget setting process.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will:
• Collect, analyse and interpret financial data from service providers and provide insight into financial performance, identifying and assessing opportunities for improvement.
• Assist in developing financial budgets and forecasts for Neo services and prepare financial reports and dashboards to aid decision making.
• Conduct variance analysis to compare actual financial performance across the cluster against budgets and forecasts, identifying mitigating actions where necessary.
• Support the accurate allocation of costs across departments/ALBs, including when new services are added to the catalogue or existing services are changed.
• Support the maintenance and updates to the charging model as required, including reflecting changes in expected volumes.
• Support the tracking of benefits against the business case and help to identify corrective actions where required.
• Carry out finance impact modelling as new departments/ALBs onboard to the service and advise on future service apportionment as required.

Essential Criteria

• Qualifications. Possession of, or active progression towards, a recognised industry-standard finance qualification (e.g. CCAB/CIMA or a Level 4 qualification with AAT, CCAB or CIMA), demonstrating a commitment to professional development and the application of structured financial principles in analytical work. Please note not all accepted qualifications are eligible for the allowance advertised and part-qualified individuals may be eligible for allowances of different denominations.
• Proven experience in collecting, analysing, and interpreting complex financial data to provide actionable insights into financial performance, identify trends, and assess opportunities for improvement.
• Strong capability in performing variance analysis, comparing actual financial performance against budgets and forecasts, and supporting the accurate allocation of costs, especially in dynamic environments with changing service offerings.
• Demonstrated ability to assist in developing financial budgets and forecasts, and to prepare accurate and clear financial reports and dashboards that support effective decision-making.
• Strong attention to detail and analytical skills.
• Team player with strong communication skills, being able to work and engage with stakeholders across all levels.

Desirable Criteria

• Financial Modelling and Benefits Tracking: Experience in conducting finance impact modelling for new initiatives or onboarding processes, as well as supporting the tracking of benefits against business cases and identifying corrective actions.
• Charging Model Management: Familiarity with or experience in supporting the maintenance and updates of charging models, including reflecting changes in volumes or service offerings

Qualifications

Possession of, or active progression towards, a recognised industry-standard finance qualification (e.g. CCAB/CIMA or a Level 4 qualification with AAT, CCAB or CIMA), demonstrating a commitment to professional development and the application of structured financial principles in analytical work.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,765, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £12,678 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
• A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

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, Strengths and Experience.

Applications will be sifted on CV and Personal Statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement only.

The interview will consist of behaviour and strength-based questions.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

A reserve list of candidates may be kept for up to 12 months.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DESNZ Candidate Guidance. A DESNZ Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

DESNZ does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DESNZ holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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.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 : Matrix Resourcing Team
• Email : matrixresourcing@dsit.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance DESNZrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints

Attachments

DESNZ TCs v1.2 Opens in new window (doc, 174kB)