Finance and Risk Lead

Job summary

We are looking for a motivated and innovative leader to drive forward the work of this high-profile team at a moment of significant change in our operating context. There are a number of Cabinet Office corporate change programmes that will present the role holder with opportunities to innovate.

The successful candidate will report to the Grade 7 Corporate Operations Lead and line manage one HEO.

We are a friendly and welcoming team, working in an agile and impactful manner on fast-moving priorities. We place a great emphasis on staff wellbeing and providing tailored career development opportunities and chances for colleagues to stretch and challenge themselves.

Job description

Strategic Finance and Budget Management

• Ensuring that the £3.6m budget delivers value for money, providing strategic advice to the CEO and SMT to maximise the budget in pursuit of organisational objectives.
• High-level forecasting, providing the Chief Executive (Accounting Officer) and the Board with accurate, forward-looking financial forecasts to support your advice.
• Sponsor liaison, managing the relationship with Cabinet Office finance business partners and sponsor teams, ensuring compliance with shifting accounting policies.

Annual Report and Accounts

• Working with a wide range of stakeholders of all levels, including the CEO and First Commissioner to lead this project from conception to publication.
• Both commissioning and drafting high quality content on corporate performance for inclusion in the report.
• Personally, leading on the production accounts and remuneration sections. Producing analysis and presenting simple financial information for both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Planning the audit and acting as the primary point of contact for the National Audit Office.

Regular Reporting

• Leading a project to change the way that management reporting is done throughout the year, including a more regular rhythm of external updates.
• Build capability and capacity within the organisation to use this information to tell a story externally about what the organisation does and how.

Audit and Risk Management

• Lead the end-to-end audit, risk and compliance cycle, including the design and maintenance of processes and documentation. Working closely with the Corporate Operations Lead, Audit and Risk Committee and the CEO.
• Working to increase capability on Risk Management throughout the IOs; embedding a culture of risk identification and mitigation within policy, delivery and operational processes e.g., Policy Reviews; Business Planning; Strategy Delivery.
• Lead work with GIAA on a multi-year internal audit plan, ensuring that audits are proportionate, focussed and deliver assurance for the organisation.
• Audit implementation, overseeing the implementation of internal and external audit recommendations to improve organisational governance.
• ARC secretariat, acting as the secretariat for the Audit and Risk Committee, preparing high quality papers, presenting on finance and briefing the Chair and CEO.

Operational Excellence & Change Management

• Lead on Cabinet Office change initiatives for the IOs; driving culture change and embedding the new ERP system “Neo” in corporate and delivery processes.
• Driving value for money through the procurement and management of key corporate contracts.
• Operational Transformation: designing and driving the evolution of financial and corporate processes, identifying inefficiencies in systems and leading change.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Ability to interpret complex data to tell a story and influence executive decision making. Translating technical jargon into strategic advice.
• Experience of government finance policies and protocols (e.g., Managing Public Money and the Financial Reporting Manual) but this is not a specialist role; candidates do not need to be CCAB qualified.
• Experience of building strong working relationships and engagement with internal and external stakeholders to deliver successful outcomes.
• The ability to make evidence-based decisions using effective judgment, resolving issues, mitigating risks and acting as a resolution point when required.
• Strong communication skills, including written communication, using appropriate styles for different audiences.
• The ability to promote a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging opportunities for all.
• The ability to identify and lead on the delivery of business priorities including future planning and alignment to the IO’s priorities.
• Leadership experience, demonstrating visible, inclusive and supportive leadership qualities whilst setting clear direction for the team/work areas.

Additional information:

A minimum 60% of your working time should be spent in CSC’s Westminster offices, the role’s principal location, although requirements to attend other locations for official business will also count towards this level of attendance.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

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

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• As part of the interview, candidates will be asked to complete a task. This will be to prepare a response to a question/questions, using the material provided, demonstrating alignment to the essential criteria.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,670, Cabinet Office contributes £13,809 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 which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and employer contributions of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:

• A CV detailing your career history, and skills/experience; and
• A 750 word Statement of Suitability; and
• A 250 word behaviour statement for the following behaviours: Leadership, Managing a Quality Service

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your Statement of Suitability should be no more than 750 words. It should provide real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role and how you would apply them to this position. It will be assessed against the essential criteria and used to add depth to the best evidence in your CV.

Your CV should consist of your career history and skills/experience, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will be used to provide further context on your personal statement and will not be scored.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Selection Process

At the interview stage for this role, we will assess you based on the Civil Service Success Profiles. You will be required to provide evidence of the following four behaviours in your interview for the role:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving

As part of the interview, candidates will be asked to complete a task (technical skill). This will be to prepare a response to a question/questions, using the material provided, demonstrating alignment to the essential criteria. Shortlisted candidates will be provided with the task and given 20 minutes prior to the interview to read the material. Your response will form the first part of the interview.

We will also test you on a range of strengths. These are designed to test your ability to respond to situations that you may face in your day to day role.

At the interview you will be scored on your task (technical skill) , behaviours and strengths. Appointments will be made in merit order.

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

• Expected sift date - week commencing 6th July 2026
• Expected interview date/s - week commencing 20th July 2026

An information session will be held week commencing 22nd June 2026, please contact heidi.ferguson@csc.gov.uk for joining information.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further information

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

Please note that this role requires CTC clearance, which would normally need 3 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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

Any move to Cabinet Office 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.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

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

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

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

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Feedback

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 counter-terrorist 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.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 : Heidi Ferguson
• Email : heidi.ferguson@csc.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : cabinetofficerecruitment.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 in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service by email at : cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk. For further information on the Recruitment Principles and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/.

Attachments

Cabinet Office Employee Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 302kB)Cabinet Office Terms and Conditions - External 2025-02-20 Opens in new window (docx, 83kB)