Finance Business Partner - Qualified/Part Qualified Accountant

Job summary

Working towards sustainable futures. Championing diversity in the workplace. At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), it’s all in a day’s work. From HR to Finance, Policy to Communications, this is work that sustains and supports, where everyone’s voice is heard, and our customers are at the heart of everything we do. For a career packed with possibility, a comprehensive benefits package, where we live by our values and have the opportunity to improve the lives of people across the UK, look no further.

Supporting people who need it most. That’s our purpose. Start your own career today.

The Department for Work and Pensions is one of the largest Departments in Whitehall, managing the delivering of benefit payments to citizens totalling over £200bn annually.

As a Finance Professional in Government, your role is to protect public funds and add value through finance assurance activities.

This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who is fully qualified or studying towards a qualification and has an interest in joining DWP Finance Group.

Job description

Financial Management & Partnering (FM&P) support the business to develop credible multi-year plans that deliver business objectives, supported by robust financial forecasts. We also help ensure that financial matters are considered in long-term policy and service delivery decisions.

Financial Management and Partnering is organised into teams supporting each of the DWP Directors General. The role/s are to ensure that the Department’s funding and performance position is managed and communicated effectively to support senior decision making.

Our Finance Business Partners develop a strategic understanding of our financial position, using their interpersonal skills to develop great working relationships with budget holders from across the organisation as well as key contracted provision suppliers. You will join our organisation delivering partnering to one of many contracts that we support.

We support with the mitigation of risk, providing advice, guidance and challenge, highlighting opportunities which consider the political and economic landscape.

We prepare reports for presentation to HM Treasury and develop business cases for new initiatives.

You’ll use management information packs to showcase the financial position and future year plans. We produce analysis to support strategic decision making for services and entities with a total expenditure of over £9bn annually.

You’ll be responsible for financial modelling and supporting complex business cases as well as providing financial assurance to commercial and procurement exercises, analysing both affordability, accuracy and value for money.

You may also be responsible for line managing a team of Finance Business Partners, leading and advising on technical accounting treatment and alignment with Departmental policy.

DWP are part of the wider Government Finance Function and information on the types of roles and skills needed in this role and to progress can be found in the Finance Career Framework.

Hybrid working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

This role can only be carried out in the UK.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Working Pattern

DWP are committed to flexible working patterns, and keen to support alternative working patterns where business needs allow. The working hours we can support will depend on which role you are offered (if there is more than one role now or in the future) and if there is capacity to operate the role part-time or job share.

Visas

For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.

Locations

You will be asked for your preferences for up to 3 locations, these will tell us where you would prefer to work if you are successful. Please do not select a location unless you are prepared to accept a role in that location.

Please note that for candidates requesting to work in Newcastle, Blackpool & Sheffield, these locations will be changing:

Newcastle Benton Park View will move to Newcastle Pilgrim Place in Autumn 2027
Sheffield Hartshead Square will move to Sheffield 1 West Bar Hub in 2028
Blackpool, Peel Park will move to Blackpool, Fylde View in April 2027

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 here.

Successful candidates will be posted in merit order based on your location preferences, where appropriate, and the geographical requirements of the business. Dependent on your position on the merit list, if none of your location preferences remain at the point we make a job offer DWP may offer you a role at an alternative advertised location. If we are unable to offer you a role in any of your preferred locations, and you are unable to accept a role at an alternative advertised location, we will add you to the reserve list if one is being held.

Some travel may be required.

Person specification

A strong candidate for this role should be able to demonstrate the following Essential Criteria:

• A track record of supporting good decision making through high quality analysis, adding insight to financial data
• The ability to challenge, influence and build relationships with senior stakeholders, demonstrating excellent communication skills
• Application of professional accountancy standards, financial policies and controls within a complex public or private sector environment
• Ability to help the business deliver its objectives, providing coaching and guidance on financial matters
• Evidence of dealing with competing priorities whilst maintaining day to day activities and working to tight deadlines
• A track record of working in the finance sector

This role is open to CCAB / CIMA qualified accountants or part-qualified accountants who are still studying. Please note the higher rate of pay is only available upon full qualification.

Qualifications

Eligibility criteria for qualified accountants: You must hold a full chartered level professional qualification awarded by a UK-recognised accountancy body: CIMA, ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS or Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Eligibility criteria for part-qualified accountants: You must be studying for a qualification with a UK-recognised accountancy body: CIMA, ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS or Chartered Accountants Ireland. You must have passed (or been awarded an exemption from) a minimum of 8 exams so far and your last exam sitting must have been within 12 months from the date you submit your application.

Memberships

Eligibility criteria for qualified accountants: Your membership of one of these institutes must be up to date and active on the day you submit your application. If you are invited to interview, you will be asked to provide evidence of both your qualification status and your membership being active on the date you applied. Please note that membership of AAT or other technician level qualifications does not satisfy the qualification criteria for this role. If you are unsure whether you meet the qualification criteria, you should confirm with our recruitment team before proceeding with your application.
If you hold a chartered level accountancy qualification with an overseas body, you will not be eligible to apply for this role. Most of the UK-recognised accountancy bodies operate reciprocal agreements and pathways programmes which allow people with overseas qualifications to apply for membership. We would recommend pursuing this if you are interested in a career in UK government finance. You would then be eligible to apply for our future vacancies, once your membership became active.

Eligibility criteria for part-qualified accountants: Your student membership of your institute must be up to date and active on the day you submit your application. If you are invited to interview, you will be asked to provide evidence of both your exam passes/exemptions to date and your membership being active on the date you applied for the role. Please note that membership of AAT or other technician level qualifications does not satisfy the part-qualification criteria for this role. If you are unsure whether you meet the part-qualification criteria, you should confirm with our recruitment team before proceeding with your application. If you are successful in applying for the role, you will be expected to complete your studies and become a fully qualified accountant within a reasonable timeframe. If you do not achieve full qualification with your institute, you may in future be moved into a different role that does not require a professional finance qualification.

Behaviours

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

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

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

• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,876 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).

DWP have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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.

Sift stage:

Initial sift – Behaviour.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide evidence against the Lead Behaviour Communicating & Influencing of no more than 250 words.

We are interested in what you did and how you did it, and what was the outcome, as part of your example.

Only candidates who pass the initial sift on the Behaviour will be progressed to full sift of personal statement.

Full sift:

You will be asked to complete a Personal Statement of no more than 1000 words. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The sift panel will use your Personal Statement to assess your skills and experience against the Essential Criteria listed for this position.

Interview stage:

If you have been successful in sift stage, you will be invited to an online interview via Microsoft Teams. All candidates applying as qualified who are invited to interview will be asked to provide proof of qualification AND current membership before attending an interview, as well as ID Documentation. If you are applying as a part-qualified you will be asked to provide evidence of both your exam passes/exemptions to date and your membership being active on the date you applied.

At interview, you will be assessed against the behaviours outlined in the job advert. Behaviour based questions are around evidence of what you have done and how you did it.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Application sift is planned to be carried out WC: 19th October 2026

Interviews are planned to be carried out WC: 9th November 2026

Please be advised that the above dates are indicative only and are subject to change.

DWP may consider increasing the overall pass mark at sift or interview stage in order to manage applications and outcomes.

Further Information​

At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:

• If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.

Disability Confident Scheme

If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.

Reasonable Adjustments

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.

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

Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.

Examples of plagiarism can include:

- Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own

- Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own

Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks

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.

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.

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

Important

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

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.

Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP’s Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.

Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.

Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.

Any move to DWP 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 the Childcare Choices Website.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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 : Mark Wisden
• Email : MARK.WISDEN@DWP.GOV.UK

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DWP by email: HR.BUSINESSASSURANCE@DWP.GOV.UK.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

22 FM&P DWP Candidate Pack PDF (2) Opens in new window (pdf, 629kB)Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB)DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB)