Finance Officer

Job summary

Are you ready to start your finance career in one of our exciting finance operation roles within the Finance Shared Services Division (FSSD)? Supporting the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and three of its Arm’s Length Bodies: the Planning Inspectorate, the Valuation Tribunal Service, and the Regulator for Social Housing, FSSD delivers end-to-end finance transaction processing and support for approximately 2,500 users.

As a Finance officer you will work as part of one of two teams delivering a range of finance tasks within agreed Service Levels, ensuring accuracy, compliance and efficiency in all processes.

There will be a role available in one of these teams:
1) The Operational Finance Team
2) The Finance Operations Integrity and Master Data Team

Job description

Perform transactional tasks including:

Operational Finance Team:

• Creation for payment files
• Uploading bank statements
• Posting receipts and matching postings in General Ledger.
• Amending Purchase Orders and monitoring Good receipting.

Finance Operations Integrity and Master Data Team:

• Debt management
• Master date creation/management
• Period/month end activities
• Completion of quarterly VAT return

Both Teams:

• Accurately record financial transactions promptly, adhering to rules and controls to safeguard government funds. Assist with general finance tasks, maintaining accurate audit trails
• Monitor team inbox, ensuring timely responses and prioritising escalated queries for quick resolution.
• Liaise with customers and stakeholders to resolve outstanding enquiries effectively. Provide advice and support to Finance SAP users
• Communicate daily with other team members to clarify goals and ensure alignment.

Person specification

• A strong background in finance with excellent IT skills and organizational ability.
• Flexibility and adaptability to manage varied tasks as circumstances require.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders both in person and remotely.
• Proven ability to work under pressure, prioritize effectively, and deliver high-quality outcomes within tight deadlines.
• A collaborative approach to building and maintaining positive relationships across the wider finance team.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,622, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £8,291 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Childcare Voucher and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

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

Application and Selection
The application process will be split into 2 stages, testing the following Success Profiles:

Ability, Experience, Technical

Please ensure your CV does not contain any personally identifiable information.

Note: We do not consider direct CV applications. All applications must be submitted via the provided application link.

Important: Your CV and Cover Letter must be merged into a single document before uploading.

Stage 1: Sift (CV & Cover Letter)

Experience: Your covering letter should set out:

• Why you are interested in the role
• How you meet the essential skills and experience criteria in the Job Description

Please keep to a maximum of 1000 words

Most of our campaigns utilise multiple assessors and so it is possible that each of your answers would be viewed by different assessors.

Stage 2: Interview

• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

• Ability: Candidates will take basic maths test on the day of the interview, before the interview takes place

• Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 19/02/2026.

Interviews for this role will be held face to face in your chosen location.

Starting Your Application

Step 1: Complete your personal details on CS Jobs

Step 2: Complete the Numerical Reasoning test by 23:55 on 16/02/2026.

You’ll receive guidance when invited to take the tests – please read it carefully before starting.

These tests are not timed, but we recommend allowing up to one hour per test.

Step 3: If successful, you’ll receive a link to complete your application via Be Applied by 23:55 on 18/02/2026.

Please note:

• Links are sent manually and may take a few days.

• Check your junk/ spam folders if you haven’t received it.

Step 4: We will review your application and if successful, you will be invited to interview.

How We Recruit

Find out more about our recruitment processes here.

• Applying

• Sifting

• Interview

• Interview Results & Feedback

• Reserve List

• Near Miss

• Civil Service Grades

• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer

• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

Find out everything you need to know before applying here.

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements

• Civil Service Nationality Requirements

• Right to Work

• Artificial Intelligence

• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles

• CV Declaration

• Sponsorships

• Salary and Grade

• Existing Civil Servants

• Conflict of Interest

• Location and Flexible Working

• Fixed Term Contracts

• Internal Fraud Database - Internal Fraud Register

• Appeals and Complaints

• Conflict of Interest

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office: + SC

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 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.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

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 : Stephanie Lockhart
• Email : Stephanie.lockhart@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Further information

If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application, you should speak to the Resourcing team - recruitment@communities.gov.uk. Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:

a procedural irregularity

an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy

exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day.

It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the MHCLG Resourcing Hub at recruitment@communities.gov.uk.

If the MHCLG Resourcing Hub is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8,1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by email to: info@csc.gov.uk