Financial Lead - Central Services Support Team

Job summary

The Central Services Support Team (CSST) plays a vital role in ensuring the Planning Inspectorate delivers high‑quality, evidence‑based services across England. As our CSST Financial Leader, you will lead the financial activities that underpin our rechargeable services, ensuring every decision is supported by accurate, timely and reliable financial data.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys responsibility, influence and variety, you will shape financial insights, support operational leaders with robust evidence, and drive improvements across our financial processes. Working at the heart of an organisation with national impact, you will help ensure fairness, transparency and efficiency in the planning system, supporting communities, infrastructure, and sustainable development across England.

For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please visit our careers page at Civil Service Careers

Job description

We are seeking a detail‑focused, organised and analytical financial professional to lead the financial activity within our Central Services Support Team (CSST). In this role, you’ll be responsible for producing accurate monthly, annual and ad‑hoc income returns that support the Planning Inspectorate’s rechargeable services. You’ll work closely with Finance, operational colleagues and wider stakeholders to ensure financial reporting is timely, accurate and aligned to organisational standards.

You will lead a small team responsible for income invoicing, developing capability, supporting quality assurance, and ensuring all financial data is handled consistently and securely. Your work will include reviewing casework pipeline information, validating financial evidence, responding to customer and colleague queries, and identifying opportunities to streamline and improve processes. Your ability to interpret data clearly and communicate insights will help operational teams make informed, evidence‑based decisions.

To succeed in this role, you will bring demonstrable experience in budget forecasting, financial management, income invoicing, producing accruals and generating accurate variance analysis. You will be confident working under pressure, managing competing priorities and delivering to tight monthly deadlines. Strong communication and relationship‑building skills will help you collaborate effectively across teams, contribute to a positive team culture and support continuous improvement in how we deliver our financial services.

At the start of each month, you will lead the production of financial income returns for rechargeable services, ensuring data is accurate and complete. You’ll work with your team to produce and approve customer invoices, verify supporting evidence, and collaborate with business areas and the People Unit on timesheet and data changes that impact financial reporting. Throughout the month, your focus will be on maintaining high standards, supporting colleagues, and ensuring the reliability and integrity of all financial outputs.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Internal rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

This role is being advertised at £37,579 and HEO Grade.

Working hours:

Standard working week is 37 hours, This role can accommodate Part time working at 22.2 hours or above, term time only working pattern and job share, flexible working hours policy available

Office Attendance

This role is contractually based in Bristol, 10 minute walk from Temple Meads train station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in person attendance, which can vary dependent on the requirements of individual business units - the details of which can be discussed with candidates if invited to attend an interview

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable working experience and knowledge of budget forecasting, financial management and income invoicing processes.

• Experience of, or evidence of the ability to, motivate and develop staff to achieve effective performance in a continuously changing environment.

• Proven ability to apply analytical and problem solving skills to financial data. Interpret and make informed recommendations.

• Good communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and concisely with all levels of staff and external stakeholders.

• Proven ability to work under pressure to exacting timescales.

• IT skills and knowledge, including Outlook, Word and Excel

Desirable Criteria

• Association of Accounting Technicians qualification. (AAT)

• Understanding of GDPR and data management

For guidance on how to structure your application please visit: About the application process , Civil Service Careers

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,579, Planning Inspectorate contributes £10,886 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Flexible working options, including flexi-time, part-time, compressed hours and home working if suitable for the role.

• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.

• 25 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year up to 30 days after 5 years, plus 1 privilege day to mark the King’s birthday. In addition to the normal bank holidays.

• Generous family friendly policies.

• Fast and modern IT kit which utilises Windows 11 and Microsoft 365, enabling seamless working from home and collaboration across teams.

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, Ability and Experience.

Application

Complete the online application form on Civil Service Jobs which requires the following information:

• A CV: The CV section is an opportunity for you to detail your career history. It should outline the jobs you have done, the length of time you were employed within each role and a brief description of your role, responsibilities and duties which demonstrate relevance to the role you are applying for against the essential criteria. You must type, or ‘copy and paste’ into the text box called ‘Employment History’ within the online application. You cannot attach a copy of your CV.
  
  
• A Personal Statement (1000 words max): The personal statement allows you to outline your suitability for the role in more depth, expanding on your CV evidence. It is an opportunity for you to provide evidence against the essential criteria.
  
  

A Numerical Test This will test your numerical ability.

We will assess your application on the evidence you have provided against the Essential Criteria and Success Profile elements

All shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome shortly afterwards.

Interview

If you are shortlisted, you will:

• Be asked to attend an interview to have a more in-depth discussion about your experience and suitability for the role
• Interviews will be a blend of behaviour, strength, experience and technical questions

Candidates who are successful at shortlist stage will be sent full assessment requirements with their interview invitations.

Other Information

Closing Date: 23:55pm 1st March 2026

Numerical Test deadline: 12:00pm 1st March 2026*

*Please note you will need to complete your Personal Statement/CV after completion of the Numerical Test.*

Shortlist Date: w/c 2nd March 2026

Interview Date: w/c 16th March 2026

Interviews will be held in person at our office in Bristol, 10-minute walk from Temple Meads train station

The Planning Inspectorate does not fund travel and subsistence for candidates to attend interviews.

We encourage all candidates to make themselves familiar with the role and what we will be assessing you against which is detailed in the Person Specification.

The Planning Inspectorate is committed to finding the right person for the job. We recruit using Success Profiles and consider the criteria you will need to demonstrate to be successful for the role.

ID and Documents

If specific qualifications/memberships are essential for the role and you are successful, you will be asked to provide accurate scanned or photographed images of the qualifications/memberships that you listed on your application prior to your start date.

We must check that any successful candidates are allowed to work for the Civil Service before we employ them. If successful, you will be asked to do a right to work check using identity document validation technology (IDVT) through the services of an Identity Service Provider (IDSP), Civil Service Jobs. If we are unable to confirm your right to work and through the IDVT we will need to do a manual right to work check using original documents with you in person.

Visa Sponsorship

The Planning Inspectorate cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates, we do not hold a Visa sponsorship licence.

Disability Confident Interview scheme

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. We run a Disability Confident Interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.

To be considered for an interview under the scheme you must:

• have a disability defined by the Equality Act 2010

• provide evidence in your application that you meet the minimum criteria in the job description

• meet all of the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential

While we will endeavour to provide you with all the appropriate information, you are the expert on your specific requirements so if you require any adjustments, you should consider the information provided about the assessment process in the candidate pack and then:

• 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. The earlier and more clearly you tell us what you need and why you need it, the more likely we are to be able to accommodate you in a timely fashion.
  
  

All Planning Inspectorate colleagues must meet the baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window). This is a series of basic security checks to confirm identity and employment history.

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

Security

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 : Nic Radford
• Email : PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact in the first instance: The Vacancy Manager via the Recruitment Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).

If you are not satisfied with the response, you receive you should then contact, Chief People Officer, via the Recruitment Team (PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk).

If you are still not satisfied with the response you receive from the Planning Inspectorate, you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commission. https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitme…

Attachments

EVP(Great_Place_To_Work) Opens in new window (pdf, 534kB)