Head of Due Diligence and Investment Appraisal

Job summary

As Head of Due Diligence and Investment Appraisal, you will provide strategic leadership for DBIST’s specialist financial assessment function, setting the direction for how financial viability, deliverability, value for money and risk are assessed across high-profile grant and investment proposals. You will own the standards, assurance approach and senior advice that support Ministers, boards and senior decision-makers to take evidence-based funding decisions that protect public money while enabling economic growth.

Job description

As a senior leader, you will lead a team of specialist accountants and expert delivery partners, building capability across DBIST and ensuring robust due diligence, investment appraisal and financial risk assessment are embedded across the grant and investment portfolio. You will influence senior officials, Ministers, external advisers, other government departments and business leaders, using your professional judgement to provide clear advice on complex corporate finance, business case and subsidy issues. Your work will help DBIST deploy public funds confidently, secure investment across the UK and safeguard taxpayer value in line with Government Grant Standards, Managing Public Money and DBIST’s assurance framework.

Head of Due Diligence and Investment Appraisal

Key responsibilities:

• Set the strategic direction for DBIST’s due diligence and investment appraisal function, ensuring financial assessment activity is aligned to DBIST and wider HMG economic objectives.

• Own and continuously improve the assurance standards, guidance and operating model for Financial & Economic Assessment (Due Diligence), ensuring consistent, proportionate and high-quality advice across the grant and investment portfolio.

• Provide senior professional judgement on financial viability, investment appraisal, corporate finance, technical accounting and value-for-money issues, including where cases are novel, high-risk, high-value or politically sensitive.

• Lead portfolio-level assurance of due diligence activity, identifying systemic risks, quality issues, capability gaps and opportunities to strengthen decision-making, reporting and controls.

• Advise senior officials, boards, investment committees, Ministers and other decision-makers on the financial risks, trade-offs and assurance implications of grant and investment proposals.

• Ensure early and effective engagement with policy, commercial, legal, analysis and delivery teams so that appropriate Financial & Economic Assessment is built into scheme design, business cases and approval routes from the outset.

• Lead and deploy the G7 Forensic Accountant Team and specialist delivery partners through others, setting priorities, managing competing demands and ensuring resources are focused on the highest-risk and highest-value work.

• Provide formal review and senior clearance of Financial & Economic Assessment reports, ensuring advice is robust, concise, evidence-based and clearly framed for senior decision-makers.

• Build capability across the team, directorate and wider DBIST by developing standards, sharing learning, coaching colleagues and creating a culture of professional excellence, challenge and continuous improvement.

• Maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders across policy teams, wider DBIST, other government departments, external advisers, applicants and beneficiaries to support joined-up delivery and credible challenge.

• Ensure grant and investment decisions are supported by complete, accurate and timely information through effective use of the Grants Hub System and wider reporting arrangements.

• Ensure all activity complies with Government Grant Standards, Managing Public Money and DBIST’s assurance framework, escalating material risks and issues where senior intervention is required.

• Act as line manager and senior leader for the team, setting objectives, delegating effectively, developing talent, managing performance and creating an inclusive, empowering and high-performing culture.

• Contribute to the wider leadership of the Grant Delivery Directorate and Corporate Services Group, deputising where appropriate and modelling the Civil Service Leadership Statement.

• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade and strategic leadership scope of the post.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage;

• Significant experience of investment appraisal, financial due diligence, corporate finance, financial viability assessment or equivalent senior financial assessment work, with the ability to apply professional judgement to complex, high-value or high-risk cases.
• Strong understanding of value for money, business cases, financial risk, subsidy considerations, grant assurance and the stewardship of public money, including the ability to apply Government Grant Standards, Managing Public Money and departmental assurance requirements in practice.
• Ability to operate credibly with senior executives, Finance Directors, external advisers, senior officials and Ministers, providing clear advice, constructive challenge and confident recommendations in real time.
• Strategic leadership capability, including setting direction, prioritising across a portfolio, anticipating risk, improving systems and influencing how financial assessment supports DBT’s wider economic objectives.
• Proven ability to deliver through others, including leading specialist teams, developing capability, delegating effectively, managing performance and creating an inclusive culture of trust, empowerment and professional excellence.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate complex financial evidence into succinct advice for senior decision-makers.
• Strong organisational judgement and resilience, with the ability to manage conflicting priorities, make timely decisions under pressure and maintain quality across multiple live schemes and cases.
• Full member of CCAB body (e.g., ICAEW or Scottish equivalent, ACCA or CIMA).

Memberships

Full member of CCAB body (e.g., ICAEW or Scottish equivalent, ACCA or CIMA)

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Significant experience of investment appraisal, financial due diligence, corporate finance, financial viability assessment or senior financial assessment work, with the ability to apply judgement to complex, high-value or high-risk cases.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,185, Department for Business and Trade contributes £20,042 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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement of up to 750 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

Your application will be sifted against the Experience criteria of the Civil Service Success Profiles.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

We aim to sift both the CV and the Personal Statement but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of CV will either progressed to a full sift where the Personal Statement is then assessed, or progressed straight to further assessment/interview.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited to interview, where we will assess you on the Success Profiles elements of Behaviours and Technical skill.

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your interview.

Please note, following a recent change to the Machinery of Government, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will be renamed to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) as of 20th July 2026. BIST will connect the UK’s world-class science and technology base directly to the businesses, places and workers that will drive good growth across the country. Such changes will not affect the selection process for this campaign; however, we wanted to take this opportunity to advise you of the recent changes to our department.

You can find further information here regarding recent governmental changes Machinery of Government changes: Fact Sheet - GOV.UK.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

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 see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
• 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. Any applicant who has 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.
• Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
• Candidates that do not quite meet the standard for this role may be offered a position at a lower grade.

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

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

Vetting

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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

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 : Sumeet Kanwar
• Email : Sumeet.Kanwar@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ 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 DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
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

DBT T&Cs 2025-08-18 Opens in new window (doc, 46kB)DBT candidate pack July 2024 (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 943kB)