Head of Finance and Business Management

Job summary

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day lives, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

About the Directorate

Strategy, Governance & Climate (SGC) leads Defra’s overall plan for nature, the Environmental Improvement Plan. They also lead our work on access to nature and green spaces, from national parks to pocket parks. Also, they lead our work on net zero and climate adaptation.

About the Team/Division

Access, Landscapes, Peat and Soils Division (ALPS) sits within SGC playing a central role in increasing access to nature, restoring peatlands and enhancing soil quality. It has substantial programmes of work to restore peatland, enhance soil quality and manage the grant programme for the 44 Protected landscapes. These deliver contributions to Defra’s climate mitigation and other environmental goals, better health, and development opportunity.

Job description

We are looking for a G7 to lead a new Finance & Business Management Function, supporting the objectives of Access, Landscape, Peatland and Soils (ALPS) Division.

You will be a member of ALPS SLT, and work closely with a range of project, policy, delivery and finance professionals.

This is an exciting opportunity which would suit a customer focussed candidate who is enthusiastic about the divisional subject area, as well as skilled in the core remit of finance and business management. You will lead a newly constituted team 4 people so shaping team culture and ways of working will be essential, as well as setting a clear direction for how this new team will work collaboratively with the rest of ALPS to deliver priority outcomes.

Your key responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Lead a high quality, strategic financial forecasting, budget management and reporting, and grant management function.
• Manage, mentor and coach the team to deliver a high impact and professional service to support the culture and wider objectives of the division.
• Working with policy, delivery, finance and Arms-Length Body colleagues, lead on the financial aspects of spending reviews and business planning; and ensure the clear and efficient transfer to BAU.
• Work closely with policy teams across the division to ensure a shared understanding of divisional drivers and timing of spend, to maximise the value of our budget allocations.
• Provide technical expertise on finance and budget issues across ALPS, offering advice, challenge and scrutiny to colleagues ensuring that budgets and forecasts are well constructed, accurate, managed and monitored
• Work closely with finance colleagues to resolve complex financial issues; ensure that reporting is timely and accurate; budgets are aligned to demand; and reprioritisation of spend across the division and wider department is enacted.
• Lead the team responsible for delivery of grant management, monitoring and related finance and financial propriety issues for the Protected Landscapes, working closely with the Protected Landscapes and Access policy teams.
• Working with the wider division, lead an effective in house purchasing process that enables a responsive and supportive ‘procurement to delivery’ pathway for the division
• Lead the business management function to include issues such as: share-point management, induction, learning and development, and business continuity.
• Monitor resourcing across the programme and make recommendations for reallocation of resource spend in line with demand and performance.

Person specification

Your personal qualities are as important as your professional experience, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are looking for proactive, enthusiastic people who can work confidently on their own initiative, communicate clearly, draw together information effectively, and are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to once in a generation change in a key sector.

If you have the skills and qualities we are looking for, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Defra values a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve and is committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging, and is empowered to speak up and challenge openly at work.

We want everyone, whatever their background, to be able to contribute fully to our success.

Essential Criteria

The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Experience of leading, coaching and managing a team
• Strong organisational and delivery skills, with experience planning, prioritising and scheduling a complex workload in a policy and delivery setting.
• Experience of complex budget management to include forecasting, reprioritisation and reporting
• Demonstrable leadership and team working skills, including working collaboratively with a range of colleagues across the department and in delivery bodies.
• An enthusiasm and tenacity for problem solving
• Ability to communicate complex information in a clear and impactful way to a range of audiences

Behaviours

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

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

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,375, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £16,331 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 with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

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

An online test.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 29th June 2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Do not leave completing the tests until the last minute in case you experience any access or technical issues. There may not be technical support available after business hours and after 2pm on the closing date of 29th June 2026.

While the tests should work on most operating systems and modern browsers with a good internet connection, we cannot guarantee that every combination will work. At the beginning, the test will check which browser you are using, and alert you if it is likely to be incompatible.

It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet.

Please note that online tests associated with this vacancy are not subject to time limits; for further information visit the Reasonable adjustments for online tests - a candidate guide

Online Test Maintenance

Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between midday to 1.00pm 21st June 2026 and 4pm to midnight on 28th June 2026. You will be unable to access tests during this period.

If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.

A Personal Statement (max 500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience evidence of your suitability for this role in reference to the essential criteria.

You will also be asked to provide Behaviour Statements (250 words maximum per statement) for the two Success Profiles Behaviours listed below:

• Making Effective Decisions (Lead)
• Managing A Quality Service

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

For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Statement

For guidance on how to construct your behaviour examples, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Behaviours

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the Personal Statement, and the lead behaviour statement, Making Effective Decisions. Candidates successful at sift will be invited to interview.

Sifting and Interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

Candidates successful at sift stage will be invited to a video assessment/interview that will consist of a blended interview of Behaviour, Experience and Strength questions.

Please note that interviews via video use Microsoft Teams and you will need to use your device to access the video link.

You will receive a link to join the interview at the appointed time through the email account you provide us with on your application.

Salary

Existing Civil Servants moving on level transfer will retain their current salary or move onto the pay range minimum, whichever is the higher. Staff moving on promotion will have their pay increased by 10% or move onto the pay range minimum, whichever is the higher. As a general rule allowances and supplements will not be recognised.

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer, or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to perform all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Reserve List

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

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra 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.

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 defrarecruitment.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 are deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

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

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to prove your preference.

Criminal Record Check

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.

Internal Fraud Database Check

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.

NSV

All these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made based on merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

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

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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 : Sarah Hardy
• Email : sarah.hardy@defra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here