Head of Management Accounts

Job summary

About the Government Legal Department

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfill our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film. On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD. You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Job description

About the Finance Division

The aim of the Finance Division is to ensure that GLD has effective business planning and sound financial and performance management processes that meet its business needs.

The Division has approximately 50 staff covering transaction processing (accounts payable, customer billing, treasury functions such as banking, expenses and travel payments), financial and management accounting, financial planning, finance policy, procurement and Bona Vacantia (BV) Finance.

The external reporting requirements placed on GLD are the same as those of larger government departments, and in addition, GLD having only limited resources, needs to have a robust internal performance and finance regime to ensure we get maximum value for money for our clients.

The variety of work offered by GLD’s Finance Team is very diverse when compared to finance roles in some larger organisations.

The Accounts team, of which this role is a key part, manage the month and year-end accounting processes, budgeting and fee setting, forecasting and tax reporting, supporting senior management with decision making and the Accounting Officer in fulfilling statutory reporting responsibilities.

We also provide financial services to the Attorney General’s Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

GLD Finance is based predominantly in Central London but also has team members based in the Croydon, and Salford offices

This is an exciting time to join the Government Legal Department. GLD plays a vital cross-government role, supporting departments on issues of national importance while ensuring our own corporate services are modern, efficient and focused on delivering value for money.

As Director of Finance, Operations and Digital, I am proud of the role our finance teams play in putting high-quality financial insight at the centre of strategic decision-making. Our ambition is to build a finance function that reflects the best of the Government Finance Function Strategy: professional, data-led, commercially aware, focused on value for money, and able to support better outcomes for GLD and the wider public sector.

The Head of Management Accounts role is central to that ambition. It offers an excellent opportunity to coordinate GLD’s budgets and forecasts, lead high-quality management reporting, and work closely with senior finance colleagues, Executive Committee members and Divisional Heads to support delivery of our financial strategy and Spending Review commitments.

This is also a period of significant transformation. We are taking forward ambitious efficiency plans, strengthening our data strategy so that trusted, secure and well-governed information supports better insight and responsible use of AI, and aligning with the Government’s Shared Services agenda to simplify processes, improve user experience and release capacity for higher-value work.

This role will suit someone who is motivated by public service, enjoys working with complex financial information, and wants to help shape how finance enables strategic decisions in a major government department. If you want to make a tangible contribution to GLD’s future and develop your career in the Government Finance Function, I would strongly encourage you to apply.

Carmel

Carmel Thornton, Government Legal Department Director of Finance, Operations and Digital

About the Role

We are looking for a motivated and suitably experienced individual to join the Accounts Team as Head of the Management Accounting function.

The team, of one G7, and an HEO, are responsible for planning and co-ordination of the Department’s annual budget and quarterly forecasting exercises alongside monthly management accounts reporting and fee setting. As GLD is almost entirely funded through the fees we charge for legal services and needs to balance its income and costs throughout the year, this is a key role in supporting senior management with financial decision making.

The post holder will be working in a fast-paced environment, working with a range of stakeholders, and significant amounts of data to challenging cyclical reporting deadlines.

This will require someone with strong communication skills to communicate complex messages in an effective way and to be able to create effective working relationships with stakeholders. The role also involves a high degree of organisational skills to be able to manage complex financial consolidation processes and strong analytical skills to review and analyse data to identify trends and anomalies.

The individual should have a broad range of finance experience to enable them to identify specific accounting and budgeting issues arising and to be able to assess the impact of these in respect of the Department’s financial risks, providing advice to senior stakeholders to inform financial decision making.

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Finance professional looking to develop their career in the Strategic Finance and Management Accounting job families.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks Areas:

• Lead the commissioning, consolidation and analysis of the annual departmental budgeting process
• Lead the commissioning, consolidation and analysis of the quarterly department forecasting process
• Lead the budgetary delegation process
• Lead the preparation and issuing of monthly management account reports to budget holders
• Support the Assistant FD in the design of the budgeting and forecast processes
• Support the FD in the setting of client fees and for fixed fees, managing the change process around fees and instructing the billing team to issue quarterly fees
• Working with the rest of the accounts team to support month end processes including deep dive analysis on specific spend areas and analysis of CMS time and disbursements balances
• Provide advice, training and support to budget holders on preparation of budgets and forecasts, working together with Finance Business Partners to ensure a good quality service is provided
• Manage an HEO direct report

Person specification

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profiles that make up this role. Demonstrating all the behaviours listed below is essential at either application or interview. You can read more about Success Profiles and how they are used as an assessment method before completing your application.

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

• Making Effective Decisions (Lead Behaviour)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Key Skills & Experience

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Budgeting
• Forecasting
• Advanced Excel skills
• Good working knowledge of IFRS Accounting standards
• Experience of co-ordinating a complex finance consolidation process
• Excellent communication skills

Desirable

Desirable criteria will be used when there is a need to distinguish between candidates who are closely tied or the same after the initial consideration of essential criteria, at sift and / or interview.

• Fee setting
• Familiarity with government finance including Supply Estimates and Government Financial Reporting Manual, or similar processes
• Experience in using Power BI reporting

Essential Qualifications – Minimum Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold one of the following qualifications:

• CCAB (ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS, Chartered Accountants Ireland) or
• CIMA full accountancy qualification held

Security Clearance Level

All GLD employees must hold BPSS. In addition to this, those based in our London offices must hold or be willing to obtain CTC level clearance for this role. If London based, you can start your position pending this clearance level, however your appointment will be conditional upon obtaining CTC clearance. More information can be found about the vetting and clearance levelsbefore completing your application.

Sponsorship and Visas

There is the possibility that GLD can provide sponsorship for skilled workers, as long as they meet the full eligibility criteria set down under current immigration legislation. GLD does not guarantee sponsorshipwill be provided or that an applicant will be successful in gaining a skilled worker visa.

Candidates with Limited Leave to Remain can apply but must have at least 12 months remaining on an existing visa which allows them to work for GLD when employment commences. Please allow three months for the onboarding process from the point of offer.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they meet the criteria for sponsorship. They also have the responsibility to notify the Resourcing Team that they require Sponsorship at the start of the onboarding process into GLD. This applies to existing civil servants as well as external candidates

Candidate Information Session

We will be holding a candidate information session for these roles on Microsoft Teams from 11:30am – 12:00pm Midday on Wednesday 15th July 2026.

Candidates will have the opportunity to hear from the Vacancy Holder about the role and the wider finance team. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the role.

If you are interested in further information on this role, please join the link below:

Wednesday 15th July 2026 from 11.30am – 12:00pm Midday

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/366677956858924?p=OkISOHUVfhRVzRLSOJ

Meeting ID: 366 677 956 858 924

Passcode: TE3UL9N6

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications – Minimum Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must hold one of the following qualifications:

- CCAB (ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS, Chartered Accountants Ireland) or
- CIMA full accountancy qualification held

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,263, Government Legal Department contributes £16,589 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%

Learning and Development

Benefits of working for the Civil Service

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

Learning and Development at GLD

GLD has a comprehensive learning and development offer for all employees.

We offer a programme of in-person/hybrid and virtual sessions providing learning on profession-specific, soft skills, technical skills, and different topics. We also support colleagues through a range of different professional qualifications.

Cross-Functional Professional

We support all Professions with building their careers and capability aligning with the wider Civil Service offerings for each Profession.

There are also talent and development opportunities offered throughout the year these include:

Senior Leaders and Future Leaders Schemes – cross Civil Service accelerated development schemes.

Beyond Boundaries – cross government development programme designed to help participants develop the knowledge, skills and networks required to build a satisfying and effective career in the Civil Service.

Mentoring and Coaching – we encourage all colleagues to share their knowledge, capability, and experience.

Apprenticeships - We have a range of apprenticeships on offer across all professions with the opportunity for all employees to explore a profession specific apprenticeship to support their development in role.

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 and Experience.

The Recruitment Process

Application

To apply for this post you will need to complete the online application on Civil Service Jobs, searching the reference below. The deadline for this application is Wednesday 22nd July 2026 at 12:00 Midday.

In your application you will be assessed on the following:

1. An online CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements and qualifications, if held. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years, as part of the online application form. This will be used to assess Key Skills & Experience andwill be scored.
2. A Personal statement of no more than 1000 words in total, demonstrating how you meet the Essential Criteria for Key Skill & Experience in no more than 500 words in total, and evidence of how you meet the following behaviours Making Effective Decisions (Lead Behaviour) and Seeing the Big Picture in no more than 250 words for each behaviour, in total 500 words for both behaviours.

N.B. Please ensure the personal statement is given a subheading for each criteria; Key Skills & Experience, (500 words in total) and for behaviours Making Effective Decisions (Lead Behaviour) and Seeing the Big Picture (250 words for each behaviour, in total 500 words for both behaviours) and adhere to the word limits as set out above.

Application Errors

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – Please re-open my application – 469561 & vacancy closing date Wednesday 22nd July 2026 at 12:00 Midday.

Selection Process

After the closing date, the appointing panel shall assess candidates’ suitability for the role based on evidence provided in their application against the behaviours and experience outlined in the person specification.

If there are a large number of applications the panel will conduct a staged sift. The initial sift will be on CV. If you meet the minimum criteria for the CV, you will then go to the full sift on the Personal Statement.

In the eventuality that there are a high number of applicants successful at sift, GLD may operate a longlist, whereby applicants who have been shortlisted and met the minimum pass mark but are not selected for interview will have their application placed on hold. After the initial interview round candidates on the longlist may be offered an interview, should there still be posts available.

Interview

If you are invited to interview, you will be assessed on your performance in the criteria listed in the Person Specification, alongside strength-based questions. These criteria are:

• Making Effective Decisions (Lead Behaviour)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Key Skills & Experience

There will be a 5-minute presentation, which will be based on the key skills and experience criteria set out within the person specification. This will be scored. Full details of the interview format will be provided to shortlisted candidates prior to interview.

Your interview will take place online.

Offer

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

All communications regarding your application will be made through Civil Service Jobs.

All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after the interview. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

We appoint in strict order of merit. If you meet the minimum criteria for this position but are not successful for a post, you will be placed on the reserve list. We may contact you to see if you are interested in a post at the same, or a lower grade, in GLD should one arise.

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.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 : Bernard Muscat
• Email : Bernard.Muscat@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Further information

What do I do if I have a complaint?
You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application hasn’t been treated in accordance with these Principles and wish to make a complaint, please contact recruitment_feedback@governmentlegal.gov.uk in the first instance. Please title your email as follows: Job Reference Number – Job Title – Recruitment Complaint. Complaints must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the incident or the decision which has caused the complaint. To fully engage with the issues raised GLD require that you submit evidence of your complaint

Attachments

Head of Management Accounts Opens in new window (pdf, 681kB)