Head of Operational Finance

Job summary

Head of Commercial Finance

Salary: £75,055 - £82,400 plus a location allowance of £1,750 and excellent benefits
Location: Based in Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes with the flexibility of hybrid working depending on business need
Free shuttle bus is available between central Milton Keynes and Hanslope Park

At FCDO Services we protect the UK’s interests at home and overseas. We design and construct secure government buildings and courier diplomatic packages worldwide, safeguard government tech and a whole lot more. Our work is as varied and vital as it gets, but we never lose sight of our people. Their skills, aspirations and growth mean as much as the global mission we’re on. In our world, it all matters.

Job description

At any moment in time, we have hundreds of active projects around the world, each with varying revenue streams. Our Finance team not only take great pride to understand the value in the financial management of these projects, they ensure everything is compliant with the National Audit Office to help deliver year end accounts to Parliament. Trusted, Commercially successful, and always growing. This is Finance with a twist, Now, you’ve got the opportunity to join them.

Accounting for the nation’s interests.
Striking the perfect balance.
Creating value in your work.
It all matters.

Lead financial sustainability to support national security

As Head of Operational Finance, you’ll contribute to and implement a clear, cohesive and focused financial strategy for FCDO Services. Working with the Chief Financial and Operating Officers, your financial insight and guidance will inform business decisions and help drive the long-term financial sustainability of the organisation. You’ll collaborate with the Business Services Senior Leadership team and Executive Board to drive the finance agenda. And, working closely with the Head of Commercial Finance, you’ll refine existing budgeting and forecasting processes to ensure a best-in-class approach.

As part of the operational senior leadership team, you’ll support, challenge and hold operational directors accountable for financial delivery. Managing a team of finance professionals, you’ll co-ordinate financial knowledge and performance reporting across individual business areas and ensure targets are met. You’ll also co-ordinate the work of senior finance business partners, management accountants and other business partners. Your strong leadership approach will ensure that operational financial delivery is underpinned by a robust approach to risk management, compliance and planning.

Develop your financial expertise while helping to defend the UK’s global interests

A qualified accountant with experience of leading a finance function for a large, complex organisation, you’ll bring the ability to contribute to the development of financial and wider business strategies.

To succeed in this role, you should have experience of developing effective internal business relationships, and the ability to engage and influence at Executive Board level. With a forward-looking, customer-centric approach, you should also have experience of negotiating and building strategic partnerships with external stakeholders.

You’ll have the opportunity to make this role your own, so you’ll need to be committed to your ongoing professional development. And, with strong technical knowledge of accounting principles, systems and procedures, preferably you’ll also have a working knowledge of Oracle Cloud.

Discover the support you need to grow your career further

Working with us you’ll help keep people, information, and assets safe around the world. It’s a role you can feel proud of; and we aim to make every part of your career just as rewarding. That’s why when you join us, expect to receive a competitive salary, good holiday entitlement and a Civil Service Pension. Along with this, you’ll also have access to training and other development opportunities to help grow your career with us. Our offices have an on-site gym, nursery, café, and restaurant, and we offer interest-free loans on season tickets and bikes to help you get there. It's a great set of benefits made to support all you do, and all you need.

Want to see your future team’s work in action? Step into our Virtual Embassy and select a guide to take you round to see how we deliver for government customers and how you could help. Explore the embassy now at virtual-embassy.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk

Every single colleague must be security cleared before joining us. If you’re successful in your application, we’ll ask you to undergo our vetting process to achieve Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. You can find out more about vetting on our website: https://www.fcdoservicescareers.co.uk/how-to-apply/

To find out more about our benefits and our organisation, please visit fcdoservicescareers.co.uk

Closing date: 18th October 2026

It takes a diverse team to protect a diverse world

The vital work we do takes an incredible community of colleagues, with different skills, backgrounds, cultures and identities. We support every individual, so that you always know you’re welcome and valued. It’s what makes us a Disability Confident employer. And why we’re recognised as a ‘Carer Confident’ workplace. And it’s how you know you’re joining an inspiring, inclusive organisation.

Person specification

Essential:

• Qualified chartered accountant or demonstrable equivalent QBE
• Demonstrable experience of ability to engage and influence at Executive Board level
• Previous experience of leading a finance function for a large, complex organisation
• Experience of building effective internal business relationships at a senior level
• Ability to contribute to the wider business strategy and the development of financial strategies which support the achievement of the Corporate Plan
• Proven experience of negotiating and building strategic partnerships with key external and internal stakeholders
• Commitment to developing self, desire to make the role their own
• IT literate in particular strong MS excel and MS Power-point skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, balanced with tact and diplomacy and confidence in dealing with staff at all levels, customer centric attitude
• Strong technical knowledge of accounting principles, systems and procedures
• Is customer facing; forward looking; manages longer term stakeholder expectations

Qualifications

Qualified chartered accountant or demonstrable equivalent QBE

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• Demonstrable experience of ability to engage and influence at Executive Board level
• Experience of building effective internal business relationships at a senior level
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, balanced with tact and diplomacy and confidence in dealing with staff at all levels, customer centric attitude
• Qualified chartered accountant or demonstrable equivalent QBE

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,055, FCDO Services contributes £21,743 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
• A leave allowance of 25 days per annum
• 9 days per annum public and privilege days

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.

To apply for this role, you will be asked to provide your CV, a personal statement, and provide answers to some job specific/technical skills.

Your CV and personal statement will not form part of the assessment they will provide an insight into your work history and experience.

Your CV should include:

• no personal identifying details
• career history with key responsibilities
• achievements
• qualifications

Your personal statement should outline your interest in the role.

Candidates will only be sifted on answers provided to the technical/ job specific questions which are outlined in the application form.

Those that are successful will be invited to a Face to face interview.

At the interview you will be asked a blend of questions on technical/job specific skills and behaviours.

The candidate will need to complete a presentation along with the interview questions.

Candidates who are judged to be close to meeting the criteria may be considered for other positions in FCDO Services which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

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

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

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 : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk
• Email : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Fcdoservices.recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact FCDOServices.Recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk in the first instance.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from FCDO Services, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For more information, please visit their website.

Attachments

Candidate pack- Head of Operational Finance Opens in new window (pdf, 2053kB)