Management Accountant

Job summary

Introduction

The role of our Management Accounts team is to provide high quality, accurate and robust financial management and insight. Through analysing data and applying value added skills to tell the story of the financial position, we help the board, corporate leaders and budget managers to make well-informed business decisions.

Job Purpose

The HEO Management Accountant is responsible for the analysis of the ledger to understand the financial position and provide insight into the monthly management accounts. They will generally support one or more directorates to provide accurate management accounting information and variance explanations. They will have a good understanding of their business area of responsibility and work closely with budget holders, Finance Business Partners and other management accountants.

Job description

Tasks

• Support budget holders during the annual budgeting/Forecasting cycle and any in-year changes to the approved position alongside Finance Business Partners.
• Ensure the integrity of transactions in financial systems, ensuring good controls and checks are in place to maintain accuracy
• Support business areas with their month end activities, including the approval of material journal adjustments and accruals, ensuring all journal evidence is compliant with departmental policies
• Use the management reports to identify keyvariances between actuals, approved position and forecast, and obtain insight from business areas to explain material variances and movements.
• Responsible for the compilation of insightful commentary to the monthly management accounts for the assigned business areas, including risks and opportunities. Ensure financial information is understood by non-financial managers by telling the story in a simple “jargon free” way.
• Support the Senior Management Accountant with the production of high-quality reports and insightful management information for senior managers, budget holders and project managers, and Finance Business Partners
• Flexibly support other finance teams with key financial activities, such as year-end activities and audit requests, to achieve group success.

Key Relationships

• Budget holders and project/programme managers and their support teams
• G7 and SEO MR and Finance Business Partners
• SEO Senior Management Accountant and other Management Accountants
• Specialist Finance Operations

Person specification

Interpersonal Skills

• Work effectively with other Management Accountants to support the Senior Management Accountant in the delivery of outputs, prioritising work where needed
• Ability to effectively manage and develop Assistant Management Accountants
• Develop collaborative relationships with key stakeholders across organisation g. Finance Business Partners, Financial Accounts and partners in the business
• Ability to communicate with and challenge stakeholders to obtain the necessary explanations for variances and movements
• Ability to translate and present financial information in a simple “jargon free” way
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to provide a comprehensive, high quality finance service to partners

Behaviours

For details of Behaviours read the Success Profiles guidance on GOV.UK.

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Professional Skills

Expert

· Numeracy

· Interrogation of technical systems

Practitioner

· Excel Skills

Working knowledge

· Good Finance Skills

· Data Analysis and Interpretation

Awareness

· Understanding of International Accounting Standards

· Basic understanding of Government Accounts

Typical qualifications & professional memberships

Recommended:

• Level 4 qualification with AAT, CCAB or CIMA, or
• Qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent, or
• Working towards qualification, and
• Some financial experience

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• A presentation or scenario based assessment

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,765, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,071 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, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process, the candidate will be asked to complete a CV, Personal Statement (previous skills and experience) and 250 words on the Behaviour "Working Together".

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

The candidate's CV needs to demonstrate they have undertaken similar roles and activities as shown in the job specification.

The candidate is also required to provide a 500 word max personal statement, which should detail their experience and suitability for the role, as well as have undertaken similar roles and activities as shown in the job specification.

Sift

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

Candidate successful at sift stage will be invited to a video assessment/interview (1hour) that will consist of an interview of Behaviours and Technical questions.

Your interview will be conducted by video.

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 carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Our main Defra DDTS hubs are in York, Warrington, Newcastle, Reading and Bristol.

Please also be aware that space within the London office is restricted and it may not be possible to be based in this location.

Further Information

Current Civil Servants (all contract types) will need to ensure that they are still employed as a civil servant at the point of starting in the relevant new post. If their contract ends (e.g. end of FTA contract or resignation) at any point during the recruitment/onboarding process for the advertised role, they will no longer be eligible and may be withdrawn.

Reserve list

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

Near miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

Merit Lists

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

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles 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.

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’re 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.

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.

Higher Security Clearance

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold Basic BPSS 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 on the basis of 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.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

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.

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.

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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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 : Management Reporting
• Email : phillip.murthwaite-bedding@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