Senior Systems Accountant

Job summary

The Government Property Agency is the largest property holder in government, with more than £2.1 billion in property assets and over 55% of the government’s office estate.

We are transforming the way the Civil Service works by creating great places to work, leading the largest commercial office programme in the UK, working towards halving carbon emissions from government offices, and achieving greater value for taxpayers. And we are looking for innovative, solutions-focused people to join our team.

Representing the best covenant in the UK – His Majesty’s Government – we are leading significant transformational programmes such as the Government Hubs Programme, Whitehall Campus Programme and Net Zero Programme. We are also delivering cost-effective property services such as asset management, lifecycle replacement and workplace services.

Innovation and progress underpin our behaviours. We foster a culture of lifelong learning, where curiosity and self-improvement are encouraged. Our four core values are at the heart of everything we do. They shape our culture and guide how we work, lead and grow together:

• Striving for excellence- We always aim to deliver great results
• Empowering through respect- We insist on fair treatment for all, always
• Acting with integrity- We consistently do the right thing
• Succeeding together- We rely on each other to achieve success

We are committed to representing the communities we serve by making Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) part of everything we do. Our strong emphasis on EDI is not just about driving inclusion across our organisation, it is also about ensuring our services meet the needs of government departments and the civil servants who use our spaces. To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Join our dynamic and diverse team that leads with purpose, improving sustainability, nurturing social value, driving inclusivity and flexibility, and kickstarting economic growth.

We are driven by purpose, and you can be part of it too: where you make a meaningful impact; where you influence; where your voice really matters; where you help to shape our future direction.

Job description

The Finance Systems Team is responsible for improving the financial systems, reports and processes within the GPA. The team is also responsible for maintaining certain key financial data within the systems.

This central expertise supports business areas across the GPA, delivering functionality and control, and making the best use of technologies to drive continuous improvement and customer service excellence. They are an enabling function, with self-service the model for functional delivery.

The Senior Systems Accountant will play a key role in managing the day to day financial systems functions. They will also support identifying and implementing value-adding activities and automation. As the GPA has a multi-system architecture, the team will work closely with Digital colleagues to ensure the seamless integration of financial data across finance systems, and effective transmission of information through reporting tools.

The role requires the post holder to work with outsourced support service providers and provide technical guidance and day-to-day task direction to junior team members, ensuring that all resources are allocated efficiently while managing risks to GPA.

The post holder will contribute to GPA developing a culture of strong financial management.

Key Responsibilities

• Systems administration/maintenance
• Act as a finance system expert to manage and resolve day to day queries and issues occurring on the finance systems, and communicating with users
• Provide technical guidance and day-to-day task direction to junior team members
• Quality assure finance system inputs and output, monitor system integrations, and lead on resolving any problems that occur
• Build, test and maintain finance system reports
• Lead specific finance system improvements, systemising currently manual processes, and assist with finance system testing
• Lead specific finance systems and process training to colleagues across the GPA
• The post holder may be required to undertake additional responsibilities as expected in relation to the role and grade.

Person specification

• Experience of using financial or reporting systems in a support/admin capacity.
• Highly IT literate and experienced at using multiple software tools, including Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets
• A good understanding of financial processes and terminology, preferably in a public sector environment
• Strong attention to detail and ability to analyse and interpret significant amounts of financial data
• Strong organisational skills to meet deadlines in a fast paced environment
• Ability to work well as part of a geographically dispersed team

Experience and Technical Skills

Essential criteria:

• Strong focus on delivering an excellent service to customers
• Working knowledge of Power BI
• Working knowledge of finance Integrations

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of using Microsoft Business Central and/or Proactis (Desirable)

Qualifications and Accreditations

Desirable criteria:

• CCAB, or equivalent, qualified or part-qualified with the ability to gain formal CCAB qualifications within a reasonable time.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Customer Perspective
• Commercial Acumen
• Property Market Knowledge
• Innovation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,450, Government Property Agency contributes £12,297 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Please note - At this time GPA are unable to offer any Visa Sponsorship to candidates as we do not currently hold a visa sponsorship licence. Please do not apply for permanent roles with GPA if you will require your employer to take on the sponsorship of your current or any future visas.

Sift

To apply, please send your CV to emma.jobs@robertsonbell.co.uk.

The sift is due to take place by the 1st July 2026.

Interview

Interview Invitations are due to be sent out by 3rd July, with interviews taking place on the 9th & 13th July in the Birmingham Office. GPA policy is for interviews to be held face to face, with virtual interviews only by absolute exception. If you feel this will be a problem for you, please contact recruitment@gpa.gov.uk to discuss prior to submitting your application.

At interview, applicants will be scored against 4 behaviours - Working Together, Managing a Quality Service, Changing & Improving, and Delivering at Pace.

Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, Strength and Technical (core skill) questions

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 counter-terrorist 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 : Sheetal Lakhani
• Email : sheetal.lakhani@gpa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@gpa.gov.uk

Further information

The Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment based on merit, open and fair competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, details of which can be found at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the GPA People Team by email at HR@gpa.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can further contact the Civil Service Commission at: Email: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk or in writing to: Civil Service Commission Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ.

For more information contact Emma Fuller at our retained search agent, Robertson Bell at gpa@robertsonbell.co.uk

Follow link to apply

To apply, please send your CV to emma.jobs@robertsonbell.co.uk

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