Finance Team Leader

Job summary

We work for a secure and prosperous United Kingdom with global reach and influence. We will protect our people, territories, values and interests at home and overseas, through strong armed forces and in partnership with allies, to ensure our security, support our national interests and safeguard our prosperity.

CSOC builds on the strong foundations of Strategic Command, reshaped to unite Defence’s cyber and specialist capabilities under a single, military command alongside the Royal Navy, British Army and the Royal Air Force – acting as the UK’s fourth Military Command.

The Operations Finance Team lead position will be responsible for managing a busy and dynamic business area which provides direct support to live CSOC operations.

Due to the nature of the role, applications are only accepted from Sole UK nationals only .

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Finance Team Lead will be responsible for the financial section of a small, fast paced, business area within MODs Cyber & Specialist Operations Command.

Specific responsibilities for the Finance Team Leads are as follows:

• Day-to-day management of operational finances as well as future operational planning and review.
• Creation and maintenance of financial capabilities for CSOC and when required, wider MOD. Considering and pioneering the use of new financial procurement methods alongside MOD and HMG Financial Policy and Procedures.
• Risk management in relation to Anti Money Laundering and Fraud legislation.
• Ensuring 1st line Financial assurance, including review and reconciliation of all variable expenditure.
• Supporting external audit and assurance processes.
• Liaison across the wider operational business area, as the team lead for the finance section as well as liaison across the wider MOD finance function.
• External public and private sector partner engagement
• Line management of the HEO Finance Accounts Manager

Person specification

Personal statements and CV’s will be used at sift stage, to evaluate candidates meeting the essential criteria. Only those that meet the essential criteria will progress to have behavioural competence evaluated.

The successful candidate will possess the following skills and experience:

Essential:

• UK Law Enforcement financial crime experience, specifically demonstrable experience of financial investigation or financial Intelligence, with College of Policing PIP 2 accreditation.
• Demonstrable understanding of Money Laundering Reporting processes.
• Full UK Driving Licence

And, Or:

• UK Government experience working in a Non-Standard specialist finance team.
• Strong understanding of Government accounting concepts and processes including monthly accounting procedures.
• Experience with audit and assurance and financial risk management.

Desirable:

• Current DV security clearance.
• Awareness of Government and MOD procurement processes and the relationship between Finance and Commercial teams in support of procurement
• Practitioner experience with MOD procurement systems and methods including CP&F and ePC Low Value Purchase

The successful candidate will support these skills and experience with:

• Strong presentation and communication skills, both verbal and written
• Strong organisational skills and an ability to work with multiple stakeholders across a range of seniority and industry
• Strong IT skills, including word processing, Power Point and Excel
• Ability to prioritise, work under pressure and meet strict deadlines
• Ability to follow strict operating procedures, maintain professional standards to the highest level
• Ability to work both in isolation and within a wider team, leading and developing high performing individuals

Due to the nature of the role, the successful candidate will be required to work in London 5 days per week - except for routine travel required for the role, which may be required as often as weekly with overnight stays. The post holder will usually undertake this travel (and subsequent representation of MOD) alone with limited organisational support, requiring a significant amount of personal responsibility and extremely high levels of integrity.

• Licences
• UK Full Driving Licence
• Behaviours

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

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

Technical skills

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

• Specialist Risk Management knowledge in relation to Money Laundering reporting and Fraud risk.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes

£13,337 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%

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ .

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

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.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability. (500 Word count)

At sift , you will be assessed against CV, statement of suitability and the following:

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

Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, the sift will be conducted on your CV & statement of suitability.

At interview , you will be assessed against the following:

• Changing and Improving
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Technical Skill: Specialist Risk Management knowledge in relation to Money Laundering reporting and Fraud risk.

Further information:

Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) generates and operates specialist capabilities, ready to fight across all domains to make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

Always on, we are across every UK operation, delivering the capabilities you don’t usually see - or those you can’t.

From cyber warriors and medics to intelligence analysts, special forces, educators, and Defence attachés, our collective expertise delivers the warfighting edge Defence needs to deter threats and secure the nation today and prepare for tomorrow.

CSOC unites Defence’s cyber and specialist capabilities under a single, military command alongside the Royal Navy, British Army, and the Royal Air Force - acting as the UK’s fourth Military Command. For more information, please see here. ’

Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to design the way in which the new Military Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, posts within CSOC are/or may become subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

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.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if yo