Home > Roles recruiting > Head of Operational Finance
G6 £62,122 - £74,091 per annum
Head of Operational Finance
Welcome letter
Thank you for your interest in the position of Head of Operational Finance at the Disclosure and Barring Service.
This is a high-profile role within DBS that is critical to achieving our vision of making recruitment safer. You will be part of a senior team leading significant change and joining the DBS Finance Team at a very exciting time as we evolve to build finance capability within DBS and play a key role in supporting the delivery of the DBS 2025 Strategy.
We have recently completed an externally validated end-to-end process and structural review with members of the current team actively engaged to ensure that we harmonise the end-to-end financial systems and processes to improve the current ways of working within Finance and ensure we have the capacity and capability to deliver on our objectives. You will be joining us to continue with our journey and implement a revised structure, including new Financial and Management Accounting models working alongside a strategically focused Finance Business Partner model.
I am looking for someone who has the skills, experience and presence to deliver and develop these functions and enable us to improve our ability to:
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Utilise our corporate business expertise and technical knowledge to support our internal clients in realising the transformational benefits they want to achieve;
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Identify and address gaps in financial information or insight to better support business with their financial reporting requirements;
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Deliver customer-focused expert advice and specialist financial services by bringing a strategic and cross-cutting perspective, supported by robust data and efficient processes and systems; and
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Implement a strategic approach to support our organisation with our objectives and achievement of our Strategy 2025.
We are a collaborative, innovative and inclusive team that provides support, challenge and financial assurance and we are looking for candidates who whilst technically proficient, are also resilient self-starters with a strategic approach. This is a vital role which will include being a key member of the Finance Leadership Team and to be effective in the role you will need to quickly build knowledge of DBS and be able to work collaboratively with the existing team and beyond. One of our strategic objectives is people – our aim is to develop a talented and diverse workforce that understands how their contributions help to achieve our objectives and we are doing this by investing in our people to build and strengthen our capability, while creating a great place to work.
Whilst the role is for DBS, we have a very tangible link to the Government Finance Function community with whom we have a shared vision “to put Finance at the heart of decision-making. Driving the agenda, not just keeping the score.”
Our vision requires us as a function to drive improvement across all that we do, to support the delivery of high-quality services. Success will only be possible if every member of the finance team demonstrates leadership, commitment, energy and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
If the opportunity to shape and implement a new Financial and Management Accounting model in an organisation at the forefront of safeguarding and protecting people in society appeals to you, I would welcome your application.
Claire Graves, Director of Finance at DBS
Job description
Directorate Finance
Location Finance is based in Liverpool however, location can be national
Reports to Director of Finance
Line Management Yes
Security Clearance Standard DBS Vetting
Background
The DBS was established as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) under the Protection of Freedoms Act (PoFA) 2012. The DBS provides access to criminal records information through its disclosure service for England and Wales and makes independent Barring decisions (for England, Wales and Northern Ireland) about people who have harmed, or where there is considered to be a risk of harm, to a child or vulnerable person within the workplace.
Job purpose
As the Head of Operational Finance, you will be responsible for leading and managing the Operational Finance team, encompassing Financial and Management Accounts and Accounts Receivable. As a key member of the Finance Leadership Team, you will work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure customer/stakeholder needs are met, along with public accountability expectations, legislation and professional standards.
As the DBS is a member of the Home Office family, you will work closely with other members of the Home Office Finance community. Building relationships with people in Home Office will be key to ensuring DBS and Home Office expectations, systems and processes are aligned.
You will lead and support a significant team through a range of grades, to ensure effective resource capability to support the delivery of our strategy.
Key responsibilities
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Lead, manage and develop the Operational Finance team, providing direction and influence that ensures the team has the required capacity, capability, resilience, processes and systems to deliver its objectives
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Provide expert financial advice at a strategic level, including on complex financial matters
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Provide oversight of an effective and robust financial internal control environment
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Build develop and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders including Home Office, Government Internal Audit Association (GIAA), the National Audit Office (NAO) and others
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Establish and monitor appropriate departmental KPIs in line with DBS Strategic Objectives
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Work closely with the Director of Finance and the Finance Lead team in supporting financial strategy and planning, wider organisational initiatives, continuous improvement and engagement activity
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Support the Head of Financial Decision Support during business planning, budget setting and ongoing forecasting, ensuring the processes and systems are in place
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Provide financial risk management, including monitoring, controls and mitigating actions
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Lead financial controls and processes and ensure the DBS remains within all budgetary and delegated limits, and adheres to HMT’s Managing Public Money and Consolidated Budgeting Guidance
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Provide oversight of the management of the external and internal audit processes ensuring recommendations and actions are fully implemented
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Responsibility for the accuracy of the organisations Statement of Financial Position, ensuring robust processes are in place to provide assurance to the Accounting Officer
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Oversee the annual finance timetable, encompassing but not limited to monthly management accounts, annual budgets, forecasts, regulatory and stakeholder returns as required
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Provide oversight of an effective in-house Accounts Receivable function and ensure the outsourced Accounts Payable function meets organisational needs
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Undertake corporate duties as a senior leader within DBS, including deputising the Director of Finance and/or representing the function, including at SLT and Board Committees, and in meetings with external stakeholders.
Corporate responsibilities
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Ensuring an effective and robust internal control environment for DBS Finance is implemented and maintained, including supporting reconciliations and reporting
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Ensure appropriate DBS’ finance policies and procedures are implemented, adhered to and regularly reviewed, ensuring compliance with latest standards, regulatory and stakeholder requirements
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Leading on the Implementation of new Accounting Standards, Legislation and Government and/or Home Office controls
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Leading policy and oversight of the capitalisation, depreciation and disposal of non-current assets and leases
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Development and production of the monthly management accounts and supporting the Finance Business Partner team with financial reporting which provides insight for decision making
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Working collaboratively with the Finance Business Partner team and wider organisation, ensure that credible and accurate budgets and forecasts are developed and reported on that withhold scrutiny through to Board level and other key stakeholders
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Delivery of an effective in-house Accounts Receivable function
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Build and maintain good relations with the outsourced Accounts Payable provider (SSCL), to support effective service delivery which meets organisational needs and adherence to the Prompt Payment Code
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Production of regulatory reporting including Home Office consolidation
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Monitoring cash reserves and monthly cash flow forecasting including ensuring working capital requirements are maintained
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Development and delivery of the audited Annual Report and Accounts that meets legislative, accounting and other key requirements ensuring no material issues arise within the external audit, for presentation to the Audit & Risk Committee.
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Develop and update training for finance service users such as budget holders and requisitioners, including mandatory training to be tracked and monitored
Reports
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Director of Finance
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Member of the Finance Management Team
Rider clause
This is an outline of duties and responsibilities. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list and may change from time to time to meet the changing needs of the DBS.
Key relationships
The post holder will be required to establish and maintain strong, positive and effective working relationships with key stakeholders including:
External
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Home Office Sponsorship Unit
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DBS Partners
Internal
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DBS Senior Management
Confidentiality
As a Public Servant, you have a duty to protect official information entrusted to you. You must not give another person or organisation official or confidential information concerning DBS’ business affairs, internal processes or trade secrets to which you have access during the course of your employment. This restriction also applies after you have left the organisation.
Equal Opportunities
Comply with the DBS’s equal opportunities policies and procedures showing an understanding of and commitment to diversity, and how it applies to this role.
Health and Safety
Complying with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (and associated legislation); to take reasonable care of yourself and others, including those employees under your direction at work.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential: Must hold an accounting qualification from a recognised CCAB accountancy body or CIMA
Essential Experience
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Leading a finance team with broad responsibilities in a changing environment of comparable scale or complexity
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Successfully executing statutory and regulatory reporting requirements
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Preparing annual reports and monthly management accounts (IFRS experience preferred)
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Providing advice on complex accounting and tax issues
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Developing financial policies, frameworks and procedures
Desirable
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Experienced operating in a regulatory agency or non-departmental public body (NDPB) preferred but not essential
Skills and Personal Qualities
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Strategic thinking, planning and analysis skills, with the ability to develop creative solutions to support the management of change and mitigate associated risks
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Excellent relationship management, influencing, facilitation and presentation skills
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An expert people manager with the ability to build, lead, coach and retain a cohesive and high performing team.
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Presence and credibility to work with the SLT team and senior colleagues across the organisation
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Highly organised and able to plan and manage a broad portfolio of activities
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Resilience in challenging circumstances: ability to work under pressure, remaining calm but decisive.
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Highly effective communicator in person, in writing and in electronic media.
Behaviours
The Civil Service has defined a set of behaviours that, when demonstrated, are associated with job success. For this role you should demonstrate the following Civil Service Behaviours:
Setting Direction
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Leadership
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Seeing the bigger picture
Engaging People
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Communicating and influencing
Delivering Results
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Delivering at pace
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Managing a quality service
Success profiles
During the application for this role, we will be using the new Civil Service Success Profiles.
You may find it helpful to read through Success Profiles online, where you can find various links which sets out the five elements of the Success profile: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
