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Assistant Director: Strategic Finance Business Partner x2

Up to £95,033 per annum*

*Inclusive of allowances but is open to negotiation for exceptional candidates.

Place of work: This role will be based at New Scotland Yard / Kilburn (hybrid).

Vetting Level: RV/CTC or higher as appropriate to the role.

Hours: You will be contracted for 36 hours per week, however you may be asked to work hours necessary to fulfil your duties and meet the demand of the policing service.

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Introduction

Our Assistant Director Strategic Finance Business Partners (Assistant Director SFBP) are (collectively and individually) the lead Financial Officers for a £4bn+ revenue budget. These are exceptional jobs for exceptional people; it is difficult to overstate the responsibility and accountability that comes with the posts.

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Assistant Director SFBPs provide leadership, influence, vision, financial challenge, direction, support and advice across our businesses, adding value by providing insightful financial analysis whilst acting as critical advisor on key financial decisions. Assistant Director SFBPs will work closely with the MPS Executives and play a key role in ensuring that the Metropolitan Police Service is driving best value within each business area. Assistant Director SFBPs focus on forward looking, large scale, complex and/or high-impact commercial and investment decisions and support effective strategic financial planning, budgeting and monitoring and investment appraisal within their area of responsibility. They work alongside key business decision makers, influencing and shaping financial plans and advising on future direction and investment choices and deliver effective financial management including the management of business risk, control and compliance and business advisory support for Business Groups. Post holders will have line management responsibilities and will be accountable for the delivery of efficient, effective and economic services.

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MPS Finance Function Organogram

Click to enlarge.

Job purpose

Strategic Business Partnering

  • We are looking for a self-starting individual who can gain credibility with MPS Executive and Business Group senior management in order to play an important and active part in the strategic direction of MPS.

  • They will work closely with, and influence, the MPS Executive and Business Group senior management to help drive business performance – ensuring high quality financial decisions are made within Business Groups and Services.

  • Owning and leading on the development and implementation of the financial strategy within the relevant functional area, working in close collaboration with the MPS Executive.

  • Effectively share external industry and public sector perspectives and best practice to deliver measurable improvements in the approach to business decision making, value for money return and risk management.

  • Provide objective strategic and tactical financial advice and opinions that positively impact the future choices of a Business Group or Service

  • Identify and drive financial efficiency with Business Group management – ensuring that the Business Group allocates resources effectively, with rigorous pressure on costs and a commitment to a value-for-money approach and improvements in operational delivery.

  • Provide objective challenge regarding spend and income generation plans and take a proactive role in looking for opportunities to deliver services more efficiently and effectively.

  • Investigate opportunities as well as identify high risk and material financial issues, or problem areas, with the business. Develop and propose solutions and options to resolve / progress concerns to a satisfactory outcome.

  • Support the Business Group or Service Lead in assuming greater degrees of financial accountability by providing coaching and training to improve financial confidence and competence across the Business Group Senior Management Teams.

  • To provide demonstrable value through forward looking business and commercial insight and challenge, acting as a catalyst for business change.

  • Gathering and sharing intelligence on effective financial management practices and identify where improvements need to be made, so that finance services are continually improving.

  • Formulate and write strategic reports, business cases and appraisals across each of the specific business functions and present valid and powerful arguments with senior police officers, partner agencies, other regulatory bodies, legal firms and media.

 

Funding and Resource Allocation

  • Support the Finance Planning and Strategy Team in delivering the long term financial strategy with a focus on driving value and strategic management of funding across all spheres of Business Group activity.

  • Work with Business Group management to help develop the medium and long term business plans including appropriate performance targets and metrics.

 

Business Relationships & Partnerships

  • Work proactively with the MPS Executive, Business Group Management, Service Leads and other senior stakeholders to develop successful partnering relationships.

  • Work collaboratively with members of the Business Partnering community to promote and share business partnering ideas, learnings, experiences and best practice (internal and external).

  • Develop an effective relationship with key staff in the Shared Service Centre, including the commissioning of financial services.

 

Finance Control and Advisory

  • Take professional ownership of financial performance information and plans including the Business Group Business Plans, annual budget setting and the Business Group’s monthly management accounts, to ensure they are robust and accurately reflect key business issues.

  • Ensure effective investment management and appraisal is in operation, addressing governance, risk, rate of return, enhanced financial and operational performance and post investment reviews.

  • Ensure good local cost control and cost management behaviour in the business. Promote good financial disciplines, and risk management processes.

  • Work with Strategic Finance to ensure a robust and effective internal control framework and compliance environment exists within the Business Group. Address risk management processes and internal controls as well as any external reporting requirements, including compliance with audit recommendations, UK Accounting regulations and MPS policies, procedures and legislation..

 

Leadership

  • Act as a positive representative for the Metropolitan Police Service with senior stakeholders both internal and external to the MPS.

  • Inspire, motivate and engage teams to deliver high performance and build capability.

  • Provide effective line management for members of the Finance Business Partnering Team where they have been assigned to your area of responsibility.

  • Take a proactive approach in supporting staff development, performance and career progression.

 

Other

  • Contribute in ensuring fresh ideas and best practices are being brought into Finance and are adopted on a continuous improvement basis to improve service quality, efficiency and effectiveness.

  • Facilitate self-development by identifying and meeting own skill development needs and future career opportunities, with the support of SMT.

  • Facilitate collaboration between team members through sharing information, collaborating on decision making, and taking mutual responsibility for the work of the team.

  • Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements as well as internal control mechanisms (including Health, Safety and Diversity Policies) - promoting an efficiency driven culture within the Metropolitan Police Service.

  • Positively demonstrate the values of the MPS.

  • Undertake such other duties and tasks as may lie within the scope of this post to ensure the effective delivery and development of the service.

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Key Relationships

  • MPS Executive

  • Finance Senior Management Team

  • Business Group Senior Management Team and Service Leads

  • Other relevant Operational and Support Services Managers

  • Financial Planning and Strategy and Financial Accounting Teams

  • Business Partners from other departments, for example, HR, Commercial

  • Finance Business Partnering Team

  • Corporate Services Teams

  • Shared Support Services

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Skills

Communication and relationship skills:

  • Highly effective communication skills. Able to influence, persuade and negotiate with a broad range of senior stakeholders both internal and external to the MPS

  • Ability to influence the most senior stakeholders within a business group and service

  • Very strong leadership and management capabilities

  • Extremely good interpersonal skills, as will be expected to manage people of opposing viewpoints where the information/subject matter is highly contentious

  • Ability to project personal impact and credibility

  • Political astuteness with an ability to develop networks

  • Understanding of the MPS’ high profile position in London, the UK, internationally

  • and the media

  • Ability to provide effective senior challenge and insight

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Analytical and judgment skills:

  • Ability to think, plan and act strategically and corporately, with a creative approach to problem solving and delivery in demanding circumstances and with competing priorities and ability to formulate and implement long term strategic corporate plans

  • Ability to analyse diverse sets of information and appraise options across MPS

  • Ability to make judgements and decisions from highly complex options analysis, with implications reaching across the organisation

  • Ability to generate solutions to complex problems

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Planning and organisational skills:

  • Strong planning skills. Able to formulate and implement long term strategic corporate plans

  • Ability to think, plan and act strategically and corporately, with a creative approach to problem solving and delivery in demanding circumstances and with competing priorities

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Stakeholder and change management

  • The ability to contribute to a clear new vision, communicate and implement new ways of working and lead cultural change

  • Experience of change management and major project management

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Experience

  • A track record of success in a senior finance leadership role, building trusting relationships with senior stakeholders and influencing them with impact and professional credibility

  • Significant experience of advising and guiding business decisions with corporate governance frameworks in order to ensure compliance, managing risk and support governance arrangements

  • Experience in providing insightful analysis on complex issues and communicating this effectively to a variety of audiences

  • Experience in inspiring, motivating and engaging teams to deliver high performance and build capability

  • Experience of effective performance in conducting reviews and improving performance

  • Delivering major transformation programmes at pace, involving organisation and process re- design with a cost reduction and service improvement focus

  • Successfully overseeing and delivering sustained modernisation and significant improvement to service provision

  • Specific experience of public sector finance is desirable but not essential, but you will be expected to develop a strong understanding quickly

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Extensive experience in:

  • Financial Management & Planning in complex organisation

  • Budgeting & Forecasting

  • Management Reporting

  • Providing Financial Management Advice and developing Mitigating Strategies

  • Investment Appraisal

 

Experience/knowledge in:

  • Extensive knowledge & application all relevant statutory, regulatory and professional accounting standards

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Professional/external qualifications

  • Essential: CCAB or equivalent membership with evidence of continuous professional development

  • Advantageous: Post graduate qualification e.g. MBA or equivalent

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Further Information

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