Chief Financial Officer - Director of Finance, Commercial, Audit and Systems

Civil Service
Part Time
Titchfield
105,000
Posted 2 weeks ago

Categories: Government Management Senior Management Employer website Report this listing

Job Description

Job summary

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UKs largest producer of official statistics, covering a range of key economic, social and demographic topics. These include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy, estimating the size, geographic distribution, and characteristics of the population, and providing indicators of price inflation, employment, earnings, crime, and migration.

The ONS plays a hugely important national role through mobilising the power of data to help Britain make better decisions. They are responsible for collecting and publishing statistics related to the economy, population and society at national, regional and local levels.

ONS also conducts the census in England and Wales every 10 years. Their main responsibilities are collecting, analysing and disseminating statistics about the UK's economy, society and population. ONS employs around six thousand people based in seven locations across the UK.

Job description

The Director of Finance, Commercial, Audit and Systems reports to the Permanent Secretary who is the Accounting Officer for the UK Statistics Authority. You will lead a multi-disciplinary team of approximately 80 staff, with two direct management reports, covering finance, commercial and internal audit. You will provide leadership to the organisations finance professionals, and play an active part in the wider Government Finance Function.

The role will be responsible for providing high quality financial services to the UK Statistics Authority and ONS.

The postholder will be responsible for leading the UKSAs financial planning, promoting effective financial management, supporting strategic business planning and providing sound advice to the Permanent Secretary in their role as Accounting Officer.

As a member of the Executive Committee, you will play an integral role in the organisations recovery and will provide significant corporate leadership to drive implementation of the ONSs priorities. Across the wider organisation, the postholder will exercise financial, project management, commercial and risk leadership to influence business decisions and improve practice at an operational and strategic level.

As Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you will attend the UK Statistics Authority Board, and build credible and productive relationships with Non-Executive Members to provide assurance and clarity on all financial matters pertaining to the organisation.

Role Responsibilities:

Lead financial management, financial planning and financial reporting for the UKSA/ONS, reporting to the UKSA Board and feeding into regular reporting cycles, including through the publication of the Annual Report and Accounts and providing papers to Authority Board and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

Management of the relationship with HM Treasury from a funding, business case, reporting and controls perspective, providing expert advice to the Permanent Secretary and the rest of the Executive Committee, with overall responsibility for leading regular Spending Reviews.

Drive transformation of the organisations commercial function, including commercial strategy, the relationship with the Cabinet Office and the Government Commercial Function and professional leadership for commercial.

Lead the digital and technological transformation of UKSA/ONS financial environment, working closely with the Director-General for ONS Digital to drive implementation of AI and advances in technology to improve forecasting and financial reporting.

Leadership of the internal audit team (delivery responsibilities flow through the Permanent Secretary), ensuring the internal audit function is provided with appropriate oversight and delivers a quality service to the organisation.

As a member of the Executive Committee, play a key role in driving forward the organisations ongoing improvement and cultural transformation, allowing ONS to fulfil its mission.

Professional leadership for the finance profession, with responsibility for the skills and capabilities of the organisations financial professionals.

Further information on the role can be found in the attached candidate pack.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Expertise in strategic accounting and financial management gained at Deputy or Executive Director level within a sizeable and complex organisation, as well as the ability to negotiate effectively on complex financial matters.
A sound understanding of the principles and requirements of public financial management, including central government budgeting and accounting policies, with evidence of experience of strategic financial management and planning in line with the requirements of Managing Public Money.

Substantive and successful experience in performance managing a diverse and professional workforce, with a strong commitment to building skills and capabilities.

Experience driving forward digital and technological transformation, innovating existing processes to improve financial management and reporting.

Successful experience of leading a strong and progressive financial function with a dynamic change environment.

Experience providing advice to senior officials on financial management in a complex environment, in consideration of the wider economic, social and political context.

The ability to deliver value for money and generate income, developing the business to maximise public benefit.

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