Defence Business Services (DBS) Finance & Procurement Services Assistant Head

Are you a dedicated person who is passionate about making a difference?

Would you like to work for the Ministry of Defence?

Defence Business Services (DBS) is one of the largest shared service organisations in Europe that provides a wide range of corporate services, to over 1.2 million end users, including serving and past military and families, as well as MoD civil servants and industry. DBS delivers large scale administration and smaller specialist services to enable the wider MOD to focus on its core aims, maintaining the UKs Defence and Security. Services include Human Resources, Pay, Veterans, Finance and Procurement.

• Our Vision - To support UK defence customers with outstanding service every time.
• Our Mission - Together we will proudly support Defence, continuously improving and delivering flexible, timely, sustainable and value for money services that underpin the whole force and enhance operational capability.

DBS is committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues. We are building an inclusive culture and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us through opportunities to develop your skills and experience. We also offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career accessible to you and offer a Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%. Where your role permits, we support a blended working approach alternatively known as hybrid working.

Come and join the DBS community today!

DBS Finance & Procurement Services delivers financial services for MOD Finance function, spanning the financial lifecycle of supplier setup, payment execution, debt recovery and financial reporting. This includes payment of supplier invoices, hastening and release of invoices on hold, invoicing MOD customers including management & collection of debt, setting up new suppliers/customers and amending existing supplier/customer records, accounting activity relating to fixed assets, bank account/control account reconciliations and administrative support to MOD users of the finance systems.

This Assistant Head Finance & Procurement Services is a critical role and is a key member of the FPCP Senior Leadership Team with direct leadership responsibility for the Purchase to Pay team but will lean in across all Finance & Procurement Services teams. This role leads complex operational Finance teams, responsible for the operational delivery of outputs to meet DBS Finance objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as laid out in the Service Level Agreement between MoD and DBS and detailed in the DBS Service Catalogue.

This is a senior operational leadership role requiring strong delivery focus, sound judgement, and the ability to lead people, manage risk, support wider Finance & Procurement operational delivery, and drive continuous improvement in a complex finance environment. The post holder must contribute positively to wider projects and initiatives and lead on various strands of DBS Transformation, lead and collaborate on tasks in support of MOD Finance / Commercial functions and the wider DBS/MoD as required.

The role contributes to the delivery of business priorities through effective operational management, stakeholder engagement, team leadership and continuous improvement activity in line with Civil Service and Operational Delivery Profession standards.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Delivery

• Lead and coordinate operational activities to ensure delivery of Financial & Procurement services against agreed performance measures and service standards.
• Lead Purchase to Pay Invoicing and Payments Cashiers team in the prompt payment of properly presented supplier invoices and civilian salaries / expenses, seeking quick resolution to any system issues impacting delivery of the service.
• Manage and prioritise workloads, ensuring resources are deployed effectively to meet business requirements.
• Monitor operational performance and take appropriate action to address emerging issues, risks and opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with relevant policies, legislation, governance requirements and organisational standards. Assist with Prompt Payment Compliance reporting, Freedom of Information requests and Parliamentary Questions.
• Act as the risk lead for all Purchase to Pay activity, updating risk register monthly.
• Ensure Business Continuity Plans and Business Impact Analysis for Purchase to Pay are regularly reviewed and updated.

Leadership and Management

• Provide visible leadership within the team, promoting a culture of accountability, inclusion and continuous improvement.
• Support team development through coaching, mentoring and performance management.
• Foster collaboration across teams and professions to achieve organisational objectives.
• Contribute to workforce planning, succession planning and capability development activity.

Customer and Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including Operational Finance and Defence Commercial.
• Act as a key point of contact for operational matters, resolving complex issues and escalating where appropriate.
• Ensure customer needs are understood and reflected in service delivery improvements.
• Promote a customer-focused approach across all operational activities.
• Contribute positively to the Finance & Commercial Delivery Board, Finance Data Quality Working Group, Non-Core Procurement Board, cross-government finance meetings, performance, risk, workplace programme and business continuity meetings.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve operational processes, customer experience, efficiency and productivity.
• Lead or support improvement initiatives using evidence, lessons learned and best practice.
• Encourage innovation and continuous learning within the team.

Data, Performance and Assurance

• Analyse operational data and management information to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Produce reports, recommendations and briefings for senior leaders.
• Ensure appropriate assurance mechanisms are in place and contribute to audits, reviews and governance activities.
• Use evidence-based decision making to support delivery and policy implementation.
• Act as a Finance Internal Control and Assurance Framework control owner, ensuring processes are robust, compliant and controlled, minimising the risk of financial loss and supporting audit, assurance and governance requirements.

Change

• Manage change, including changes arising from DBS transformation, Defence Reform and Journey to the Cloud.
• Provide SME input on Purchase to Pay processes to support Journey to the Cloud.

Decision-Making Responsibilities

The post holder is expected to:

• Make informed operational decisions within delegated authority.
• Exercise judgement in managing competing priorities.
• Escalate significant risks, issues or resource constraints appropriately.
• Recommend improvements and solutions based on evidence and analysis.

Essential Criteria

• Experience of leadership roles, line management and performance management in a large operational environment.
• Experience of working with Oracle, including CP&F.
• Experience of managing operational delivery activities or services at a senior level.
• Experience of using data and performance information to drive improvements.
• Ability to build productive stakeholder relationships.
• Experience of managing competing priorities and delivering results within deadlines.
• Experience of delivering business improvement or change initiatives.
• Understanding of governance, Internal Control and Assurance Framework, risk management and service standards
• Experience of continuous improvement.
• Financial Skills Certificate Level 1, or willingness to complete it within one month of start date, as this is required before financial delegation can be exercised.

Desirable Experience

• Operational Delivery Profession membership or engagement with ODP learning.
• Relevant operational, leadership or management qualifications.