Deputy Finance Director, MSHQ

The Deputy Finance Director is a senior Finance leader at the centre of decision-making within the Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ), operating across a c.30bn Defence portfolio. This is not a traditional finance role. It is about understanding what sits behind the numbers and clearly explaining the so what to senior military leaders making complex, high‑stakes decisions. The postholder turns financial data into clear, practical insight, helping leaders understand choices, risks and consequences across capability, readiness and investment. In a high‑demand environment with competing priorities, the role brings consistency, pace and strong judgement to ensure decisions are grounded in robust financial understanding and deliver value for money. Working across multiple Commands, often without direct line management, the Deputy Finance Director operates through influence to shape outcomes at the highest level. The role strengthens budgetary control, risk management and the quality of financial analysis, ensuring leaders have a clear and consistent view of performance across a complex organisation. As a key member of the Finance senior leadership team, the postholder provides trusted advice and constructive challenge to CDS, VCDS and other senior stakeholders, shaping strategy, planning and investment decisions. They also play a visible leadership role in strengthening governance, stewardship and financial discipline across MSHQ and wider Defence. The role starts with a small team and will build a new Finance function supporting around 500600 personnel. The postholder will set direction, establish standards and shape how Finance operates within MSHQ, with scope to influence the future finance operating model and wider transformation.

Nick Gordon, the Vacancy Holder,will be offering an online Q&A session on Wednesday 24th June at 11:00 to provide an overview of the role and welcome any questions you may have. Candidates can access the meeting by clicking here. Please note this is not part of the formal assessment process. If you have any issues accessing the session, please contact: [email protected].

Key responsibilities include

• Leading financial strategy and shaping inputs to planning and investment decisions
• Overseeing in‑year financial management, forecasting and longer‑term planning
• Ensuring strong governance, approvals and compliance with Managing Public Money standards
• Acting as a trusted adviser to senior leaders, using clear analysis and constructive challenge to shape decisions
• Creating, leading and developing a high‑performing finance team to drive improvements in financial insight, systems and processes
• Strengthening alignment across Defence
• Deputising for the Finance Director at senior forums

Candidates must demonstrate and evidence:

• Ability to translate financial complexity into clear decisions
• Experience interpreting complex financial data and explaining the so what to senior leaders, linking spend to capability, readiness, risk and delivery outcomes.
• Strong budget management, financial control and risk management
• Experience managing large budgets, delivering accurate forecasting, maintaining effective cost control and managing financial risk in complex and fast‑paced environments.
• Application of strategic finance to shape priorities and decisions
• Evidence of influencing investment, planning and resource decisions by setting out clear options, impacts and consequences.
• Ability to deliver consistent, high-quality financial analysis and insight
• Evidence of improving the quality, consistency and clarity of financial reporting and analysis to support decision-making.
• Experience of driving improvement and transformation in Finance
• Evidence of improving financial processes, systems or ways of working, using innovation to strengthen how finance operates and supports the organisation.
• Senior leadership, innovation and building capability
• Experience leading through ambiguity to establish or develop a finance function, driving innovation in how finance operates as a service and improving systems, insight and ways of working.

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a strong field of candidates when there is a need to distinguish between candidates. This will be as a second sift, after the essential criteria has been considered:

• Qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent or working towards qualification.