Finance Officer

We are MHCLG

Are you looking to start your career in finance?

We have exciting opportunities within the Finance Shared Services Division (FSSD), supporting the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and three of its Arm's Length Bodies: the Planning Inspectorate, the Valuation Tribunal Service, and the Regulator of Social Housing.

FSSD provides end-to-end finance transaction processing and support to approximately 2,500 users. As a Finance Officer, you'll be part of a team delivering a wide range of finance services, ensuring processes are completed accurately, efficiently, and in line with agreed service levels.

We are recruiting for up to threeroles across two teams:

1. Operational Finance Team
2. Finance Operations Integrity and Master Data Team

This is a great opportunity to develop your finance skills, gain valuable experience, and contribute to the delivery of high-quality finance services across the organisation.

What you'll be doing

As a Finance Officer, you will support the delivery of high-quality finance services, ensuring transactions are processed accurately, efficiently, and in line with financial controls and service standards.

Operational Finance Team

In this team, you will be responsible for:

• Creating and processing payment files.
• Managing cash and banking activities.
• Posting receipts and supporting Accounts Receivable processes.
• Processing supplier invoices.
• Amending Purchase Orders and monitoring goods receipting activities.
• Supporting Accounts Payable operations and ensuring transactions are completed accurately and on time.

Finance Operations Integrity and Master Data Team

In this team, you will be responsible for:

• Managing debt recovery activities and liaising with customers regarding outstanding balances.
• Creating and maintaining finance master data records.
• Supporting month-end and year-end processes, budgeting activities, and financial controls.
• Assisting with VAT returns and compliance monitoring.
• Maintaining fixed asset records and providing wider finance support.

Responsibilities Across Both Teams

Whichever team you join, you will:

• Accurately record and process financial transactions, ensuring compliance with financial policies, controls, and procedures.
• Maintain clear and accurate audit trails to safeguard public funds.
• Monitor shared team inboxes, responding to queries promptly and escalating issues where required.
• Build effective relationships with customers and stakeholders to resolve enquiries and provide excellent service.
• Provide guidance and support to SAP finance system users.
• Work closely with colleagues to prioritise workloads, share knowledge, and ensure team objectives are achieved.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of finance processes and service delivery.

Essential Criteria

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Eligibility to obtain Security Check (SC) clearance. Due to the nature of this role, the successful candidate will be required to undergo SC clearance. Please ensure you meet the eligibility requirements before applying.
• Experience working in a finance environment, with strong IT skills and the ability to manage and organise workloads effectively.
• Flexibility and adaptability, with the ability to respond positively to changing priorities and business needs.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships and engage confidently with stakeholders both face-to-face and remotely.
• The ability to work under pressure, prioritise competing demands, and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines.
• A collaborative approach to teamwork, with experience of building and maintaining positive working relationships across teams and supporting shared objectives.