Finance Profession Lead for Government Finance Function

Public Spending GroupThe Public Spending Group is a high-profile and rewarding place to work. We help the Chancellor decide what to spend 1.2trillion a year on and ensure government delivers value for money for the taxpayer. We are responsible for reporting to Parliament and the public on how taxpayers money is spent. We drive forward improved outcomes and efficiency in public services and make sure value for money is at the centre of decision-making through better evaluation, data and analysis. We advise on overall government policy on public sector pay and pensions, the biggest single driver of public spending. We collaborate with and directly support departments to deliver the Government Finance Function strategy, building finance, debt and risk capability across government and developing the management information, tools and frameworks to better understand and ensure value for money.The Government Finance Function (GFF) The GFF ensures that finance is at the heart of decision making in Government delivering value for money, strengthening public trust.The Finance Function comprises of over 10,500 FTE spread across 39 Government organisations.The Function needs to move at pace to make further progress towards its vision and the decision has been taken to strengthen and formalise the functional centre for the Government Finance Function, aligned to the Civil Service Functional Leadership model.The People and Capability TeamThis role sits within the People & Capability team. Priorities for the team include:Developing a high performing, capable and diverse Function for the future, with great people in the right roles with the right skillsLearning & Development the Government Finance Academy (GFA), determining the future strategy for the GFA ensuring a future focussed and sustainable model to deliver a high quality learning and development offer for the Government Finance Function.Career Framework: Standardising expectations of skills, qualifications and experience required to succeed in roles across GFF, supporting attraction, development and retention of diverse talent across the function.Talent Management: developing a robust and diverse talent pipeline through a dynamic and engaging talent management strategy.Encouraging a diverse and inclusive environment across the Finance Function.Developing an attractive reward and retention strategy to help attract and retain great people.Resourcing and strategic workforce planning to ensure succession plans are in place for the functions pivotal roles.Building excellent links with networks across Government to utilise expert services and embed our initiatives in departments, sharing knowledge, best practice and resource.As the Finance Profession Development Lead for the Government Finance Function, you will be joining our team of HR, Finance and L&D professionals who are responsible for leading the GFF People and Capability offer for the function. At the heart of this work is the need to build strong and diverse functional capacity and capability, by attracting, developing, training and retaining functional specialists across Government Finance Function. This role is responsible for overseeing the Finance Professional Development offer, including Accelerated Development programmes, Finance Fast Stream, Finance Apprenticeships, and to support professional development linking into the Government Finance Academy wider learning offer. Success in this role will require you to work across Departmental boundaries as a trusted partner, utilising your professional skills and experiences to build a strong network across internal and external stakeholders at all levels, including with Professional Institutes and HMT technical teams. You will use these relationships together with your own skills and experience to identify capability needs and promote finance professionalism to support GFF priorities and growth of the finance function. Key accountabilities include: Leading the development and delivery of the Finance Professional Development offer across the Civil Service, which includes all professional qualification routes, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and advocating for a professionally qualified finance workforce. Providing expert oversight of GFF professional training schemes, ensuring they are high quality and support our functional talent pipeline these include Finance Apprenticeships, Finance Fast Stream and accelerated development programmes, to ensure improved professionalism at the most senior levels across the function. Oversight, development and delivery of the Finance Fast Stream offer, ensuring finance requirements and needs of the function are met, working with other professions and Cabinet Office colleagues on development of the overall fast stream scheme. Ensuring the Finance Fast Stream is fit for purpose at all stages, from recruitment materials, including Finance Recruitment Boards, Finance End Scheme Assessments, performance management process incorporating profession requirements. Working with senior Director sponsors and senior governance committees to shape the programme, making recommendations on future requirements and numbers, ensuring reporting and MI is robust to support and enable workforce planning. Leading development and delivery of the Finance Apprenticeship offer for the function, working with broad networks including departmental Heads of Finance Professionalism from across Government and CO colleagues to manage contracts and requirements on behalf of the GFF to ensure a fit for purpose scheme(s) that meets professional requirements. Developing a streamlined, professional, accessible offer linking to functional workforce requirements, ensuring best value for the function and optimum efficiency and professional rigour. Linking Apprenticeship recruitment to support GFF needs, working with Departmental Heads of Profession and Attraction colleagues. Creating and maintain professional communities to support professional development including events for Fast Stream, Apprentices, Senior Leaders and other groups. Supporting engagement with the Accountancy Institutes and other partners to support professional development and training of staff across the GFF. Lead functional and professional mentoring programmes, with responsibility for developing and promoting mentoring guidance, working with capability and talent leads to support initiatives to promote best practice, creating opportunities for mentoring as part of the GFA curriculum. Working as part of the Skills Capture Tool project team to develop and enhance the online skills tool. Acting as the lead contact with the developers and testers, leading engagement and awareness sessions, promoting professional development with Fast Streamers, Apprentices to support uptake and adoption.