Financial Operations Improvement Lead (+5k for CCAB or equivalent qualified candidates)

The postholder will work on strategic leadership and service delivery of Finance Operations Improvement in the department. They will develop the strategy for continuous improvement, delivering process improvement initiatives in Financial Operations, whilst also using their position to drive change across the organisation by influencing how the department engages with the Government Shared Services programme.In addition, as Financial Operations affect all parts of the department, including the implementation of new policies and key transactions, the postholder may find themselves working alongside other finance and policy colleagues managing cross-cutting issues.The wider team is well-established with a mixture of long standing and newer members. This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of the delivery of multiple projects to develop and improve the Departments finance operations, processes, and organisational understanding, working closely with stakeholders across the finance function, the wider department and across government.The team has a significant focus on improvement and best practice. A key part of the role is collaborating with, and influencing, internal and external stakeholders, making sound judgements on change and improvement initiatives.The role provides an opportunity to function with a degree of autonomy within a supportive and agile team. The team is made up of a mix of both qualified accountants and those with other relevant experience.A finance qualification is advantageous but not essential for this role (a wide range of applicants are encouraged; the required key skills and experience are set out below). A market pay supplement is applicable for this role if the candidate is qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent. The market pay supplement is 5,000.The finance function also offers multiple learning and development opportunities, including options to continue studying and leadership development programmes.If you have any questions about the role and would like an informal discussion, please feel free to contact the vacancy holder directly. Role responsibilitiesWork with the Financial Operations team to optimise the way in which they can meet the needs of the department.Partner with stakeholders to identify and capture opportunities for improvements.Identify and implement opportunities to embed the Government Shared Services programme across the department to deliver efficient, innovative and a user focused shared services offer.Develop effective policies for processes across finance operations, ensuring they continue to be fit for purpose and aligned to global processes.Develop effective working relationships with a number of stakeholders, including the National Audit Office, Government Internal Audit Agency, HMT and other functional business units where a collaborative approach is needed to ensure success.Provide advice to Ministers, Senior Managers, and boards as appropriate.Establish a centre of finance operations improvement expertise, by providing high quality advice, guidance, and support on a broad range of finance operations.Build capability and knowledge in others by providing guidance and to key stakeholders and creating appropriate documentation.Identify and support mitigation of risks, also help drive a culture of risk management across the Department.Assess and improve financial awareness and capability, promoting and assessing compliance across the department and proactively seek ways to improve systems and processes, implementing recommendations from internal and external reviews of the Departments systems.Drive forward change, demonstrating that you are a critical thinker with a focus on problem solving to improve outcomes and improve finance operations.