Head of Transaction Finance
- Civil Service
- Part Time
- Birmingham
- 57,367
Job Description
Job summary
About Us
We help the UK move forward, faster.
For nearly 150 years, we've protected the UK economy with deep expertise and rigour, building the confidence that helps businesses access lending, investment and opportunity.
We help people deal with personal insolvency. We make statutory redundancy payments when insolvent employers can't. We investigate director conduct and take action where it's needed.
And right now, we're changing how we do all of this, becoming faster, more digitally driven, and more focused on stopping problems before they escalate.
More than 2,000 of us work in offices across England, Scotland and Wales. It might be time for you to join us.
The Role
As Head of Transaction Finance, you will establish and lead a new, professional and customer-focused function, bringing together transactional finance and month-end activity to provide clear ownership, strong control and a consistent service across the Agency.
You will ensure accurate, timely financial processing and reliable reporting that supports effective decision-making and helps create a modern, sustainable Insolvency Service through clearer accountability and continuous improvement.
This is a role for someone who wants to think bigger, challenge the way things have always been done, and take ownership of the outcomes that matter.
We offer full-time, part-time, job share, and flexible working. We invest in your development and give our people the space to grow, take ownership and make decisions.
Job description
Reporting to the Head of Operational Finance, the G7 Head of Transaction Finance will lead the new Transaction Finance team, providing clear operational ownership of transactional finance and month-end delivery across the Agency. You will work with Finance Business Partners, System Accounting, Strategic Finance, Payroll and Commercial colleagues to deliver accurate, timely and well-controlled services that support reliable reporting, effective decision-making and a modern, sustainable Insolvency Service.
What youll do:
- lead a multidisciplinary team of Transaction Finance Accountants, Cost Centre Managers and Accounting Support, setting priorities and building capability and resilience
- plan resources and monitor performance so the team delivers the monthly finance timetable and responds effectively to risks and competing priorities
- establish clear processes, responsibilities and service standards for transactional finance, consolidating work transferred from Strategic Finance
- build effective relationships across Finance, Payroll and Commercial teams so information flows efficiently and issues are resolved promptly
- strengthen controls, clarify interfaces and take ownership of continuous improvement across the Transaction Finance service
Responsibilities:
As the G7 Head of Transaction Finance, you will:
- lead the Transaction Finance function, directly managing two SEOs and providing indirect leadership to nine HEOs/EOs, setting clear priorities, service standards and a professional, customer-focused culture
- deliver transactional finance activity valued at approximately 190 million, including general ledger maintenance, journals, accruals and actuals, month-end close, payroll reporting and accounting query resolution
- maintain the quality, timeliness and control of the service through clear procedures, reconciliations, evidence, quality assurance and performance measures
- manage resources and capability to meet the monthly finance timetable, strengthen resilience and balance operational delivery with improvement priorities
- consolidate transactional work transferred from Strategic Finance, clarifying ownership and ways of working across Finance to improve efficiency, consistency and control
- monitor spend against contracts with Finance Business Partners and Commercial colleagues, identifying emerging issues and escalating them promptly
- provide senior finance leaders with clear assurance on service performance, financial controls, capacity and emerging risks, recommending proportionate action
Person specification
The successful candidate will:
- be a credible, inclusive and empowering leader who can lead managers and multidisciplinary teams, build capability and cohesion, and sustain delivery through organisational change
- apply strong professional knowledge of financial operations and controls, including general ledger management, month-end close, journals, accruals, reconciliations, payroll reporting and reliable management information
- communicate with authority and clarity, using evidence to advise, influence and constructively challenge senior stakeholders, control owners and service partners
- use performance information, quality assurance and risk analysis to identify root causes, strengthen internal control and improve efficiency, accuracy and customer service
- understand and apply the accounting requirements relevant to transactional finance, including the Government Financial Reporting Manual, Managing Public Money, Government Functional Standards and the NOVA Functional Reference Model
- manage capacity, capability, dependencies and delivery risks to maintain a resilient service and meet tight monthly deadlines
- build collaborative relationships across the Government Finance Function, using networks and external good practice to strengthen the service and support continuous improvement
Essential Criteria
- hold a recognised CCAB or CIMA professional accountancy qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIPFA or CIMA, with membership of the relevant body
- have recent, substantial experience of working within a finance function and delivering month-end at scale, with accountability for people, service performance, financial controls, risk management and process improvement
- have strong technical accounting knowledge, including experience of interpreting and applying International Financial Reporting Standards and relevant central government financial requirements to transactional finance, financial controls and month-end accounting, with the ability to explain complex accounting concepts clearly to non-finance stakeholders
- demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, accurate and persuasive advice for senior leaders and non-finance stakeholders
- demonstrate strong planning and organisational skills, with a track record of working independently, managing competing priorities and responding effectively to emerging operational challenges
Further Information
You will be required to attend an Insolvency Service office at one of the listed locations for 60% of your working time and occasionally attend other locations. Attendance at other locations will count towards the 60% requirement.
Please note: This vacancy is advertised across 11 locations; however, Stratford, Croydon and Newcastle are only available to current Insolvency Service Staff. The advertised salary includes London weighting, which is only applicable to internal candidates.
