Senior Finance Officer

Reporting to the Finance and Business System Lead, you will play a key role in delivering financial reporting, ensuring legal compliance and oversight in all financial processes such as variance analysis, cost improvement identification and partnering with various departments in the organisation for enhanced forecasting.

You will help guide strategic financial planning and the ideal candidate will have experience in finance, proven analytical skills, and experience of working within public sector to help drive digital transformation for more data driven insights for the Commission.

Key duties of the role

• Manage day-to-day finance tasks, including processing invoices, purchases and banking to help maintain monthly budget reporting ensuring accurate financial reporting in line with best practice for consideration by management and board members
• Main point of contact for budget and invoice queries, providing expert guidance and advice as and when required
• Make sure financial information is accurate, recorded properly and follows agreed processes
• Support budget holders with financial planning and scenario modelling.
• Provide clear and timely advice on income and expenditure for management team and board to ensure effective financial management and oversight
• Work with budget holders to monitor budgets and highlight any emerging risks.
• Support the assessment of business cases by analysing financial and non-financial information and preparing summaries for decision-making.
• Help maintain and improve finance systems and processes to ensure good governance and efficient information flow.
• Use internal systems (SharePoint, finance software etc.) to store information securely and accurately.
• Ensure financial procedures follow internal policies and relevant guidance (e.g., SPFM and FREM), escalating issues where needed.
• Support preparation of information for audit and ensure month-end tasks are completed on time.
• Work with teams to help them understand the financial impact of their projects.
• Provide guidance and training to colleagues who are less familiar with financial processes.
• Promote good financial management and help embed a culture of good financial responsibility.

Professional development

• Take a proactive approach to own professional development by maintaining an active interest in relevant developments in work and committing to continuing professional development.
• Support the professional development of colleagues by providing constructive feedback where appropriate.
• Seek and share opportunities to be creative and realise continuous improvement in our delivery and impact of our work.
• Support the development of the Land Commission by contributing actively to organisational planning processes such as quarterly milestones, annual business plan and three-year strategic plan.
• Contribute to and support organisational development through behaviours and ways of working that bring our organisational values to life.

Key contacts

Internal

Colleagues from across the Commission including the Board, Policy, Good Practice and Corporate Services.

External

Relevant Scottish Government Teams, Outsourced Departments, Auditors, Suppliers.

Degree qualified and/or a formal professional finance qualification (AAT Level 3 or equivalent) or a commitment to working towards it.

Strong financial reporting and data management skills and experience.

Proven experience of working within a finance team.

Experience of Xero or similar finance systems, with ability to lead enhancements to system and processes.

Strong proficiency in Excel and financial systems, including the ability to develop, interpret, and improve quality for complex financial reports.

Experience using reporting tools to design and produce financial management information.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex financial information to non-finance professionals and influence decision making.

Excellent organisational and analytical skills, with the ability to lead and coordinate aspects of financial projects or improvement initiatives.

Ability to manage own workload effectively, ensuring delivery against organisational priorities, with a proactive approach to risk identification and mitigation.

Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, adapt to changing priorities, and support continuous improvement activities.

Ability to work across teams to deliver shared objectives, providing specialist financial advice and guidance.

Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, suppliers, and partners.

Ability to constructively challenge and influence budget holders and managers to ensure financial sustainability and compliance.

Willingness to travel and work flexibly to meet business needs.

Demonstrates high levels of transparency, integrity, confidentiality when required, and professional judgement.