Head of Group Financial Reporting

Are you looking for an exciting new opportunity developing professional technical expertise and working collaboratively with wide range of partners? If so, we'd love to hear from you!

About the Team

We are looking to recruit a Head of Group Financial Reporting which sits within the Public Spending Group of the Government Financial Reporting Team. The Public Spending Group has a high-profile role in Government, setting the Government’s overall spending plans and ensuring they deliver 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 enhance the value for money 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 capability across government and developing the management information, tools and frameworks to better understand and ensure value for money.

Government Financial Reporting (GFR) is a friendly and supportive team and prides itself in developing professional technical expertise and working collaboratively with its wide range of partners. GFR comprises around 30 members of staff and provides exposure to a wide range of colleagues across the Government Finance Function, as well as working on areas of emerging policy and risk management within government. We are a dynamic team, and we fully support learning, development and growth.

About the Job

In this role, you will:

• Lead the delivery and publication of the annual Whole of Government Accounts, leading a team of 10 to plan and deliver in line with agreed timescales and to a high quality standard in line with key technical guidance
• Ensure technical accounting compliance and that a robust financial control framework is in place to assure delivery of the accounts.
• Lead the service of the annual external audit, working collaboratively with the National Audit Office
• Lead a programme of improvements to financial processes, including using digital and data tools to drive efficiency, quality and insight across the team.
• Build effective relationships with key external partners including the National Audit Office, the HM Treasury Audit and Risk Committee, devolved administrations, accounting institutes and consolidated finance teams. Prepare and deliver briefing to senior officials for Parliamentary hearings.
• Lead strategic policy development and partner engagement for WGA, to ensure WGA meets the needs of users of the accounts and the benefits of WGA can be maximised.

This is an exciting, high profile role in the team which leads a team of 10 to produce Whole of Government Accounts (“WGA”), a complex, internationally recognised set of Group financial statements for the entire UK public sector. WGA consolidates the accounts of over 10,000 entities from a range of industries across the public sector, including central government, local government, and public corporations. The role involves leading a team of 10 to prepare and publish the annual WGA Group financial statements, lead strategic policy development for WGA, and support broader engagement on WGA with both internal and external partners.

About You

The successful candidate will have strong technical finance skills, including extensive knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards and financial statements. You will have the ability to organise and lead the delivery of a complex finance project/process. You’ll have strong communication and customer management skills, with a proven track record in working confidently across teams to develop effective working relationships with a wide range of partners. Lastly, you will have the ability to provide leadership and support to individuals working in a technical and complex finance area.

HM Treasury is proud of a diverse and inclusive work environment, committed to fairness and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, ways of working and thinking makes us a stronger organisation, better at developing policy that is reflective of the communities we serve. We embrace different views and experiences and value the fresh perspective that people from a variety of circumstances bring to the work we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferrable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status.

Some of the Benefits our people love!

·      25 days annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King’s birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant). Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees to take up to an additional 2 days off each month

·      Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)

·      Generous parental and adoption leave packages

·      Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions of 27%

·      Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket advances

·      A range of active staff networks, based around interests (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity (e.g. women in the Treasury, ethnic minority network, LGBT* network, faith and belief network)

For more information about the role and how to apply, please follow the apply link.

If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please tell us about this in your online application form, or speak to the recruitment team.