Location

London, Manchester if based in Manchester, weekly travel to London to visit stakeholders will be required.

About the job

We are running an information session where prospective applicants can find out more about the role. This will be hosted virtually by Megan Attwooll, and will take place on:

• 14:30, Thursday 2nd October

The session will be an opportunity to hear more about the role, the team and wider directorate and the department.

It will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have about the application, and the interview and assessment process.

Job description

As Deputy Director Strategic Finance in DCMS, you will:

• Lead and maintain a strong and diverse team who drive financial strategy, finance transformation and effectively support senior decision making through reporting and analysis.


• Work directly with the Permanent Secretary, the two Directors General, ministers and senior management to ensure effective and strategic financial management across the Department.


• Develop, lead and implement cross-cutting financial projects as and when required, finance transformation activities and financial reviews. This will include being a leader in implementing the new finance and HR system as part of the cross-government Shared Services programme.


• Lead on all Financial Planning, ensuring any financial decisions take into account future trends and strategies. Lead on performance at both a corporate (core DCMS) and group level, including budgetary control, scrutiny and reporting, supporting finance business partnering to do the same at a team level.


• Take lead responsibility for the Department’s relationship with HM Treasury, including the provision of Estimates process, and other financial reporting. Liaise with HM Treasury on all financial issues and fiscal events.


• Take a lead in the profession as a senior member of the DCMS Finance Team, and in the corporate life of the Department as a member of DCMS’s senior leadership team.


• Lead, together with the strategy team, the Department’s management of and response to fiscal events, including annual Budget and Spring Statements, as well as preparations and involvement in future Spending Reviews.

The Strategic Finance team lead on all Departmental-wide Financial considerations, these include:

• Liaising with HM Treasury on all financial issues and fiscal events;


• Leading on all Financial Planning, ensuring any financial decisions take into account future trends and strategies;


• Leading on Fiscal Events Financial Strategy, including all financial input into Spending Reviews and Budgets;


• Leading on Business Planning for the Department, ensuring our funding is allocated according to our priorities and provides greatest value for money;


• Advising our Executive Board on in-year Financial Management, in particular at each quarter to ensure we can re-prioritise any underspends towards our Ministerial priorities;


• Ensuring financial controls are adhered to and spend is governed appropriately, meeting requirements of our delegated authority and Managing Public Money guidance.


• Providing all Financial Analysis relating to financial planning.


• Implementing the new Matrix Shared Services system, a cross-government programme which will transform our HR and Finance systems, and embedding the new service to deliver the benefits of this programme.

Person specification

The ideal candidate will have the following key skills and experience

Essential Requirements

• Full or part-qualified CCAB or CIMA accountancy qualification or equivalent (or willing to work towards full qualification)


• Experience of being a trusted advisor and providing strategic advice to senior leaders and/or Ministers on complex issues; be able to challenge and advise when necessary


• Experience of Financial planning, Analysis, Business Planning and leading large and complex financial projects in a complex organisation


• Experience of Investment Appraisal processes and ensuring sound business cases are developed with strong commercial focus, options appraisal, realistic benefits and risk management with appropriate governance.


• Ability to lead, motivate and develop a diverse finance team and promote excellence.

Desirable Skills

• Experience of working with Arms Length Bodies (or similar organisations outside of Government).


• A confident understanding of how Government works, in particular Government Finance and the financial cycle.


• Experience of implementing a new financial system and/or change programme

For more information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button below.