CSM - Finance Manager

Job summary

This role sits within the CSM Approvals, Cost, Benefits and Finance team and reports to the Finance, Costs and Benefits Lead. The post holder will manage CSM core finance processes and financial reporting, covering both in-year financial management and Annual Budget Cycle (ABC) activity.

The role provides financial and accounting advice to support compliant, evidence-based financial decision-making and advice across CSM. The successful candidate will work with colleagues across CSM and wider Ministry of Defence finance teams to maintain accurate forecasts, manage financial risks and support advice to senior leaders on the programme’s overall financial position.

The post is suitable for a finance professional who can combine strong financial control, forecasting and reporting discipline with the confidence to advise and challenge stakeholders on financial performance, affordability, risks, underspends and overspends.

CSM is a high priority for the Ministry of Defence and offers substantial exposure to senior level decision-making and therefore offers opportunities for further career development.

The CSM portfolio is recruiting to two-year FTAs, with the possibility of extension subject to business requirements and approvals.

If you are a permanent MOD civil servant and are successful in securing an advertised Fixed-Term Appointment (FTA), it may be possible to agree a Temporary Transfer, subject to the agreement of your current MOD business area. Where a Temporary Transfer is agreed and the post is at a higher grade, any promotion will be temporary, and you will return to your substantive grade at the end of the Temporary Transfer.

Existing Civil Servants from outside MOD and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on a loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant, including arrangements regarding grade on return.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Part-time and job sharing arrangements may be considered providing that full time hours are covered.

Job description

• Manage key finance processes including forecasting updates, accruals, general ledger activity and financial reporting.

• Provide finance and accounting advice to ensure CSM remains compliant with relevant Ministry of Defence accounting standards, policies and processes.

• Complete finance system actions to support accurate in-year and Annual Budget Cycle forecasts.

• Work jointly with internal workforce planning colleagues to ensure contingent labour and workforce forecasts are accurate and completed to timescales and standards.

• Maintain effective working relationships with local finance and Ministry of Defence Strategic Finance teams, responding to queries, taskings and in-year savings requirements.

• Work across the team to form recommendations for seniors on options for managing potential underspend, and financial risks.

• Support the team in providing financial advice to the Programme Director and Senior Responsible Owner on the programme’s overall financial performance.

• Produce clear, timely and robust financial information, analysis and briefing material for governance and, decision-making boards and senior stakeholder engagement.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who can manage core finance activity, provide clear advice and maintain high standards of financial control. You will be comfortable working with financial data, explaining financial issues to non-finance stakeholders, and supporting decisions where there are competing priorities, pressures or savings requirements.

Essential criteria

• Experience of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting in a finance or business management environment.

• Ability to manage in-year financial processes, including accruals, forecast updates and ledger-related activity.

• Experience of providing financial advice to stakeholders, including explaining financial information clearly and constructively challenging assumptions.

• Understanding of financial governance, financial controls and compliance with accounting standards, policies and processes.

• Ability to analyse financial performance, identify risks or opportunities, and make evidence-based recommendations.

• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work across finance, workforce and programme teams to meet deadlines and build effective relationships between teams.

Qualifications

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy

• (CIPFA) or Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification; or

• Willingness to work towards these qualifications

• Experience in a similar finance role.

Desirable criteria

• Experience working with Ministry of Defence financial processes, Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting activity, or equivalent public sector finance processes.

• Experience supporting senior leaders with financial advice, briefings, or governance reporting.

• Experience working with workforce or contingent labour forecasting.

Technical skills and professional framework alignment

The role has been QA checked against the MOD Finance Competence Framework. For a C1 / SEO-level Finance Manager, the strongest fit is Practitioner level capability in the core finance management competencies, with working-to-practitioner capability in supporting areas where relevant to the role.

Framework area

Expected level

Why it matters for this role

Evidence candidates may show

Competence 1 - Understanding the Principles of Government Finance

Working / Practitioner

Supports understanding of the wider government finance cycle from planning through to reporting.

Explaining how financial forecasts, controls and reporting support public value and senior decision-making.

Competence 2 - Financial Governance

Practitioner

Central to compliance with MOD accounting standards, policies, delegations and controls.

Applying policy, advising budget holders and ensuring finance activity is compliant and auditable.

Competence 3 - Financial Planning

Practitioner

Directly linked to PB&F, Annual Budget Cycle activity and forecast accuracy.

Preparing, coordinating or assuring budgets and forecasts across a business area.

Competence 4 - In-Year Financial Management

Practitioner

Core to forecasting, accruals, ledger activity, variance analysis and financial reporting.

Managing forecast updates, explaining variances and recommending actions on financial pressures.

Competence 6 - Investment Appraisals

Working

Relevant where advice supports options, affordability and decision-making.

Supporting appraisal of options, affordability or value-for-money considerations.

Competence 11 - Finance Role in Benefits Reporting

Working

Relevant because the team covers approvals, cost, benefits and finance.

Understanding how financial information supports benefits, affordability and programme outcomes.

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