Finance Operations Team Leader

Job summary

We are MHCLG

Ready to lead a high-performing team and keep month-end and year-end close running like clockwork—accurate, timely, and audit-ready?

Do you enjoy digging into master data and reconciliations—spotting risks early, tightening controls, and driving improvements that make the numbers (and the process) better every month?

If so, we have an excellent opportunity for a Finance Operations Team Leader to join our team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and we would welcome your application.

The role is based in the Finance Shared Services Division (FSSD) which provides transactional finance services to MHCLG, the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), the Valuation Tribunal Service (VTS) and the Regulator for Social Housing (RSH) with a customer base of 3500 users.

You will be working in a friendly team with a focus on development and process improvement. We are constantly seeking to improve how we work and welcome new ideas to shape this.

We are looking for a Finance Operations team leader who will have oversight of month and year end General Ledger and Budgeting process on SAP including: 1) Managing the enterprise structure including the creation and maintenance of cost centres, internal orders and general ledger codes 2) Managing vendor and customer data on SAP. 3) Monthly balance sheet reconciliations. 4) Debt management. 5) Bank account, suspense account and payroll reconciliations.

Job description

Being an effective task manager, delivering against strategic objectives.

• Technical expert across all team responsibilities
• Delivering and maintaining positive relationships with customers and stakeholders.
• Ensuring services and expectations are managed against clearly defined deliverables and KPI’s.
• Ensuring effective controls are in place to maintain accuracy of data and integrity to provide insight, including risk management and mitigation actions.
• Collecting and analysing performance information.
• Continually reviewing and adapting processes

Person specification

• Finance qualifications at AAT Level or equivalent
• Significant finance experience
• Experience of leading and developing a team
• Excellent communication skills
• Positively responds to change and able to lead it
• Ability to meet targets and make effective decisions
• Highly organised with good attention to detail
• A sound working knowledge of Microsoft office including Outlook, Teams, Excel and Power Point.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,623, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £10,899 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Staff Benefits Scheme, Childcare Vouchers, and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Stage 1: Sift (CV & Cover Letter)

Experience: Your covering letter should be no more than 1 page referencing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description.

If you run into any technical problems when applying through Be Applied (for example, trouble logging in or submitting your application), their support team can help. Please contact them at [email removed].

Stage 2: Interview

• Experience: Experience questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

• Ability: Maths questions will be asked as part of the interview.

• Technical: Technical questions will be based around the essential skills and criteria as listed in the job description.

Sift and Interview Dates

Sifting is envisaged to take place the week commencing 05/10.

Interviews are envisaged to take place the week commencing 19/10 and are currently being held face to face in either Hemel Hempstead or Manchester.

How We Recruit

Find out more about our recruitment processes here.

• Applying

• Sifting

• Interview

• Interview Results & Feedback

• Reserve List

• Near Miss

• Civil Service Grades

• We are a DCS, RIS & GPTWV employer

• Reasonable Adjustments

How to Apply

Find out everything you need to know before applying here.

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements

• Civil Service Nationality Requirements

• Right to Work

• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles

• CV Declaration

• Sponsorships

• Salary and Grade

• Existing Civil Servants

• Conflict of Interest

• Location and Flexible Working

• Fixed Term Contracts

• Internal Fraud Database

• Appeals and Complaints

Security Clearance Requirements

National Office: + SC

London Office: + SC

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).