Senior Professional Accountant

Job Description

DE&S / SDA Senior Professional Accountant £64,600 - £76,000 per annum (plus benefits) Permanent, Full Time MOD Abbey Wood, Filton As part of the Finance and Accounting function, your work will have far-reaching impact as you drive financial performanceand secure best value for the taxpayer. This function is key to delivering accurate, insightful, and timely financial information to stakeholders, and as one of the team your input will support effective decision-making for an organisation at the heart ofUK defence. Youll benefit from plenty of routes for development, access to specialist training and funded professional qualifications, and a c.27% employer pension contribution. Youll also have access to a wide range of employee networks, including the WomensInclusive Network, Race & Culture Network, Pride Network, Disability Networkand many more. We recognise that the best people for the job may have commitments outside of work, so were pleased to promote flexible working to support our colleagues in balancingwork and home life. At a busy time for Defence, we are expanding our finance teams at Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) and the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) based at the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Headquarters in Abbey Wood, Bristol. We are looking forexperienced accountants to fill three roles: Finance Business Partner Head of Area (Domain teamsShips, Submarines, Land, Air, Strategic Enablers) Senior Cost Controller As an experience accountant, you will strategically be supporting the delivery of theservice in accordance with Defence & National Security objectives, prioritising customer needs using your business acumen and commercial acumen providing decisions and insight on balancing customer and business demands and funding projects. You will understandproject management techniques, and will need to strategically lead teams, encourage a culture of imaginative thinking, learning from experience and expanding mindsets to challenge the status quo to continually drive for improved quality. This will requireengagement with stakeholders, both internally and externally, and for you to create consensual solutions to drive and deliver outcomes in a way that identifies risks and to recommend clear, viable mitigating actions. This will be achieved by listening, understanding,and respecting the value of different views, ideas, and ways of working to make ongoing improvements to delivery successful, while bringing your stakeholders on the journey with you. The Finance team at DE&S and SDA is very diverse in respect to gender, ethnicity,disability and age leading the way in DE&S/SDA ensuring a dynamic, innovative, problem solving and supportive team arising from diversity of thought. Please note some attendance to the stated site may be required for this position. We strongly recommend tailoringyour CV in line with our CV guidance before applying, with specific sections to highlight Key Achievements, Relevant Experience, and Applied Skills & Knowledge. Responsibilities for DE&S/SDA Senior Professional Accountant You will be responsible for providingsome of following services, depending on the specific role. To be the primary financial and accounting advisor for Portfolio Managers within an Operating Centre, reporting directly to the relevant business lead supporting large programmes and complex portfolios(i.e., >£400m, International collaborative, Parliamentary interest) Provide Budget Holders, Directors, Chief Finance Officers, Front Line Customers and Ministers with expert business-related advice on financial management, accounting issues and value for moneyProvide accurate information and analysis that delivers deeper, valuable insights into the business and enables budget holders to make informed decisions To be the financial advisor to the Delivery Director and Management Board to enable an understanding offinancial performance and provide a strategic level analysis of risks and opportunities, including mitigation options as appropriate and assurance of efficiency evidence Support and challenge budget holders constructively on their financial planning and forecastingactivity to ensure budgets are taut, realistic, and utilised effectively Support contract negotiations from a Finance and Accounting perspective; including conducting financial due diligence e.g., identifying tax and accounting treatments and assuring businesscases Hold regular engagements with industry counterparts to drive improved end-to-end forecasting, reviewing delivery and other financial matters i.e., Assets in Industry, Commercial Exploitation Levy, and contingent liabilities To be accountable for thesuccessful management of the external audit process including liaising with external auditors and business units to ensure audit requirements are met; focus on continuous improvement and sharing learning from experience Set the strategic direction for teamand development of long-term business objectives. Accountable for specific Finance & Accounting (F&A) products or services, such as Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting; Inventory, In Year Management, cashflow and commitments and other function management workstreamsOversee the Cost Control Finance team in working with Estimators to develop cost models and assist in the production of Investment Appraisals. Working collaboratively with Finance Business Partner (FBP) providing timely financial information for relevant BusinessCases Guide cost control in working with Project Control Manager, Finance Business Partner (FBP) and scheduler to align and track work package costs against Baseline and generate in year forecast and EAC. Contribute to Earned Value Management (EVM) analysisto demonstrate project performance and schedule variance impact on costs You will be responsible for providing some of following services, depending on the specific role. To be the primary financial and accounting advisor for Portfolio Managers within an OperatingCentre, reporting directly to the relevant business lead supporting large programmes and complex portfolios (i.e. >£400m, International collaborative, Parliamentary interest). Provide Budget Holders, Directors, Chief Finance Officers, Front Line Customersand Ministers with expert business-related advice on financial management, accounting issues and value for money Provide accurate information and analysis that delivers deeper, valuable insights into the business and enables budget holders to make informeddecisions. Financial advisor to the Delivery Director and Management Board to enable an understanding of financial performance and provide a strategic level analysis of risks and opportunities, including mitigation options as appropriate and assurance of efficiencyevidence. Support and challenge budget holders constructively on their financial planning and forecasting activity to ensure budgets are taut, realistic and utilised effectively Support contract negotiations from a Finance and