Corporate Finance Lead

The Scottish Government Location Edinburgh, Scotland, EH1 3YY Job Summary About the job Do you have excellent attention to detail, strong analytical capabilities and experience of working in a finance team? If the answers to the above are yes, then this exciting opportunity could be for you.

Do you have excellent attention to detail, strong analytical capabilities and experience of working in a finance team? If the answers to the above are yes, then this exciting opportunity could be for you. This post is embedded in the National Records of Scotland (NRS) Finance Team, part of the Corporate Services Directorate. This role is offered as a 6-month Fixed Term Appointment (Fair and Open) and provides a unique opportunity to work with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including NRS Senior Management and Budget Managers. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and working closely with the NRS Accountable Officer, you will help ensure the delivery of value-for-money outcomes across the organisation. You will lead the financial planning, budgeting, monitoring and reporting on our varied core budgets and income. You will provide robust management information and financial challenge, technical accounting expertise and broad technical financial insight to support delivery of NRS priorities. Responsibilities

• Support the CFO in producing the NRS Annual Report and Accounts, coordinating contributions from staff and consulting with the Chief Executive and Directors as required. Select appropriate accounting policies, oversee key accounting judgements, ensure the accounts are free from material misstatement, and lead engagement with external auditors.
• Contribute to Spending Reviews, Portfolio Budget processes, and Autumn and Spring Budget Revision submissions, including negotiations with Portfolio and Scottish Government finance colleagues.
• Lead the annual budget commissioning exercise and mid-year financial review, working closely with budget holders to monitor performance against budgets and provide professional accounting, budgeting and financial advice to Directors and senior managers.
• Maintain and continuously improve financial processes to ensure expenditure on NRS Corporate budgets complies with NRS and Scottish Government financial governance requirements, advising on governance and control improvements where necessary.
• Deputise for the CFO on the Executive Management Board and Audit and Risk Committee, providing authoritative financial advice and insight, and contributing to discussions and decision-making on organisational management and strategic priorities.
• Provide accounting expertise and financial insight to corporate strategic planning activities and business cases, ensuring financial plans support and align with organisational objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across organisational boundaries and professional groups, particularly with Directors, promoting good financial practice and supporting the planning and delivery of business priorities.
• Lead the NRS Corporate Finance Team (currently comprising 2 B3s, 4 B2s, 1 B1, 2 A4s and 1 A3), ensuring effective day-to-day oversight, appropriate resourcing, training and development, efficient financial procedures, and compliance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM), the UK Government Financial Reporting Manual (FReM), and Consolidated Budgeting Guidance. Person specification Qualifications Must be fully CCAB qualified with relevant post qualification experience in a similar financial environment and up-to-date CPD. Please ensure you clearly demonstrate this qualification in your CV/Supporting statement otherwise you will be automatically sifted out at application stage. Proof of qualifications will be checked at the assessment stage. Success profile Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on. Technical / Professional Skills:
• Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing (Practitioner)
• Government Financial Management (Practitioner)
• Strategic Financial Analysis and Insight (Practitioner)
• Understanding International Accounting Standards (Practitioner)
• Data Analysis (Expert) Experience
• Strong technical accounting skills and ability to communicate complex financial information clearly and succinctly to a wide range of audiences, including to non-finance colleagues.
• Ability to influence, negotiate and collaborate effectively with key stakeholders and a proven ability to explain financial information effectively to stakeholders and non-financial professionals.
• Strong planning and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage a diverse workload and team, and able to adapt to changing situations and manage competing priorities.
• A track record in leading and managing teams to deliver a range of finance and/or management functions. Demonstrating effective leadership and delegation skills and the ability to develop and motivate staff. Behaviours:
• Making Effective Decisions (Level 4)
• Communicating and Influencing (Level 4)
• Delivering at Pace (Level 4) Qualifications Must be fully CCAB qualified with relevant post qualification experience in a similar financial environment and up-to-date CPD. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace Technical Skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
• Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing (practitioner)
• Government Financial Management (practitioner)
• Strategic Financial Analysis and Insight (practitioner)
• Understanding International Accounting Standards (practitioner)
• Data Analysis (practitioner) For more information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button below.