Job Description

If you are looking for an exciting career move then this is a unique opportunity to work within the UK intelligence agencies (MI5, MI6 and GCHQ) finance community. MI5, MI6 and GCHQ help protect the UK and UK interests from threats to national security at home and abroad.

We are in the process of creating new Cross-Agency Services to deliver a range of services including human resources, finance, security, vetting and commercial. This function will be at the centre of the agencies’ strategies and mission, and will allow us to deliver more whilst keeping our staff and other assets safe and secure. Finance is at the heart of all business decisions and actions and we are looking for finance professionals to help ensure we manage our money effectively and make the most of our resources. We have a range of roles available based in London and Cheltenham.

The Role

As a Finance Accountant you will help ensure we manage our money effectively and spend it wisely. You could be leading a small team, providing financial advice on issues ranging from planning and purchase orders, budget profiling, collating variance analysis or identifying risks and mitigations. Whatever the task, you will be looking for process improvements whilst making sure that it is completed in line with monthly and annual deadlines.

For successful applicants, we offer financial and study support in gaining Chartered Accountant status to those who demonstrate the talent and enthusiasm to progress in their finance career.

Key Responsibilities

We have a range of roles available where responsibilities may include:

• Leading and managing a small team within our central finance function
• Providing detailed financial analysis and accurate forecasting to support decision making by Senior Management
• Meeting challenging deadlines in line with monthly and annual financial timetables
• Providing proactive advice and support to stakeholders on financial issues including budget profiling, forecasting, financial planning, purchase order and expense claim advice
• Building a wide ranging and effective network of relationships with finance and non-finance experts and working with colleagues to facilitate improvements including system changes and improvements to the ERP (enterprise resource planning)
• Collating accurate variance analysis including identification of risks and mitigations

The Person

• Ideally you will be a qualified or part qualified accountant (CCAB or equivalent)
• You will have practical financial experience, for example you may be familiar with management accounting, cost accounting, planning or budgeting and you will be able to apply this to the role and understand how finance fits into the bigger picture
• Experience of leading and motivating a small finance team to deliver positive outcomes or evidence of leadership capability
• Evidence of strong communication and customer relationship skills, are essential for the role
• You will have the ability to build relationships with colleagues across an organisation
• You will have a good working knowledge of MS Office Applications including Microsoft Excel
• Experience of using an ERP Accounting Systems is desirable

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ideally you will be a qualified or part qualified accountant (CCAB or equivalent) • You will have practical financial experience, for example you may be familiar with management accounting, cost accounting, planning or budgeting and you will be able to apply this to the role and understand how finance fits into the bigger picture • Experience of leading and motivating a small finance team to deliver positive outcomes or evidence of leadership capability • Evidence of strong communication and customer relationship skills, are essential for the role • You will have the ability to build relationships with colleagues across an organisation • You will have a good working knowledge of MS Office Applications including Microsoft Excel • Experience of using an ERP Accounting Systems is desirable