Finance Business Partner

General Information

Salary

The national salary range is £42,914- £46,182, London salary range is £49,325 - £53,081. Your salary will be dependent on your base location

Working Pattern

Full Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach

External

Location

National

Region

National

Closing Date

23-Sep-2026

Post Type

Permanent

Civil Service Grade

SEO

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

21965

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Job Title/ Position: Finance Business Partner

Grade: SEO

Number of Vacancies: 1

Business Group: Chief Operating Officer Group

Directorate: Finance Strategy and Partnerships

Location: National

Hours: 37

Post Type: Permanent

Role Type/ Team: Finance

Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice sits at the heart of public service delivery and the government’s wider social reform agenda, working to protect and advance the principles of justice. The department has been at the forefront of the government’s efficiency agenda, making finance roles an exciting and challenging opportunity.

The Ministry’s functional leadership model for finance brings together specialists into a single unified team across the department with the vision of putting finance at the heart of decision making. The Finance Business Partner (FBP) teams support budget holders across the department, assisting them in delivering their financial management responsibilities, ensuring corporate controls and processes are followed and supporting the business areas to have confidence in their financial position and to drive efficiency. FBPs work alongside the businesses they support and have a close understanding of their work to enable them to help drive better outcomes. We protect value, drive value and add value.

Overview

As a Finance Business Partner in Government, your role is to protect, drive and add value. We aim to be a leading-edge finance function, continuously learning and developing, with a strong focus on adding value and insight, developing our people, and robust financial management. You will be part of a committed and positive leadership team who work together to make our vision a reality.

You will partner and collaborate with colleagues across the organisation, acting as the face of finance and helping to ensure that finance is at the heart of decision making. You will act as a critical friend to areas that you are partnering, ensuring the stewardship of public funds, efficient and effective use of budgets and provide insightful financial analysis to support decision making.

Digital and Technology

The MOJ’s Digital and Technology function aims to put the user first and deliver digital solutions to improve user experience and improve efficiency. The environment is one of change, as different delivery options are explored and commercial arrangements reviewed. The Finance Business Partner should have a good appreciation of the MoJ Justice Digital and support the business to deliver best value for money.

Ministry of Justice Digital Services designs, builds and supports user-centred digital and technology services for the justice system: services that make a real difference to our staff, members of the public and their families who use them. Technology Services are improving the way workplace technology is delivered and managed across the MoJ. Millions of people every year interact with our services, and Digital & Technology play an important role in improving access to justice and making that experience much easier and less distressing.

Director of Technology Team deliver and support services enabling the Justice system to evolve through technical innovation.

Their remit includes:

• End User Compute devices, management, and support.
• Network Connectivity
• Telephony, Voice and Video Services, including video solutions for Courts and Prisons
• Provision and support of a suite of Collaboration and Productivity Applications and Services, such as Microsoft 365
• Print Services

This role will be part of the Finance Business Partner Team supporting Ministry of Justice Digital. The immediate team supports the Director of Technology and their Senior Management Team and supports them in managing a budget of approximately £300m and the postholder will be part of a team of 1 x G7 and 3 x SEO Finance Business Partners.

In addition to salary, a pensionable, non-contractual specialist allowance will be applied to this role. Specialist allowances apply to certain roles only, are non-transferable to other roles and are subject to annual review.

Travel Requirements

• Occasional travel to other MOJ offices is required for meetings/away days.

Main Activities / Responsibilities

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

• Develop an understanding of the financial drivers, risks and opportunities associated with your business area’s objectives and spending plans within delegated expenditure limits.
• Act as the financial adviser to your business area, maintaining standards for financial management and ensuring that the Financial Control Framework is understood and adhered to across the business.
• Ensure that business activities and strategic objectives take full account of financial impact, risk and opportunities.
• Ensure that financial planning assumptions are transparent and adequately tested.
• Support management decision making and problem solving by ensuring that complex information and analysis is translated into meaningful insight and trusted advice.
• Work with the business to analyse financial performance based on management accounts and other evidence; identify adverse trends and challenge forecasts; prompt mitigating action and propose effective solutions.
• Work with commercial colleagues to ensure that commercial decisions and contract performance management are aligned with financial controls and processes.
• Provide financial support for “change” activity; provide an integral support role for projects and programmes
• Providing ad-hoc analysis and presentations to drive and support business decisions, such as efficiency and cost reduction options, using all available data and analytics tools

Essential Criteria

• Possesses emotional intelligence and has the ability to think empathetically, considering the strategic goals of others (Assessed via statement of suitability/CV)

• Fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between the business, finance and other corporate services (Assessed via statement of suitability/CV)

• Can tailor their communication style to a range of audiences, including internal and external stakeholders. Uses facts and evidence to aid negotiation and influencing (Assessed via statement of suitability/CV)

• Helps others to understand the interdependencies between business and finance. Proactive and passionate, inspiring others to continuously improve (Assessed via statement of suitability/CV)

• Ability to "speak the language" of finance to business, and vice versa, acting as the critical translator between the two. (Assessed via presentation during interview)

• Part qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent/working towards or willing to work towards a qualification or fully qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent (Assessed via eligibility question in application)

Professional Skills

Key for Levels of Professional Skills

• A = Awareness
• W = Working
• P = Practitioner
• E = Expert

*C*ore /Level

Budgeting, forecasting, and costing - P

The Budgeting Framework - W

Commercial acumen - W

Investment appraisal and evaluation - W

Strategic analysis and insight - A

Oral and written presentation skills - E

Performance and risks - W

Data and analytics interpretation - P

Useful /Level

Taxation - A

Interpretation of accounts - A

Government financial reporting - A

Supporting the PAC agenda - A

Understanding the role of the NAO - A

Risk management and fraud - A

Application Process

You will be assessed against theCivil service success profiles framework.

Sift Stage

Experience

Please submit the following:

• An anonymous copy of your CV
• A statement of suitability of no more than 750 words. In your answer, please provide examples of how you have met each of the 4 specific essential criteria detailed above.

Qualification

Part qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent/working towards or willing to work towards a qualification or fully qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent.

Applications from non-qualified candidates will be considered, who are willing to develop and work towards a recognised qualification to meet the full requirements of the role, or the role may be adapted accordingly for a non-qualified candidate.

The sift will take place on both the Statement of Suitability and CV.

Successful applicants will then be invited to an interview.

Interview Stage

Please note that interviews will be held virtually via MS Teams.

At interview you will be assessed using the below behaviours and strengths -

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Presentation

You will also be asked to deliver a presentation to demonstrate the professional skills of presenting, budgeting, forecasting, and costing and data and analytics interpretation and the ability to "speak the language" of finance to business, and vice versa, acting as the critical translator between the two.

Presentation information will be sent to all candidates invited to interview.

If you have any questions regarding the role please contact – carole.spencer@justice.gov.uk

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised role: all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk);
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference: 21965

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference: 21965

Allowance

£2,000 for London based and £3,250 for National.

Job Description Attachment

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Application form stage assessments

Experience

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Statement of Suitability

Guidance for the Statement of Suitability

Please provide a statement of suitability of no more than 750 words. In your answer, please provide examples of how you have met each of the 4 specific essential criteria referred to in the Job Description.

Evidence of Experience

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

Technical

Technical Questions Application Form Question Word Limit

250

Specific qualification requirements

Part qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent/working towards or willing to work towards a qualification or fully qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent.

Please answer 'yes' to meeting the above if you are:

1. Part qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent/working towards or

2. Willing to work towards a qualification or

3. Fully qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent

If you are answering yes to option 2, please upload a note indicating your willingness to work towards the qualification.

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates

Interviews expected in October

Behaviours

Working Together

Delivering at Pace

Managing a Quality Service

Communicating and Influencing

Strengths

Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?

Presentation

Level of security checks required

Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.