Strategic Finance Deputy Director

Job purpose

We are seeking an exceptional individual for a key role in Defra’s Group Finance leadership team, reporting to the group’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

The Deputy Director of Strategic Finance works at the heart of the Department, with responsibility for the strategic management of Defra Group’s c.£7.5bn annual budget. The Strategic Finance team ensure that Defra meet their responsibilities to manage tax-payers money effectively, by making sure we remain within our Parliamentary control totals and planning effectively for the future, including through fiscal events which they lead together with Strategy.

The Strategic Finance Deputy Director will be expected to spend a significant amount of time working with, influencing, and advising the most senior officials and Ministers in Defra group.

Together with the team that they lead, the post holder provide recommendations to the Executive Committee, Permanent Secretary and Ministers on key strategic departmental decisions and processes.

The Deputy Director of Strategic Finance will be expected to maintain a strong and close relationship with colleagues at HM Treasury and will be expected to personally represent finance and Defra, negotiate financial outcomes on behalf of the organisation and present financial information in a range of forums.

The role will provide the individual with ample opportunity to develop skills in leadership, personal impact, problem solving and stakeholder relationships.

Defra group has a unique operating model delivering corporate services centrally to the core department and four complex Arms Length Bodies – Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency, Natural England, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency which means that we provide a Strategic Finance service to the core department and several of its largest ALBs, providing a great breadth of activity to get involved in.

This is a challenging but highly rewarding role that will require full commitment to our vision and a tenacity to overcome any obstacles.

With an upcoming Spending Review and challenging fiscal environment, the importance of a strong strategic finance is highly valued by the organisation.

The Strategic Finance Deputy Director’s responsibilities are:

• Leadership of the Strategic Finance team, ensuring that the team is well led and managed and that all individuals are supported to perform at their best and develop in their careers.
• Management of the group’s in-year budget, ensuring that the department lives within its annual budget control totals through forecasting, maintaining robust controls and taking action to bring budgets on track as needed. The team report monthly to the Executive Committee.
• Provide long term financial planning, including through the delivery of annual business planning rounds, managing and advising on future financial commitments and overseeing delivery of our agreed savings and efficiencies targets.
• Preparation for the Spending Review, working closely with Strategy and analysis colleagues to ensure that the department is well prepared to agree a future settlement with HM Treasury. While the Spending Review is underway you will be responsible for overseeing the financial input into our SR return to HMT, helping to steer and support the department, providing advice to decision makers and being a critical part of the team negotiating with HMT.
• Owning the relationship with HM Treasury - ensuring that mechanisms for appropriate sharing of information are in place, facilitating engagement between HMT and the rest of the Department and establishing trust and credibility with the spending team as key stakeholders.
• Ensure that the Strategic Finance team is visible, influential and well plugged into the work of the department. This is through your own personal relationships and impact as well as through the culture and ways of working of the team.
• Act as a member of the Finance Leadership Team, supporting the CFO to make Defra Group Finance a great place to work.