Candidate Information Booklet Finance and Governance Manager (Ref FGM03/18) Closing date for applications: 16:00 on 13 th April 2018
Candidate Information Booklet
Finance and Governance Manager (Ref FGM03/18)
Closing date for applications: 16:00 on 13th April 2018
Job Description Job Title: Finance and Governance Manager Organisation: Victims and Survivors Service Location: 1st Floor Seatem House, 28-32 Alfred Street, Belfast, BT2 8EN. Salary: £36,448 - £40,072 (under review) Post: Full Time / Permanent Reports to: Head of Corporate Services Background
The Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) delivers support and services for victims and survivors of troubles/conflict-related incidents. The VSS operates three Programmes of funding:
1. The Individual Needs Programme (INP), which delivers financial support and direct access to goods and services to individual victims and survivors.
2. The Victims Support Programme (VSP), which delivers funding to
organisations that provide Health and Wellbeing and Social Support services to victims and survivors across Northern Ireland.
3. The VSS is the Lead Partner for the victims and survivors element of
the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE IV). PEACE IV provides funding for cross-border Health and Wellbeing services by increasing the quality of care in the sector for victims and survivors and their families.
These Programmes enable the VSS to provide accessible, responsive and co-ordinated services to meet the needs of victims and survivors in an integrated way. The current budget of the VSS is approximately £17.8m per annum.
Purpose of the Role As a member of the senior management team the Finance and Governance
Manager will take responsibility for managing the quality and effectiveness of the
organisation’s corporate affairs. Reporting to the Head of Corporate Services, the
Finance and Governance Manager will have management responsibility for the
Corporate Finance and Governance teams (incorporating 9 staff in total, including
two direct reports at Staff Officer level).
Organisational Structure of VSS
Job Description The key elements that constitute the role of Finance and Governance Manager for
the Victims and Survivors Service are as follows:
Management of Finance and Governance
- Managing the day to day running of the finance and governance teams
through the use of appropriate systems, processes, policies, procedures
and practices to meet the needs of the business.
- Responsible for ensuring that the VSS fulfils its commitments as set out in
the Management Statement and Financial Memorandum.
- Ensuring that appropriate financial procedures, controls and structures are
in place for the effective, efficient and economic management of public
funds and the monitoring their outputs and outcomes (relating to both Core
and EU funding).
- Ensuring that good governance and effective controls are in place and
maintaining a strategy for the management of risk.
- Contributing to the planning, agreement and monitoring of financial targets.
- Managing staff within the Corporate Finance and Governance teams.
- Managing, monitoring and controlling finances, in accordance with
Managing Public Money NI (MPMNI) and the Government Financial
Reporting Manual (FReM); ensuring overall expenditure by the Service is
maintained within voted expenditure and the organisation’s financial
position is formally reported monthly to the relevant stakeholders.
- Preparing Annual Accounts, in line with FReM and relevant Government
Accounting standards for submission to the Northern Ireland Audit Office
and Companies House.
- Monitoring the timely compilation of business cases, and provide advice
and quality assurance on all procurement activities in accordance with VSS
policy and relevant guidelines/legislation (including EU programme
regulations).
- Management of organisational response to suspected fraud in line with
policy and procedure.
- Management of grant verification process (governance team), to deliver
vouching and verification of project expenditure.
- Liaison with Internal & External Audit, including planning/exit meetings,
management responses to recommendations as appropriate, and
implementation of recommendations.
- Carrying out financial month end on a timely basis preparation of various
report for Board and Audit and Risk Committee. Provide secretariat service
for Audit and Risk Committee.
- Financial management of the VSS PEACE IV funded project, including
budgeting, cashflow management and claim submission.
- Undertaking any other duties on behalf of the Victims and Survivors Service
as assigned by the Head of Corporate Services or the Chief Executive
Officer.
Leadership Skills – Responsible for leading the Corporate Services Team
The Finance and Governance Manager has a formal management responsibility
for staff within the organisation.
A vital role for the Finance and Governance Manager is to develop excellent
working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Key elements
include:
- Providing effective leadership to the Finance and Governance teams in
delivering the corporate services departmental strategy.
- Providing direction, effectively building capacity and managing change
within the Corporate Services team in order to contribute to the organisation
addressing current and future challenges.
- Demonstrating an inclusive style of leadership which motivates staff,
develops commitment, encourages innovation and builds positive
relationships with stakeholders.
- Demonstrating a high level of personal integrity and maintaining
professional standards throughout the Corporate Services function.
Communication
The Finance and Governance Manager will contribute towards developing the
major internal and external communication channels and processes within the
Corporate Services department. These include:
- Providing effective, timely advice and information to the Head of Corporate
Services, the Chief Executive Officer, the Board, TEO and other members
of the Senior Management Team.
- Providing support for plans and programmes and demonstrating the ability
to problem solve innovatively.
Policy and Strategy
The role holder will support the Chief Executive Officer and the Head of Corporate
Services, for Corporate and Business Planning purposes, ensuring that the
themes and goals contained within the plans align to those of Ministers and
Government.
The role also involves supporting the Head of Corporate Services in the co-
ordination and cascading of top level corporate goals to intermediate and lower
level operational plans and targets.
The foregoing is a broad range of duties and is not intended to be a complete description of all tasks. It is important to note that the responsibilities may change to meet the evolving needs of the Victims and Survivors Service.
Essential Criteria
Applicants should be aware that after an eligibility sift, should it be necessary to
shortlist candidates to go forward to interview, this will be done by carrying out an
objective evaluation of the information provided by candidates against the eligibility
criteria so that only those candidates who best demonstrate that they meet the
criteria will be invited to interview.
If an applicant does not provide sufficient detail against each individual criterion,
including the appropriate dates required to meet the eligibility criteria the selection
panel will reject the application.
By the closing date for applications, candidates must have:
1. Successfully completed the final professional examinations, and be a full,
current member of one of the professional bodies below:
- Chartered Accountants Ireland;
- The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland;
- The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;
- The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants;
- The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants;
- The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy;
- The Institute of Certified Public Accounts in Ireland; or equivalent.
2. A minimum of 2 years’ practical experience in all of the following areas:
- Preparation of financial statements in accordance with all relevant
accounting guidance.
- Preparation of management accounts and other financial information to
tight deadlines.
- Preparing, managing and monitoring budgets of greater than £500k per
annum.
- Managing relationships with external or internal auditors and the
implementation of recommendations.
- Leading, managing and motivating a team.
- A current Full UK Driving License with access to a car. This will be
waived in the case of an applicant whose disability prohibits driving but
who is able to organise suitable alternative arrangements.
Short-Listing / Desirable Criteria:
VSS reserves the right to short-list only those applicants, who, as at the closing
date for the receipt of applications have:
- 1 year’s experience of best practice in public sector governance including
knowledge of Managing Public Money NI.
- 1 year’s experience of preparing public sector financial statements in
accordance with relevant accounting guidance.
- 1 year’s experience procurement processes.
NOTE: Clear evidence should be provided of all the elements of each criterion in
the application form giving specific length of experience, examples and dates. It is
not sufficient to simply provide a list of duties and responsibilities. The selection
panel will not make assumptions from the title of an applicant’s post or the nature
of the organisation as to the skills and experience gained.
Person Specification People Developing, maintaining and enhancing effective working relationships with a wide
range of external contacts which will include members of the public, colleagues
and other appropriate stakeholders. The post holder must possess excellent
people management, influencing and negotiation skills.
Planning and Organising The post holder must be competent in planning and organising work to ensure the
most effective use of available time and resources. Obtaining and organising
information and resources to support work activities in line with policies and
procedures. Working to tight deadlines and have the ability to work under
pressure. Attention to detail and accuracy with figures are essential.
Problem Solving The post holder identifies and interprets problems, generates solutions and takes
appropriate action to deliver solutions or refers to appropriate people.
Information and Communication The post holder must communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Have the
ability to receive, process and gather relevant information and to communicate
information and advice in a manner that is understood, is timely and is tailored to
the needs of the recipient. The post-holder requires strong IT skills and
competence in the use of all aspects of Microsoft Office.
Guidance for Making your Application
The application form is designed to ensure that applicants provide the necessary
information to determine how they meet the competition requirements and the
essential/desirable criteria.
- The space available on the application form is the same for all applicants
and must not be altered.
- VSS will not accept CVs, letters, additional pages or any other
supplementary material in place of or in addition to completed application
forms.
- Applicants must complete the application form in Arial font 12, or legible,
block capitals using black ink.
- Applicants must not reformat application forms.
- Information in support of your application will not be accepted after the
closing date for receipt of applications.
- Do not use acronyms, complex technical detail etc. Write for the reader
who may not know your employer, your branch or your job.
- Relevant or equivalent qualifications – If you believe your qualification is
equivalent to the one required, the onus is on you to provide the panel with
details of modules studied etc. so that a well-informed decision can be
made.
- It is essential that all applicants demonstrate on their application form how
and to what extent their experience and skills are relevant to this post and
the extent to which they satisfy each of the essential and desirable criterion
specified. If you do not provide sufficient detail, including the appropriate
dates needed to meet the criteria, the selection panel will reject your
application.
- The examples you provide should be concise and relevant to the criteria.
This is very important as the examples which you provide may be
discussed at interview and you may need to be prepared to talk about these
in detail if you are invited to interview. It is your unique role that the panel
are interested in, not that of your team or division.
- The Victims and Survivors Service will not make assumptions from the title
of the applicant’s post or the nature of the organisation as to the skills and
experience gained.
Application form Submission
- Completed applications can be submitted by:
- Post or delivered by hand to the Recruitment Officer, VSS, 1st Floor
Seatem House, 28-32 Alfred Street, Belfast, BT2 8EN.
- We will not accept incomplete application forms; application forms received
after the closing deadline or reformatted application forms.
- Applicants using Royal Mail should note that 1st class mail does not
guarantee next day delivery. It is the responsibility of the applicant to
ensure that sufficient postage has been paid to return the form to the
Victims and Survivors Service to meet the required deadline.
- Completed application forms cannot be submitted electronically.
- VSS will not accept any application where there has been a shortfall in
postage.
- Should you have any queries please contact the Victims and Survivors
Service on 028 90 279 100.
Application Process
Interview Guidance for Applicants
At interview, the selection panel will assess candidates against the behavioural
competences, qualifications and experience for the post. It is anticipated that the
interviews will take place April / May 2018 at VSS, 1st Floor Seatem House, 28-32
Alfred Street, Belfast, BT2 8EN.
If this is your first experience of a competence-based interview, bear in mind
that it does not require you to:
- Talk through previous jobs or appointments from start to finish.
- Provide generalised information as to your background and experience.
- Provide information that is not specifically relevant to the competence the
question is designed to test.
- A competence-based interview does however require you to:
- Focus exclusively, in your responses, on your ability to fulfil the
competences required for the effective performance in the role.
- Provide specific examples of your experience in relation to the required
competence areas.
Further Appointments from this Competition
Where a further position in the Victims and Survivors Service is identified which is
considered broadly similar to that outlined in this candidate information booklet,
consideration will be given to filling the position from this competition. The reserve
list resulting from this competition will be valid for a period of up to one year from
the closing date for applications.
Disability Requirements
VSS will ask on the application form if you require any reasonable adjustments,
due to disability, to enable you to attend any part of the assessment process.
Details of any disability are only used for this purpose and do not form any part of
the selection process. If you have indicated on your application that you have a
disability and are successful in the selection process and are being considered for
appointment, you may be required to outline any adjustments you consider
necessary in order for you to take up an appointment. If you wish to discuss your
disability requirements further, please contact the Recruitment Officer on 028 90
279 100.
Pensions
The VSS offers all new employees an attractive pension package. Further details can be found on the Civil Service Pensions Scheme (Northern Ireland) website:
www.finance-ni.gov.uk/civilservicepensions-ni
If you are unable to access the website please contact Civil Service Pensions as follows: Civil Service Pensions Waterside House 75 Duke Street Londonderry BT47 6FP Tel: 02871 319000 Email: [email protected]
Equality Opportunity Monitoring Form
The Victims and Survivors Service complies with relevant Equal Opportunities
legislation and policies. All applications for employment are considered strictly on
the basis of merit.
Please note this form is regarded as part of your application and failure to
complete and return it will result in disqualification.
The information is used for monitoring purposes only. All applications for
employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.
Please complete the monitoring form and return with your application form.
Feedback
VSS are committed to providing feedback in respect to decisions taken in
determining eligibility/shortlisting as well as at interview. Feedback will be
communicated in writing on receipt of a written request. All requests for feedback
are welcome.
Vetting Procedures
Prior to appointment with the Victims and Survivors Service the following will be
required:
Proof of qualifications.
Baseline Personnel Security Standard vetting checks.