Developing a strategic understanding of the business, its stakeholders and deliverables.
Strategic Finance SEOs are expected to own the leadership of processes and products to support Financial Planning, Fiscal Events and build and maintain the single point of contact relationship with their counter parts in the HMT Spending Team.
They often have project management type roles to lead the delivery of set pieces, commissioning work, leading the collation of responses / outputs and resolving issues presented.
They are required to understand the big picture of the delivery for their team and commission and collate with confidence, often asking senior stakeholders (including the Executive Team or someone on their behalf) in the Department to complete delivery, sometimes on short deadlines.
SEOs in Strategic Finance are responsible for building strong relationships and leading key processes and products across the Department.. They aim to communicate requirements and expectations clearly and provide valuable advice, challenge and support, and strategic insight to deliver quality outputs to time, often with tight deadlines for delivery.
May be suitable for staff with the required skills and/or experience from within finance, policy or private office/strategic roles
While qualification is not essential for Strategic Finance SEOs, it is recommended there is a balance of qualified staff with CCAB, CIMA and experience in relevant strategic/policy roles with clear evidence of strong numeric ability across strategic finance teams.
Developing a strategic understanding of the business, its stakeholders and deliverables.
Building and maintaining relationships across the Department and with HMT
Leading on areas of ownership for preparation and delivery of Spending Review and Fiscal Events, e.g. may represent a specific area of the Department
Own strategic product development and leadership
Leading the translation and adding insight to financial data to support key discussions across the Department and with HMT
Providing guidance and coordination with other finance functions on HMT priorities and requirements
Leading the drafting for briefing to seniors (Senior Civil Servants) and Ministers
Providing ad-hoc analysis and presentations to the business and across finance functions
Leading responses and developing resolutions as required for ad-hoc enquiries including PQs / FOIs
For details of Behaviours read the Success Profiles guidance on GOV.UK.
Leadership
Communicating and Influencing
Seeing the Big Picture
Working Together
Delivering at Pace
Developing Self and Others
Able to work independently, proactively, passionately and confidently on high-profile areas across the Department and lead others to achieve quality and on time delivery of outputs.
Comfortable and confident in working at pace to manage a full workload with conflicting short and long-term priorities.
Building positive relationships with partners in other teams, and influencing others through excellent interpersonal and communication skills, tailored to the recipient. This includes the ability to critically consider and confidently challenge stakeholders regarding their delivery or information and translating across functions to obtain a joined up approach.
Influencing policy development and decisions, using analytical skills and different evidence sources to provide ministers or senior officials with high-quality advice. Transferable experience for providing written and oral briefings to Ministers and/or senior officials.
Leading collaboratively with structure, by constructing clear timelines and processes, with interdependencies and owners, to lead others to successful delivery with clear products and outcomes for the process.
Fostering and leading a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between policy, programmes, the business, finance and other corporate services.
| Subheadings | Professional Skills | Level | Learning Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | Strategic analysis and insight | P | |
| Oral and written presentation skills | E | ||
| Data and analytics interpretation | W | ||
| Influencing Senior Leaders and Ministers (including drafting skills) | E | ||
| The Budgeting Framework | W | ||
| Proactive problem resolution | W | ||
| Understanding the role of the NAO | A | ||
| Negotiating with Pragmatism | W | ||
| Support the PAC Agenda | W | ||
| Government Financial Reporting and governance requirements | W | ||
| Useful | Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing | W | |
| Risk management and fraud | A | ||
| Taxation | A | ||
| Performance and risk management | W | ||
| Commercial acumen | W | ||
| Investment appraisal and evaluation | W |
Overall across strategic finance teams, it is recommended there is a balance of qualified staff with CCAB, CIMA and experience in relevant strategic/policy roles with clear evidence of strong numeric ability.
There is no requirement for this specific grade and role to be qualified, as long as there is sufficient qualified expertise across the team.
This role may be suitable for Finance individuals at HEO or SEO with the required influencing and interpersonal skills.
This role may be suitable for individuals with the required numeracy, drafting and analysis skills, either as a route into a finance career or a broadening finance post. It could form part of normal fast stream rotations.
Staff in this role typically move into other SEO roles or often on promotion to G7 within Finance, Policy or Private office. Posts include opportunities in other government departments (OGDs), including HMT.