G6 Strategic Finance staff are responsible for leading on departmental financial planning at single year and multi-year Spending Reviews and Fiscal Events, and are responsible for building and maintaining the single point of contact relationship with HMT for the whole department. They develop a holistic understanding of in-year and future year plans against budget at a departmental level. They are the trusted expert on departmental and cross-government spending controls. A key element of this role is to ensure the Accounting Officer is able to justify and defend their use of public funds to Parliament and the Public.
Leading on departmental financial planning at single year and multiyear Spending Reviews and Fiscal Events, and are responsible for building and maintaining the single point of contact relationship with HMT for the whole department. They are the trusted expert on departmental and cross government spending controls, and are responsible for ensuring the Accounting Officer is able to justify and defend their use of public funds to Parliament and the Public.
Only suitable for staff with the required skills and/or experience from within finance, policy or private office/strategic roles.
There is no requirement for Strategic Finance G6s to be qualified with CCAB or CIMA, as long as there is sufficient qualified expertise at G7, SCS1 and SCS2.
Negotiating and securing investment and resource funding from HMT to cover key departmental activity, including major change programmes and operational services, plus any material savings to be made, through single-year or multi-year Spending Reviews and Fiscal Events. Responsible for building and maintaining the single point of contact relationship with counterparts in the HMT spending team.
Ensuring that the Department has a multi year strategic financial plan, which is underpinned by a robust understanding of cost drivers.
May be responsible for producing and reporting departmental Supply Estimates, and reconciling at year-end against the audited financial statements.
Centre of expertise for financial controls - advising business groups on how to work within the parameters of HMT control totals or Cabinet Office spending controls, and ensuring that expenditure is made in line with Managing Public Money principles, adheres to the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance, and virements align to the Estimates Manual. This role will often be the custodian of HMT approval forward looks and will be the gateway to HMT approvals.
Ensuring the Accounting Officer is able to justify and defend their use of public funds to Parliament and the Public - ensuring expenditure has legislative cover, is value for money for the Exchequer, is made under propriety and regularity principles, and is feasible in terms of delivery and capacity.
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
Making effective decisions
Developing Self and Others
Strong leadership skills, and the ability to motivate and develop a strategic finance team. Promoting consistent excellence in the team's output whilst balancing working at pace to manage a full workload with conflicting short and long-term priorities
Able to credibly influence strategic planning and at pace, making an impact at senior levels through excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including building and maintaining networks and relationships, especially across Government with HMT and Cabinet Office
Excellent personal presentation and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex financials to a broad base of recipients including ministerial briefings; and building this capability within the Strategic Finance Team
Leading and influencing a collaborative approach to problem solving across the Department. Objectively considering a number of options and scenarios through multiple lenses, in order to achieve effective outcomes with clearly outlined associated risks
Fostering and leading a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration between policy, programmes, the business, finance and other corporate services
Key for Levels of Professional Skills
W = Working
P = Practitioner
E = Expert
| Subheadings | Professional Skills | Level | Learning Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core | Strategic analysis and insight | E | |
| Oral and written presentation skills | E | ||
| Data and analysis interpretation | E | ||
| Influencing senior leaders and ministers (including drafting skills) | E | ||
| The Budgeting Framework | E | ||
| Proactive problem resolution | E | ||
| Understanding the role of NAO | E | ||
| Negotiating with pragmatism | E | ||
| Supporting the PAC Agenda | E | ||
| Government financial reporting and governance requirements | E | ||
| Useful | Budgeting, forecasting and costing | W | |
| Risk Management and fraud | P | ||
| Taxation | W | ||
| Performance and risk management | W | ||
| Commercial acumen | P | ||
| Investment appraisal and evaluation | P |
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 at G7, SCS1 and SCS2.
This role may be suitable for individuals at G7 or G6 with strong relationship building skills, reporting/analytical skills, negotiating skills, strategic thinking, and ability to work at extreme pace.
This role is suitable for non-finance professionals with policy and programme experience, where there has been a strong financial element and understanding required in their previous roles.
Staff in this role typically move into other G6 roles or often on promotion to SCS1 within Finance, Policy or Private office. Posts include opportunities in OGDs, including HMT. If they are qualified they may move to other finance functional roles.