Head of Finance

Job description

Location: The role can be based in either our London or Newcastle office, with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office and, if based in Newcastle, regular travel (circa twice a month) to the London Office.

Salary: The starting salary for our London office is c.£80,000 and for our Newcastle office it's c.£70,000 per annum, although this can be subject to negotiation for exceptional candidates.

About the role

The NAO is pleased to announce a vacancy for the post of Head of Finance. The role is responsible for the day-to-day operation of Financial Reporting, Financial planning and Management Accounts, and oversee the management of outsourced payroll. The role is expected to provide high quality and added value financial and business services to the Office. It also includes production of an unqualified financial statement, minimising the risk of impropriety and internal fraud and maintenance of effective internal control financial management and reporting systems.

The NAO comprises around 1,100 people who carry out their work from its London and Newcastle Offices; the annual expenditure of the NAO is around £130 million.

This is an exciting time to join us as we begin our new five-year strategy. The NAO plays an essential role in our democracy. We provide independent assurance to Parliament on government accounts and trusted insights on how well public money is spent. Our strategy sets out our ambition to increase our impact on the productivity and resilience of services and the quality of financial management and reporting in government. Maintaining and continuing to improve our own high quality financial management and resilient operations supports us to be an even more credible and authoritative voice with Parliament and our other stakeholders.

How to apply

To be considered for this role, please submit your up-to-date CV along with a covering letter (maximum two pages) detailing how you meet the key person criteria before the application deadline of Wednesday 10 September.

Interviews are scheduled to take place during the week commencing 22 September.

Nationality Requirements:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

Please note, we are not able to sponsor work visas. Please contact us at should you have any questions on your nationality eligibility.

Equal opportunities and diversity

Disability and Reasonable Adjustments

Applicants with a disability who wish their application to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme should confirm this when submitting their application. Under this scheme, we guarantee an interview to an applicant with a disability who meets the minimum requirements for the role. You should also let our HR team know if you wish us to consider any Reasonable Adjustments at any stage of the process (HR Service Desk ( .

Applicants will not be discriminated against on the grounds of any protected characteristic or any other extraneous factor.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage day-to-day finance operations and ensure efficient and effective systems with robust internal controls.
• Deputise for the Director of Finance when required, representing or producing and presenting Finance papers at Executive and Directorate meetings as needed.
• Promote finance continuous improvement and innovation across the function including greater use of technology and automation, and ongoing process improvement.
• Lead the finance team and promote a culture of inclusivity, collaboration and continuous improvement and provide performance coaching and regular feedback to direct line reports.
• Responsible for the Finance and Travel Policies and ensuring compliance with HMRC policies on relevant finance matters.
• Ensure compliance with all the relevant transparency and reporting requirements.
• Provide professional and technical advice on finance matters to the Finance Director, Chief Operating Officer and the Executive Team as required.
• Contribute to the preparation of briefing for the C&AG and Chief Operating Officer ahead of the Parliamentary hearings where required by the Director of Strategy.

Further responsibilities include overseeing financial reporting, planning, management accounts, payroll, systems, automation, and accountability, as detailed in the original description.

Skills required

Key Person Criteria:

• Qualified Accountant- e.g. ACA, CIPFA, ACCA, CIMA.
• Demonstrable experience of leading a finance function in a central government or wider public sector organisation.
• Sound technical knowledge in accounting, financial reporting, and budgeting and proven experience of public sector finances, HM Treasury Guidance, Parliamentary reporting requirements and IFRS.
• Proven track record of producing statutory accounts for audit.
• Evidence of influencing senior stakeholders and contributing to strategic decision-making.
• Meticulous attention to detail and high accuracy, with a focus on minimizing fraud and error.
• Strategic thinking linking operational finance to strategic goals.
• Analytical skills, financial modelling, and advanced spreadsheet skills.
• Digital acumen and experience in implementing and improving financial systems and reporting tools, including automation.
• Ability to manage competing demands, meet deadlines, and operate effectively under pressure.
• Effective communication skills, confident presentation, and clear financial reporting.
• Stakeholder engagement and influence skills.
• Leadership and team management experience, including coaching and staff development.