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General Information

Salary
The national salary range is £71,381 - £80,419, London salary range is £75,674 - £85,257. Your salary will be dependent on your base location
Working Pattern
Full Time, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach
Internal
Location
National
Region
National
Closing Date
05-Aug-2026
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade
Grade 6
Number of jobs available
1
Reserve List
12 Months
Job ID
20263

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Job Title

Senior Finance Business Partner HMPPS – Financial Planning and Strategy, Planning & Standards

Grade

G6

Business Group

Chief Operating Officer

Contract Type

Permanent

Directorate

HMPPS Finance Business Partnering Directorate

Team

Financial Planning and Prison Supply FBP Team

Location

National

Ministry of Justice an Inclusive Employer

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer of choice and ensuring equity of opportunity for all. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring in terms of their culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace please visit

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Overview

The Ministry of Justice sits at the heart of public service, protecting and advancing the principles of justice that underpin our democracy. Like other public services, the Department continues to respond to a challenging fiscal environment, driving innovation across frontline services, improving productivity and ensuring that public resources are prioritised to deliver the greatest impact.

The Finance Business Partnering Directorate, supporting His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), provides strategic financial leadership and business partnering across one of the Ministry's largest and most complex operational organisations, with a budget of £8.3bn and a total workforce of c.65,000 FTE.

The Directorate supports operational delivery, headquarters functions, contracted out and commissioned services, major change programmes and projects within the Government Major Projects Portfolio, providing high-quality financial advice, challenge and insight to support decision-making, strengthen financial stewardship and drive value for money.

The role will act as the lead finance adviser to the Executive Director for Strategy, Standards and Performance, while also providing strategic financial leadership and business partnering to the HMPPS Chief Executive (Accounting Officer) and the Finance Director of Finance Business Partnering. The postholder will lead the development and coordination of financial planning across HMPPS, overseeing the medium-term financial planning, Spending Review planning, annual resource allocation and in-year financial management.

We are looking to recruit an experienced finance professional with the ability to analyse complex financial information, provide clear written and verbal advice, and influence decision-making at the most senior levels across HMPPS and the wider Ministry of Justice. With experience in financial planning, business partnering and strategic financial management.

The Head of Financial Planning will also play a key role in shaping and strengthening financial planning capability. Working closely with colleagues across the Finance Function, Strategy, Performance and Operational Directorates, the postholder will help ensure that financial planning is integrated with business planning, supports effective prioritisation of resources and enables delivery of departmental objectives within a challenging fiscal environment.

The role requires the ability to build strong relationships across organisational boundaries, respond flexibly to changing priorities and provide strategic financial leadership across a broad and complex portfolio.

Successful candidates may be seconded to other parts of the Ministry and its Agencies.

Responsibilities

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

  • Leading the development and delivery of HMPPS' medium-term financial strategy, annual planning cycle and in-year financial planning processes, ensuring resources are aligned to organisational priorities and departmental objectives.
  • Leading HMPPS' financial planning contribution to Spending Reviews (SR27), fiscal events and departmental planning exercises, working closely with the HMPPS FBP Directorate, MoJ / HMPPS Joint Strategy Unit and MoJ Finance Function.
  • Acting as the senior finance business partner to the Executive Director of Strategy, Standards and Performance, providing strategic financial advice, challenge and insight to support executive decision-making, with a £30m budget allocation.
  • Leading the annual allocation process across HMPPS, including both Resource and Capital DEL, ensuring robust governance, affordability and value-for-money decision- making.
  • Providing strategic financial leadership and advice to the HMPPS Chief Executive, Executive Directors, Leadership Team, Agency Board and other senior governance forums on financial performance, risks, opportunities and investment decisions.
  • Driving delivery of HMPPS' efficiency commitments arising from previous Spending Reviews, working with senior leaders to identify, monitor and realise efficiencies.
  • Leading the development of HMPPS' future efficiency, productivity and affordability narrative, working collaboratively across the Agency to support Spending Review 2027 and future fiscal events through robust financial analysis, evidence and strategic planning.  
  • Building strong partnerships across the Ministry of Justice Finance Function, Strategy, Performance and Operational Directorates to ensure financial planning is integrated with business planning and operational delivery.
  • Identifying, assessing and managing strategic financial risks and opportunities, ensuring timely escalation and supporting effective financial control and governance across HMPPS, feeding into the Finance Advisory Committee.
  • Leading and developing the Financial Planning team, building professional capability, fostering an inclusive and high-performing culture, and ensuring colleagues have opportunities for continuous learning and development.
  • Driving continuous improvement in financial planning processes, systems and governance, strengthening financial management capability and supporting the wider Finance Function agenda.

Management of Resources

The postholder will have direct line management responsibility, providing visible leadership, coaching and professional development to build a high-performing Financial Planning team. As a member of the HMPPS Financial Planning and Prison Supply senior leadership team, the postholder will also contribute to the strategic leadership, capability and continuous development of a wider function, promoting collaboration, professional excellence and an inclusive culture.

The postholder will provide strategic financial leadership and business partnering to the HMPPS Chief Executive, Executive Directors and other senior stakeholders, supporting budget holders responsible for a combined portfolio of approximately £8.3bn across both Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (RDEL) and Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (CDEL).

The postholder will play a critical role in ensuring that HMPPS' financial resources are planned, prioritised and deployed effectively, providing strategic financial leadership to support sustainable operational delivery, robust financial stewardship and informed executive decision-making.

Key skills and knowledge

  • Be an inspiring and inclusive leader, with the ability to build high-performing teams and develop finance capability.
  • Be a strategic thinker, able to translate complex financial information into clear insight that supports executive decision-making.
  • Be an influential business partner, capable of building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.
  • Demonstrate resilience, sound judgement and the confidence to provide constructive challenge and make evidence-based decisions in a fast-paced and complex environment.
  • Be an effective communicator, able to present complex financial issues clearly to both finance and non-finance audiences.
  • Be innovative in developing financial planning, forecasting and resource management approaches that improve decision-making, value for money and organisational performance.
  • Demonstrate a strong focus on continuous improvement, helping shape HMPPS' approach to financial sustainability, efficiency and productivity.
  • Have a proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes within demanding timescales.

You will have:

  • Experience of providing strategic financial advice and business partnering to senior leaders, with the ability to build trusted relationships, influence decision-making, and work effectively across organisational boundaries. (Interview experience question)
  • Excellent team leadership skills (assessed via behaviour, Leadership)
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and a proven record of building strong working relationships with stakeholders; and (assessed via behaviour, Communicating and Influencing)

Professional Competencies / Requirements

CCAB qualified accountant (i.e. ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) or a recognised equivalent.

Application process

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Success
Profiles framework.

Sift

CV - Please provide an anonymised copy of your CV.

The following Grade 6 Civil Service Behaviours are essential to this post and will be assessed via 250-word examples.

  • Leadership (Lead Behaviour)
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Delivering at pace
  • Communicating and Influencing

Please refer to the CS Behaviours framework for more details, including by grade:

Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Leadership.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Candidates invited to interview

Interview will be held in person – further details will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Candidates invited to interview will be required to deliver a short presentation. Further details and the presentation topic will be provided in advance of the interview.

During the interview, we will be assessing you on the Behaviours listed above and Strengths from the Success Profiles framework.

You will also be asked an experience question relating to financial planning.

Additional Information

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale.  This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity). 

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Flexible working hours 

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Benefits 

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension 

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training 

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Networks 

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve list

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ:

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference 20263

HMPPS

If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Please quote the job reference

Application form stage assessments

Behaviours
A sift based on the lead behaviour, Leadership, may be held if a large number of applications are received. If a large number of applications remain after the initial sift, your application will be progressed to a full sift, where all behaviours will then be considered.
Behaviours Application Form Question Word Limit
250
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
Delivering at Pace
Communicating and Influencing
Experience
We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
CV or Work History
Evidence of Experience
CV or Work History

Interview stage assessments

Interview Dates
Not expected before the 27 August 2026
Behaviours
Leadership
Seeing the Big Picture
Delivering at Pace
Communicating and Influencing
Strengths
Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance. To learn more about Strengths and how they are assessed please click here.

Other Assessments

Which assessment methods will be used?
Presentation
Level of security checks required
Baseline Personnal Security Standard (BPSS)

Use of Artificial Intelligence (Al)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.  Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.