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: cspensions.cpg@finance-ni.gov.uk

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.