Our office is in central Reading. We offer flexibility in where you work and we’ll expect you to attend the office a minimum of two days a month. When you join us, we expect you to be in the office more frequently to settle into the TRA. This policy may be subject to change.
Job Summary
We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced individual to be part of TRA’s small and dynamic Finance & Commercial Team. As the Finance Business Partner (FBP); you will work with TRA’s Budget Holders – using your finance expertise to build effective relationships with them and ensure effective operation of TRA’s financial and budgetary controls.
Working closely with colleagues to influence key decisions to support robust decision-making, you will ensure sound financial management is maintained across our organisation. You will report to our Management Accounts Lead and support our Head of Finance & Commercial, providing critical support across TRA.
As a FBP, you will manage our month end processes along with supporting on management accounts duties.
This is a key role, supporting TRA’s ExCo and other budget holders to manage their non-pay budgets.
Job Description
* Lead on monthly management accounting and month-end responsibilities such as ensuring accruals/prepayments journals are posted accurately with supporting evidence, carrying out general ledger analysis, informing budget managers of actual spend reporting.
* Lead the bi-monthly non-pay forecasting and management reporting process such as preparing the management information packs, carrying out budgets vs actuals variance analysis, preparing budget performance commentary.
* Support year end processes such as capturing material accruals and prepayments adjustments, closing the ledgers.
* Provide training and support to the business on key financial processes.
* Support Financial Reporting Lead with year-end audits.
* Liaise with sponsor department on forecasting discussions, including forecasts and actuals reporting in the central forecasting system (Enterprise Performance Management-EPM).
* Lead on monthly management accounting and month-end responsibilities such as ensuring accruals/prepayments journals are posted accurately with supporting evidence, carrying out general ledger analysis, informing budget managers of actual spend reporting.
* Lead the bi-monthly non-pay forecasting and management reporting process such as preparing the management information packs, carrying out budgets vs actuals variance analysis, preparing budget performance commentary.
* Support year end processes such as capturing material accruals and prepayments adjustments, closing the ledgers.
* Provide training and support to the business on key financial processes.
* Support Financial Reporting Lead with year-end audits.
* Liaise with sponsor department on forecasting discussions, including forecasts and actuals reporting in the central forecasting system (Enterprise Performance Management-EPM).
Person specification
* Confident communicator.
* Collaborative and adaptable team player with strong interpersonal skills, able to build effective relationships across and beyond TRA and flex working style to meet diverse stakeholder needs.
* Able to explain financial information clearly and support non-financial colleagues in budget management.
* Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to prioritise workloads and deliver high-quality, accurate outputs to tight deadlines.
* Excellent numeracy skills.
* Strong attention to detail.
* High level of financial analytical ability and sound judgement, skilled in variance analysis.
Essential Criteria
* At least 3 years of working experience in a finance role.
* Experience of carrying out month-end close (preparing and posting journals with supporting audit evidence).
* Strong demonstrable experience of having supported regular forecasting and budgeting exercises for multiple areas with non-finance colleagues.
Desirable Criteria
* 3 years or more combined experience of supporting the production of full management accounts from end-to-end process.
* Knowledge of Managing Public Money (MPM).
Qualifications
CCAB part-qualified (ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS) or AAT/CIMA. If not part-qualified, you should be willing to study towards an accountancy qualification.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Seeing the Big Picture
* Making Effective Decisions
* Communicating and Influencing
* Working Together
* Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
* Making Effective Decisions
* Delivering at Pace
Alongside your salary of £42,402, Trade Remedies Authority contributes £12,283 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Please refer to the candidate pack attached for further information.
Useful Information for Existing Civil Servants
Existing Civil Servants should note that working for the TRA, you will be employed as a public servant. This means:
This vacancy is for a position in the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). TRA employees are not Civil Servants. Individuals applying for this role from the Civil Service are advised to review terms prior to accepting the offer. Key terms are outlined in the benefits section of this advert (these are not exhaustive). Individuals can also discuss with hiring managers and the TRA People Team on resourcing.enquiries@traderemedies.gov.uk.
Your continuity of service for employment protection will start on the day you join us. We are not an employer of the Crown and therefore cannot recognise previous employment with the Civil Service for the purpose of qualifying for Employment Rights. An employee must have 2 years’ length of service with TRA before Employment Rights are recognised.
If you are a member of the Civil Service Pension scheme, your membership and reckonable service will continue with us, providing there is no break between your Civil Service employment and your employment as a public servant with TRA.
We will recognise the annual leave you have built up, up to a maximum of 30 days, and the sick pay entitlement taking account of your length of service in the Civil Service.
If you choose to re-join the Civil Service at any point in the future, this will be according to the policies of the department you are joining following your resignation from TRA. You may also wish to be aware that under Exception 5 of the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles, the re-employment of a former Civil Servant is possible within a maximum of five years of leaving the Civil Service, subject to qualifying criteria being met and depending on the policies of the department you are joining.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
To Apply
Please Provide The Following
* A full CV (record of your education, professional qualifications and employment history) not exceeding 3 pages, which clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria and required skills.
* Completion of two behaviour statements (Delivering at Pace and Making Effective Decisions) ensuring these contain specific examples of how you have demonstrated these behaviours in your current and/or previous roles.
Please note that if a high number of applications are received, we will conduct an initial sift against your CV, looking at your experience and skills.
Interview
The interview assessment will consist of a presentation/scenario-based presentation followed by a behaviour, experience and strength-based interview. Those successful at sift will be contacted with further details of what this entails. The behaviours you will be assessed against are Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Communicating and Influencing, and Working Together. Interviews will take place in person at our office in Reading.
Advert closes: 15th June 2025.
Shortlist: From w/c 16th June 2025.
Interviews: From w/c 7th July 2025.
The opportunity to have an informal chat about the role will be taking place on 2nd June. Please reach out to Andrew Bishopp andrew.bishopp@traderemedies.gov.uk if you would like to discuss the role.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to TRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
We are Inclusive
We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request adjustments.
Our AI Usage Guidelines
We welcome the use of AI tools during your application process, as they can assist you in crafting your CV and personal statement. However, it is crucial that all submitted information is factually accurate and genuinely represents your own ideas and experiences.
Your application may be rejected, and you could face disciplinary measures if plagiarism is detected. Plagiarism includes presenting others’ ideas and experiences, or content generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own. The information in your CV and personal statement will be verified during both the sift stage and your interview.
Near Miss
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via TRArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
* UK nationals
* nationals of the Republic of Ireland
* nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
* nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
* individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
* Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and 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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
* Name : Andrew Bishopp
* Email : andrew.bishopp@traderemedies.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : TRArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment is on merit based on fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles, which can be found at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/02a_RECRUITMENT-PRINCIPLES-April-2018-FINAL-.pdf. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, please contact: resourcing.enquiries@traderemedies.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission (at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/). #J-18808-Ljbffr