Flexible working: due to its sensitive nature this role is office-based and home-working
Please ensure you read the below overview and requirements for this employment opportunity completely.
will not be possible. We value a good work-life balance and offer part-time (minimum 4
days), compressed hours, and flexibility around start and finish times. Full time hours are
up to 37 hours, depending on location.
About us
MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to
harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining,
analysing and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners, including
MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide
advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to
keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means you’ll do unique and challenging work in a
supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national
security.
The role
Our finance teams keep internal spending on-track, which makes them critical to our
work. As a Financial Accountant, you could be working in one of the various teams across
our finance function. During the recruitment process, we’ll get to know you and assess
which area best reflects your strengths and interests.
Financial Analysis
One area you could join is Financial Analysis. This team provides key insights that guide
decision-making across the organisation. As a Financial Accountant here, you’ll be
responsible for key month-end activities and ensuring reports are accurate. You’ll keep
our financial systems reliable by maintaining strong controls, and you’ll use management
reports to provide insightful analysis for senior managers. You’ll manage all month-end
activity, approve journals, support budget profiling and produce forecasts. You’ll explain
significant changes in forecasts or actuals where needed, produce management reports
and build collaborative relationships with stakeholders, while leading your own small
team.
Financial Accounting and Reporting
Or you could join our Financial Accounting and Reporting team. They handle the summary,
analysis and reporting of financial transactions made by the agencies. In this area, you’ll
interpret data and carry out analysis that gives senior managers the assurance they need,
ensuring the right information reaches the right people. You’ll gather supporting
information in line with accounting standards, query and challenge data, and ensure
everything is documented clearly for audit purposes. You’ll analyse monthly balance
sheet reconciliations, interpret financial data for the annual report and accounts,
complete the NAO disclosure checklist and escalate potential issues when needed. In all
you do, you’ll always communicate clearly when explaining how data aligns with
standards and maintain strong controls to keep information accurate.
Financial Operations
Finally, there’s Financial Operations. This team manages accounts payable, accounts
receivable, expenses and cash management services. As a Financial Accountant in this
team, you’ll develop a detailed understanding of financial objectives, transactions and
business areas, and you’ll bring structure to delivery. You’ll also ensure operations can
respond to different needs while following standard guidelines and frameworks. You’ll
promote a culture of excellent customer service, manage internal controls, monitor
performance against agreed targets and become a trusted expert in your area. You’ll
advise business units on financial processes, support transaction-processing services,
assess the impact of changes, maintain the integrity of data in the finance system and
oversee audit requests, working closely with clients to spot opportunities for
improvement.
There are many different areas in the finance function you could join or explore during
your career with us. Find out more about these roles on our Finance careers page.
About you
You’ll be part-qualified in ACCA, CIMA or equivalent, with demonstrable experience in a
similar role within the public sector. Organised, positive, and eager to learn, you value
teamwork, innovation and making an impact. You’ll work professionally and
collaboratively, enjoy solving problems as part of a team, and you’ll be skilled at building
strong relationships and negotiating with key stakeholders. All your skills will be
underpinned by a passion for finance and aptitude for figures and spreadsheets.
You’ll be working towards a CCAB (Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies) or
CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) qualification and have some
supervisory experience. To be considered part-qualified, you’ll have completed the
Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills modules of ACCA and ideally be studying towards
Strategic Professional, or you’ll have completed the Operational and Management levels
of CIMA and be working towards Strategic Level. xcunqrw Degree exemptions that cover these
requirements are also accepted, as long as you can provide evidence from the appropriate
governing body.