£56,375 to £69,105 per year, National: £56,375 - £62,830 London: £62,000 - £69,105 For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading 'Salary'.
Contract Type:
Permanent
Hours:
Full time
Disability Confident:
Yes
Closing Date:
01/02/2026
About this job
DEFRA is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy.
Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.
Defra Group Finance have a G7 role in Business Partnering, supporting the Environment Agency's £5.2bn capital programme, acting as the face of Finance, and taking Finance to the heart of decision making.
As a Finance Business Partner your role is to protect value, drive value and add value.
Your key responsibility will be to support the Head of Function and their senior leadership team in managing their financial position and implementing their savings, make robust investment decisions and implement their action plans.
The roles will involve collaborating with colleagues from across Defra Group Finance and the business areas to deliver successful outcomes.
You will also assist in providing insightful financial analysis and establishing a robust challenge to inform decision making and business planning.
You will act as the face of Finance to ensure that finance is at the heart of commercial decision making, engaging suppliers in holding to account and securing benefits.
As a critical friend to the business, you will ensure stewardship of public funds, efficient and effective use of budgets and play a key role in transformational change.
You will provide advice on Directorate budgets, improve forecasting capability of teams and protect the Accounting Officer's interest as outlined in Managing Public Money.
Key responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
* Leading a team of SEO Business Partners who use a variety of skills and techniques, encouraging and motivating the team to deliver at pace and to a high standard.
Build and sustain a reputation amongst senior stakeholders as an indispensable, high quality source of expertise on strategic business affairs.
Provide financial input to strategy development from the outset, supporting and advising as part of the decision-making process.
Taking the outputs from management accounts and using these to facilitate discussions on the direction of travel and management of financial risk, providing financial analysis and the identification of risk & opportunities.
Support customers with financial planning and budgeting, ensuring they are as prepared as possible for the future requirements, for example Spending Reviews.
Challenge and support the business to enhance decision-making and increase performance.
Ensuring input to key finance activities, such as Defra's Annual Report and Accounts, is timely, accurate and that relevant interim and end year information is provided.
Build strong relationships with colleagues from across Finance and the wider Department to provide a joined up service.
Support key portfolios of work.
This could be functional based such as key projects, programmes or for cross cutting Finance services.
Provide financial scrutiny of investment proposals including support to Project assurance groups.
Provide expert finance advice and resolving queries from stakeholders (NAO, HMT, Cabinet Office and external delivery partners.
Monitor and provide advice on compliance with financial policy and accountabilities as outlined in Managing Public Money, ensuring appropriate financial controls are in place.
Play a key role in shaping the finance service by leading improvement projects.
Work with all stakeholders to develop enhanced reporting via Qlik and live capital reporting solutions.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
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