Communication and Relationships

Tell us about the skills required by a typical post-holder to communicate, establish and maintain relationships and gain the cooperation of others. Let us know the skills required to motivate, negotiate, persuade, make presentations, train others, empathise, communicate unpleasant news sensitively and provide counselling and reassurance. You should also include any difficulties involved in exercising these skills.

Communication skills:

• Engage with and build relationships with States of Jersey employees at all levels, including senior management.
• Challenge financial decision making of budget holders (estimated budgets between £50m and £200m).
• Explain complex financial planning, procurement and accounting concepts to non-specialists in Plain English.
• Obtain relevant information and provide advice and assistance on complex technical accounting, and managing financial budgets for financial and non-financial staff, including senior management.
• Provide advice and assistance on financial management and value for money decision making as an expert in their subject area.
• Report writing skills to produce formal reports for financial and non-financial users, for example economic and financial sections of Business Cases.
• Preparation and production of reports and commentary suitable for publication to a tight timescale which does not allow much time for review.
• Provide training on financial acumen and managing finance to States of Jersey staff when required.
• Listen to customer requirements and translation of these into new reports.
• Organise and attend meetings where potentially sensitive business and financial plans are discussed.
• Have difficult conversations, deliver constructive feedback and provide advice and assistance on relevant matters.
• Most client base will be internal, however there will on occasion be the requirement to prepare information to respond to questions from the media, politicians and suppliers.
• As civil servants the employee will be responsible to the public; as professional accountants and members of professional bodies the employee is obliged to abide by the ethics set out.

Analytical Skills

Please describe the analytical and judgemental skills required to fulfil the requirements of the job. Consider any requirements for analytical skills to diagnose a problem or situation, or to understand complex situations or information, and judgemental skills to formulate solutions and recommend/decide on the best course of action.

Data analysis skills:

• Manipulate, analyse and interpret complex data sets.
• Interpret financial information from the general ledger, for example aiding financial decision making my asking budget holders relevant and insightful questions about spending pattern.
• Produce meaningful reports for senior management and in response to ad hoc queries.
• Ensure accuracy in their work and check their own calculations and check the work of others.
• Work accurately with figures whilst under pressure
• Review, interpret and summarise financial information.
• Prepare and interpret reconciliations and management information.

Planning & Organisation
Please tell us about the planning and organisational skills required to fulfil the job responsibilities. You should include a description of the skills required for activities such as planning or organising services, departments, rotas, meetings, conferences, events and for strategic planning. Please reference the complexity and degree of uncertainty involved in these activities. Include details of the length of typical planning horizons.

This role requires the post holder to manage their own work, use own initiative and make decisions, and be accountable within the scope of their role.

They need to effectively manage and prioritise their own workload to ensure that deadlines and standards are met.

The role is responsible for meeting with budget holders and acting as the link between finance and the department managers and budget holders. This involves interpreting and responding to financial queries / referring them when necessary to other parts of the finance function, and following up on responses.

Physical Skills

Tell us about any physical and sensory skills, hand-eye co-ordination, dexterity, manipulation and/or requirements for speed and accuracy, keyboard and driving skills required by the role Include the reason it is needed, and how frequently it is used. Please ensure that this information is in line with the Person Specification.

Keyboard skills are needed.

Policy and Service Development

Tell us about any responsibilities of the job for development and implementation of policy and/or services. Let us know the nature of the responsibility and the extent and level of the jobholder’s contribution to the relevant decision-making process, for instance, making recommendations to decision makers. Also, tell us whether the relevant policies or services relate to a function, department, division, directorate, the whole trust or employing organisation, or wider than this; and the degree to which the responsibility is shared with others.

When working as a Business Partner Advisor across the different service areas of the States, the post holder identifies where improvements can and/or should be made to procedures and financial controls and makes recommendations to appropriate employees and senior management both informally and formally through documenting suggested improvements.

The post holder is able to propose changes to practices for their own role and the Business Partnering team.

The information the post holder provides will be the basis for decision and policy making.

The post holder may be involved in the review of new corporate policies (e.g. Financial Directions) to provide feedback and comment to the author on how these will work in practise for budget holders within a department.

Financial and Physical Resources

Include any financial sums important to the job and briefly explain the job’s active involvement (e.g. payments processed, budgets monitored, budgets managed, procurement and/or contract values, how much the job may spend, efficiency savings etc.). If this feels difficult to answer because amounts vary across teams, then include for each team, or state a range.

Let us know of any physical assets (including clinical, office and other equipment; tools and instruments; vehicles, plant and machinery; premises, fittings and fixtures; personal possessions of patients/clients or others; goods, produce, stocks and supplies).

Please describe the nature of the responsibility clearly (e.g. careful use, security, authorised signatory, maintenance, budgetary and ordering responsibilities); the frequency with which it is exercised; the value of the resources; and the degree to which the responsibility is shared with others.

The post holder is responsible for the safe use and security of Business Partnering resources and equipment, e.g. laptops.

Provide information and support to senior management in relation to accounts and budget setting (estimated budgetary amounts between £50m and £200m). Regularly monitor and review financial information, to ensure compliance with States of Jersey Financial Directions and that expenditure is kept within budgetary limits.

Provides expert advice and information to staff within departments on all aspects of financial management and achieving value for money.

Staff Management

Let us know about any responsibilities of the job for management, supervision, co-ordination, teaching, training and development of employees, students/trainees and others in an equivalent position.

Include work planning and allocation; checking and evaluating work; undertaking clinical supervision; identifying training needs; developing and/or implementing training programmes; teaching staff, students or trainees; and continuing professional development (CPD). It also includes responsibility for such personnel functions as recruitment, discipline, appraisal and career development and the long-term development of human resources. The nature of the responsibility of the responsibility is more important the precise numbers of those supervised, co-ordinated, trained or developed.

No staff management responsibility but role does involve checking the work of others within their team.

Information Resources

Tell us about any specific responsibilities of the job for information resources (e.g. computerised; paper based etc.) and information systems (both hardware and software e.g. HR or medical records).

Let us know about the nature of the responsibility (security; processing and generating information; creation, updating and maintenance of information databases or systems) and the degree to which it is shared with others.

Interprets financial and non-financial data from advanced spreadsheets, financial models and financial reports for non-financial colleagues in departments.

Able to understand and analyse complex financial models and systems.

Reviews and analyses information from the general ledger and other accounting records to ensure accuracy and completeness, and take corrective action, as appropriate.

Provide monthly financial reporting to feed into group management accounts. Ensure reporting is consistent, clear and easy to understand. Respond to challenge and provide assurance on figures being reported.

Provide appropriate challenge to budget holders on financial management and spending decisions to ensure value for money is achieved.

Use of all Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook) and financial systems (JD Edwards, Hubble).

Freedom to Act

Please tell us about the context in which the job operates, illustrating the extent to which a typical post-holder would have accountability for their own actions and those of others, to use own initiative and act independently; and the discretion given to the jobholder to take action. Consider supervisory/managerial control; instructions, procedures, practices and policies; professional, technical or occupational codes of practice or other ethical guidelines; the nature or system in which the job operates; the position of the job within the organisation; and the existence of any statutory responsibility for service provision.

This role requires the post holder to manage their own work, use own initiative and make decisions, and be accountable within the scope of their role.

The post holder will work autonomously, liaising with staff of all tiers in departments directly; it is expected that difficult decisions will regularly be made without the need for referral to the Finance Business Partner – only escalating when required.

The post holder will often need to work without close supervision, providing specialist advice to departmental teams on finance and performance, working to tight and often changing timescales.

The post holder will need to ensure their advice is compliant with Generally Accepted Accounting Policies and the Jersey Financial Reporting Manual, The States of Jersey Finance Law and other applicable financial and non-financial policies.

Physical Effort

What level of physical effort (e.g. normal office work, lifting, pushing, pulling, applying force etc.) is required, including approximate weights, for what reason and how frequently is it required.

Any physical effort will be light and for a short period of time.

As budget meetings are at departmental sites the post holder is required to travel to departmental sites and visit capital sites as well such as waste sites, the prison and the hospital.

Mental Effort and Concentration

Describe the type and extent of tasks that require concentration. E.g. the period and continuity. This might include practical tasks including driving, and desk-based work.

Concentration required when working: attending budget holder meetings, inputting data, checking and reconciling information, making calculations, analysing data, drafting reports and when answering queries from staff and customers. May be required to switch tasks with no notice; occasional requirement to concentrate for long periods when analysing complex data and monthly returns.

Long periods at PC looking at documents and financial information.

Emotional Effort

Describe the nature, level and frequency of emotional circumstances the job directly encounters. The test is not whether a specific person is upset by what happens as a regular part of the job, it is whether any reasonable person would become upset.

Exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances is rare.

Working Conditions

Tell us about the nature, level, frequency and duration of demands arising from inevitably adverse environmental conditions (such as inclement weather, extreme heat/cold, smells, noise, and fumes) and hazards, which are unavoidable (even with the strictest health and safety controls), such as road traffic accidents, spills of harmful chemicals, aggressive behaviour of patients, clients, relatives, carers.

Office conditions.

Any other information

Include any information that you believe is important to ensure that we have a sound understanding of the role that is not included anywhere else in the form.

ATTRIBUTES

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

Qualifications

Please state the level of education and professional qualifications and / or specific occupational training required.

Degree, Qualified Accountant or Equivalent Experience

Member of a Professional Organisation

Knowledge

This relates to the level and breadth of practical knowledge required to do the job (e.g. the understanding of a defined system, practice, method or procedure).

Advanced knowledge of;

• The role of the Finance Function in leading and driving organisational wide financial stewardship
• The States of Jersey Finance Law, or a comparable organisation, and its strategy, ministerial functions, policy developments, and the ability to apply financial analysis and advice to the above
• Finance processes as they relate to the role
• The role of Finance in maintaining accurate data and systems as appropriate to the role
• Statutory and management financial reporting as it relates to this role
• Relevant accounting practices, comparable Finance Law and associated Finance Directions

Knowledge of;

• The activity and processes of Government including interaction between politicians and officials
• The Policy process and the role of Finance in policy development, execution and realisation
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Experience

This is the proven record of experience and achievement in a field, profession or specialism. This could include a minimum period of experience in a defined area of work (take care to ensure period stated is appropriate and not unnecessarily excessive – e.g. 3 years post-qualification experience).

• Est. 0-5 years post qualification experience
• 5-7 years’ experience working in a finance role (preferably public sector)
• Experience leading, inspiring and developing teams
• Management experience within a similar environment
• Experience of training / supervising staff
• Experience collating and interpreting statistical and performance data, working accurately to strict deadlines

• Previous experience in a business partnering role
• Analysis and clear presentation of data to support appropriate financial strategies and policies at a ministerial and corporate level
• Use of financial software packages and experience in the development of spreadsheets, combined with the ability to analyse and present statistical and performance data
• Experience working alongside Senior Managers within Government