Finance Product Support (Synergy Programme)

Do you want to be part of an energetic, innovative team and bring your skills to one of the biggest changes to the administration of the Civil Service in decades?
We’re looking for people who are flexible, intuitive and are comfortable taking high levels of volume, speed and complexity in their stride.
A number of exciting new roles have come up in the Synergy Programme, a cross-departmental group formed in response to the Government Strategy for Shared Services which sets out departmental ‘clusters’ to drive efficiencies, increase buying power and improve the quality of shared services in government.
The Synergy Programme is the largest of five departmental clusters, comprising the Ministry of Justice, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Home Office. The Department of Work and Pensions hosts the Synergy Programme. Your work will impact the procurement arrangements for Enterprise Resource Platform (ERP) and Business Process Services for the next 15 years, impacting over 50% of all Civil Servants – that’s 230,000 people across the four departments and arm’s length bodies.
Synergy will support the delivery of critical Government services by enabling faster, more efficient and intuitive HR, Finance and procurement transactions, based on user needs. It will also deliver better data reporting to underpin decision making.
If you’re someone who can use your experience to streamline procurement to drive out error, waste and duplication we want to hear from you. Most importantly, we’re looking for applications from people who can demonstrate a passion for our core ambition: delivering a once in a generation, transformed service that Civil Servants will use as a result of the Synergy Programme., The post offers an exciting development opportunity for an SEO, to utilise their extensive Finance experience and excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, to work in a fast-paced environment covering both Change and Finance functional disciplines. Drawing upon your knowledge and experience, you will have a key role in supporting the Finance Design & Implementation Lead to deliver Finance process convergence and the design, testing and deployment of the Synergy new ERP system and BPS services.
The role will require flexibility to pick up a variety of work and the ability to switch focus at pace is also key to being successful in this role. This role aligns strongly with the Government Finance Function Systems and Data Management Career Framework. Key tasks include:
+ Support the delivery of the programme plan and development of process optimisation as well as realisation of transformation opportunities.
+ Support the Team produce / contribute to programme’s Finance Common Operating Model deliverables, including the detailed design underpinned by Process Modelling.
+ Work as part of a ‘product centric’ multi-disciplinary team to design and successfully implement the programme deliverable. This will include working alongside multiple Synergy technical teams, delivery teams, user and business change teams and strategic partners.
+ Being an advocate of the ‘Adopt not Adapt’ concept of Cloud adoption, challenging established ways of working to realise the transformation aspirations of the programme and move to ERP Software as a Service for Finance processes.
+ Collate and document information, data, insight and evidence provided by departments and other stakeholders; use intelligent analysis to help inform design decisions on complex issues
+ Build and maintain strong effective relationships with stakeholders and colleagues to confidently challenge, influence and negotiate positive outcomes and solutions., As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and 1000 word personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
A CV is requested but will not be assessed, so please put the bulk of your evidence in your personal statement
Applications should be made via CS Jobs.
Sift
Selection will take place by sift based on the person specification. Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead criteria:
+ Strong Finance function background with understanding of the interdependencies across the different Finance processes, and how these processes are delivered and designed within UK government.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview (online via Teams)
At interview, we will select based on behaviours. The behaviours we will select on are:
+ Leadership
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Communicating & Influencing
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Further Information
Find out more about Working for DWP
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to DWP 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.
Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
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.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Reasonable Adjustment
At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” 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.

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.

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 also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

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).

Apply and further information
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).
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+ Strong Finance function background with understanding of the interdependencies across the different Finance processes, and how these processes are delivered and designed within UK government (lead criteria)
+ Extensive experience working in at least one of the following finance function areas: Purchase to Pay, Order to Cash, Business Intelligence Reporting, Financial Accounting, Inventory, Grants, Non-current Assets.
+ An ability to gather and use information, data, insight and evidence, using analytical skills to inform decisions on complex issues.
+ Experience and understanding of working with a broad set of finance and non-finance stakeholders to get results, especially in a fast-paced environment of change.
+ Experience of engaging successfully with a variety of professional teams, including Digital, HR, Operational Delivery as well as external partners to deliver business outcomes.
+ Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to tailor messages for the audience, and effectively engage with and influence stakeholders.
+ Working on a fast-paced environment by proactively managing and prioritising competing demands to meet challenging and changing deadlines.
+ Understanding of the Cloud ERP market and capability of the potential systems.
Desirably, candidates will have:
+ Experience of agile delivery and / or change management.
+ Knowledge/experience in large scale projects and programmes.
+ MS Office 365, SharePoint and MS Teams Skills (intermediate level).
+ Extensive experience of working in finance with significant expertise., + Leadership
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Delivering at Pace
+ Communicating and Influencing

DWP colleagues will have the opportunity to join HASSRA, a vibrant and successful organisation that provides a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). It also has an important part to play in helping us achieve a healthy work-life balance and wellbeing in the workplace.