Defra Finance (RPA team) SEO vacancies

Finance Business Partner and Treasury Accountant

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.  EU legislation directly affects around 80% of Defra’s work and therefore, as preparations intensify in the lead-up to UK withdrawal, the supporting role of Defra Finance will become increasingly important.

The RPA is an executive agency of Defra and is an accredited European Union (EU) Paying Agency with responsibility for making direct aid and rural development payments to farmers in England totalling c£3.5bn annually. The RPA is also the paying agency for market support measures across the United Kingdom under the authority of the Secretary of State and in agreement with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Northern Ireland. The agency also has responsibility for livestock identification and traceability services within Great Britain.

The two roles sit within the Defra Group Finance, RPA-facing team which cover Business partnering, Financial Accounting and Treasury functions. The business partnering team supports budget holders across the RPA, providing finance support in the delivery of schemes administered by the Agency.  The Treasury team is responsible for managing and accounting for all funding flows associated with UK common agricultural policy payments and the mitigation of foreign exchange rate risk.

You will partner and collaborate with colleagues across the Defra Group, ensuring finance is at the heart of decision making. Your role will assist in driving forward change proposals to make Defra Group Finance a more efficient and effective function, by making a positive contribution to both the Defra Financial Operating Model and Government Finance Profession initiatives.

Key Duties – Business Partnering team

• Build an in depth understanding of the business areas you support; how they work, their strategic direction and organisational goals. You will ensure your customers understand the assumptions and the implications of the allocations and support them to build and manage their budgets, through modelling savings options and providing advice on mitigating risks and maximising opportunities.
• Support the Head of Finance Business Partnering in commissioning and coordinating the RPA business planning process, including taking the lead on maintaining the source control documents (i.e. excel based models).
• Liaise with the management accounting team lead to ensure that reporting outputs to be used by the business partnering team provide the information required to enable the team to support the business.
• Work with the management accounting lead to implement shared improvements to support the business partnering function.
• Maintain the RPA delegation framework, implementing changes required to support operational delivery
• Work closely and collaborate with Finance colleagues and other business partners and managers from across the Defra group (including other Corporate Service teams) to ensure a joined up service provision to the RPA.
• Work with financial accounting colleagues as required to ensure business activity is reflected accurately in the year end accounts

Key Duties - Treasury team

• Bridging the gap between finance and operational delivery you will work closely with colleagues to facilitate accurate cash forecasting to enable optimum use of public funds in adherence with a government wide management scheme.
• You will accurately account for schemes under the current EU funded model and participate in the development and control of post-EU exit domestically funded operations.
• You will work with the wider Defra finance function to ensure the scheme operations of the RPA are accurately reflected in the Department’s books of account.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of cash forecast models which provide an accurate and reliable interpretation of funding flows whilst appreciating the pressures of operational delivery.
• Further develop links with colleagues in the paying agencies of the devolved administrations to arrive at an agreed inter-government position.
• Facilitate efficient and effective financial management by ensuring that the Finance agenda remains a key part of decision making.
• Provide timely financial information with recommendations to deliver best value for the organisation and stakeholders.
• Seek to influence customers and build strong partnerships internally and externally to maintain a positive reputation, minimise risk and effective resolution of issues.
• Develop an in depth knowledge of Defra and the RPA business to bring finance to the heart of local decision making through persuasive communication.

Closing date: 22 Feb 2019