Head of Finance Business Partnering and Commercial

Overview:
This vacancy is for a C2 Head of Finance Business Partnering and Commercial Finance.

This role sits within Transport Scotland’s Finance and Corporate Services (FCS) Directorate, which is one of eight directorates within the agency. FCS consists of three distinct functions - Corporate Services, Transport Scotland Finance and Net Zero, Energy and Transport (NZET) Portfolio Finance.

Reporting into the Head of Finance, you will lead the Finance Business Partnering Team. The team consists of approximately 11 members of staff and delivers key finance business partnering and management accounting to the other Transport Scotland Directorates. The team develops awareness of drivers of financial performance to date, and accurate forecasting and outturn reporting and provides professional financial advice to support achievement of objectives within available resources.

This is a challenging, energising and fast-paced role with oversight of a large and complex budget. This is a chance to play a key role in an organisation that is essential to Scotland and the Scottish people, with a wide and high profile remit. This role is key support for the Head of Finance, Director of Finance and Corporate Services and other Transport Scotland Directors providing high quality advice with an opportunity to deputise on a regular basis, as well as regular access to Cabinet Secretaries, Ministers and senior managers across Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government.

**Responsibilities**:

- Provide effective leadership, oversight and strategic and operational support to the Finance Business Partnering Team to provide management accounting support, financial and commercial advice and guidance to other Transport Scotland Directorates.
- Work with colleagues across the agency to develop awareness of drivers of financial advice to support the achievement of objectives within available resources, bringing constructive challenge to ensure robust decision-making.
- Bring extensive knowledge of commercial finance to assist Transport Scotland Directors with high profile financial and contractual negotiations and transactions.
- Robustly assess projections of future expenditure and ensure regular updates to financial plans to support corporate and Scottish Government budgeting, risk management and long-term financial planning.
- Support the NZET Portfolio Finance team, stakeholders and Ministers by engaging in the budget setting process, contributing to the development of applicable documents and advice for Transport Scotland.
- Deputise for the Head of Finance or Director of Finance and Corporate Services as appropriate in matters relating to finance business partnering and management accounting.

**Competencies**
Leading Others

Financial Management

Communications and Engagement

Analysis and Use of Evidence

Improving Performance Essential Criteria & Qualifications:
**Qualification**

**Essential Criteria**
1. Strong commercial finance experience, with the ability to provide high quality advice to Senior Civil Servants and to negotiate with stakeholders.

2. Highly effective leadership, communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate and collaborate effectively with a range of staff and stakeholders.

3. Strong background in finance business partnering or management accounting, with the ability to communicate and explain complex financial concepts to non-accountants.

4. The ability to think and act strategically and make links across policy and organisational boundaries to achieve positive outcomes.

**Minimum Time in Post**
You will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of three years unless successful at gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.

**Location**
This post is based in Glasgow or Edinburgh with hybrid working in line with current Scottish Government policies.

The post is a full time role, but staff with different working patterns are invited to apply, and we will assess proposed working patterns against the business requirements for this post.

**Additional Information**

**Important Information regarding Interviews**
In recognition of ongoing measures and guidance in response to Covid-19, a decision has been taken that all interviews will be conducted in a virtual/remote setting.

All applicants must ensure that they have a suitable space to complete the virtual interview via MS Teams and ensure that Wi-Fi/Broadband capacity will be sufficient to carry both audio and video feeds to undertake the interview.

As part of any recruitment process, Scottish Government and associated public bodies collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants and applicants for public appointments.

Personal information you provide in the recruitment process will be made available to Scottish Government and our additional data processors.