Finance Manager

Overview

Salary:
London: £59,028 or £62,895 (dependent on experience);
Cheltenham: £56,962 or £60,998 (dependent on experience).

Flexible working: due to its sensitive nature this role is office-based and home-working will not be possible. We value a good work-life balance and offer part-time (minimum 4 days), compressed hours, and flexibility around start and finish times. Full-time hours are 36 or 37 hours, depending on location.

MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners, including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe.

A role in MI5 means you ll do unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.

Our finance teams keep our internal spending on-track, which makes them critical to our work. The Finance Manager role is very varied, and we currently have opportunities across several office-based teams. During the recruitment process, we ll get to know you and assess which area best reflects your strengths and interests.

One area you could join is our Financial Analysis team. They provide key insights that guide decision making across the organisation. As a Finance Manager here, you ll lead a team and produce monthly financial reports that meet the needs of budget holders. You ll prepare, interpret and present in-year financial information and hold regular review meetings with business areas so they feel fully informed.

• Ensure financial information is accurate with strong data controls.
• Advise on the correct treatment of complex transactions and ensure assets and leases are properly accounted for.
• Provide financial analysis, help colleagues understand variances, risks and mitigation; conduct deep dives and financial modelling when needed.
• Lead year-end activities and support the breakdown of budgets for the new financial year.

Your leadership will shape the team s experience and performance. You ll motivate people, ensure month-end activity runs smoothly and balance workloads to support wellbeing and service. Use coaching skills to help the team grow in confidence and capability.

You might instead join our Strategic Finance team. They support the agencies through major financial decisions and governance. In this role, you ll lead processes and products that support planning for fiscal events, working closely with your counterpart in the HM Treasury (HMT) Spending Team and building a strong understanding of the bigger delivery landscape. You ll regularly work with senior stakeholders, helping them complete key tasks with quick turnarounds and keeping the wider programme running smoothly.

• Coordinate across the organisation to prepare for major financial milestones.
• Build relationships across MI5 and with HMT; prepare briefings for Spending Review and other fiscal events.
• Translate financial data into clear insights and guide other finance functions on HMT priorities.
• Provide timely analysis and presentations; respond to ad-hoc enquiries; lead with confident leadership.

There are many different areas in the finance function you could join or explore during your career with us. Find out more about these roles on our Finance careers page.

You ll be a fully qualified Chartered accountant, with experience of managing a team and motivating them to perform at their best. You ll bring demonstrable finance experience from a public sector environment. You are organized, positive and eager to learn, value teamwork, innovation and making an impact. You work professionally and collaboratively, enjoy solving problems as part of a team, and are skilled at building strong relationships and negotiating with key stakeholders.

All your skills will be underpinned by a passion for finance and aptitude for figures and spreadsheets.