Finance Level 4 Apprenticeship (Finance Operations) London, England
Job description
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Apprenticeship
Business area
Type of role
Finance
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
Defence has the fifth largest Departmental budget across the UK Government. It is the responsibility of everyone in Defence to ensure this is spent effectively and efficiently
The Finance Function vision is to Protect, Drive and Add Value and put finance at the heart of decision making to support and enable delivery of Defence outputs.:
- Protecting value - providing stewardship for taxpayers’ funds and protecting His Majesty’s Government assets.
- Driving value - ensuring every pound is spent in the most effective and efficient way and delivering the Defence efficiency programme.
- Adding value - creating insightful financial analysis and applying professional judgement to inform decision making.
Being successful in these three aspects will ensure budget holders are fully supported by their senior finance staff in fulfilling their responsibilities and that finance is at the heart of decision-making in Defence.
Our apprenticeship recruitment scheme is open to anyone who can meet the listed essential qualifications and apprenticeship entry requirements, including those wanting a ‘career change’.
This is an exciting opportunity to gain invaluable experience working in an area that delivers critical Defence Finance, whilst studying towards a Level 4 Accountancy qualification.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job description
You will undertake a Level 4 Apprenticeship with the choice of either ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), or CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) professional bodies. This is a 2-year course, and you will be expected to maintain the commitment required to complete your training.
Most of your learning will be ‘on-the-job’ ensuring you receive real life experience within a professional environment. 20% of your working hours will be provided as dedicated apprenticeship time; this is ‘off-the-job’ training and will be delivered through on-line courses, webinars and self-study facilitated by our training provider.
The level 4 accountancy qualification is an industry and globally recognised qualification that provides you with academic preparation and underpinning skills necessary to prepare you for your future.
After successful completion of the Level 4 qualification, candidates will be eligible to continue their studies onto the Level 7 Apprenticeship programme, gaining a Professional Chartered Accountancy Qualification.
We aim is for successful candidates to join the September 2023 cohort. Due to course enrolment dates, we advise successful candidates to respond quickly to any job offers to ensure you do not miss out.
The Apprentice role will involve an element of home study, in your own time, to fulfil the requirements of the qualification. You may also be required to use your own IT equipment due to existing IT security restrictions.
Main Responsibilities
- Support the production of reports and dashboards for monthly financial and budget reviews
- Work to resolve issues identified during audits by engaging with relevant stakeholders.
- Providing accurate financial information to challenging deadlines
- Identifying inaccuracies and engaging with Project and Commercial staff to resolve issues
- Listening to customer feedback and improve the service provided to them
- Be open to challenge and new ideas, building a supportive team and encouraging sharing of knowledge and experience.
- Making decisions on day-to-day operation of your area(s) of responsibility, including allocation of work and methods used.
Person specification
To apply, you need to have:
- A minimum of 2 GCSE (level 2) qualifications which must include Maths and English Language at grade 4 (C) or above, or any equivalent
- A minimum of 96 UCAS points under the 2017 tariff point system (e.g. CCC at A Level or any equivalent qualifications, not including General Studies). Click here for the UCAS Tariff calculator.
Evidence of the above qualifications (and predicted UCAS points i.e. a letter from college/sixth form) will be required as part of your pre-employment checks before a formal offer can be made.
If you’re in your final year of school or college and are predicted to achieve these qualifications by August 2023, you can still apply.
If you’re already working or considering a career change, we still want to hear from you – providing you meet the above essential criteria and the apprenticeship eligibility requirements below:
To be eligible to apply for the apprenticeship, all applicants need to meet the following criteria:
- Must have lived in the UK and/or EU for 3 years prior to apprenticeship start date.
- Not be undertaking another apprenticeship at the same time
- Candidates need to make sure they do not have pre-existing qualifications at the same or higher level in a similar subject as the apprenticeship.
At the enrolment stage, a person’s eligibility will be checked by our training provider.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
- Gain an internationally recognised and respected qualification.
- 20% of your working hours off the job training requirement. This is protected apprenticeship time.
- Skills coach to support you with your studies.
- Coaching and mentoring opportunities with experienced personnel.
- An environment with flexible working options including hybrid-working (the ability to work in the office and from home).
- Flexible working hours upon completion of 6 months’ service.
- 25 days (rising to 30 days after 5 years) annual leave plus 8 public holidays per year, also leave for HM The King’s Birthday.
- Further professional and personal development (minimum 5 days every year).
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
- Minimum 15 days Special Paid Leave for volunteering.
- Opportunity to join one of our several Networks.
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity; we value diversity and are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%.
Allowances
- Posts located in High Wycombe and London attract location specific allowances.
- Recruitment and retention allowance are payable for those who are L7 qualified.
Location preference
- Please select your location preference. Roles are available in Andover, Corsham, High Wycombe, London, Northwood, Shrivenham (Swindon) and Whittington (Lichfield).
This post does not offer any assistance with relocation allowances.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
Any move to MOD 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 www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Please note: Interview travel expenses will not be reimbursed.
Posts based in London will attract the relevant London weighting.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment by 31st December 2022. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Candidates will be required to complete an online Numerical and Verbal test..
Should you be invited to complete the online tests, please allow sufficient time to complete the tests and the remainder of the full application form; only candidates who are successful at the test stage will be invited to complete the remainder of the application by clicking ‘Submit Application’. Your application must be completed by 23:55 on the closing date of the vacancy. Late submissions cannot be accepted. The tests are not timed, as they work by giving you harder questions if you answer the previous question correctly, and easier if you get it wrong. You should allow up to an hour for each test, and each test must be completed before you will be invited to complete the second part of your application. Internet access will be required for the duration of the test. Please refer to the attached Candidate Guidance for further information.
Candidates that reach the minimum required pass mark will have their results saved as a banked score against the following tests:
- New Civil Service Verbal Test
- New Civil Service Numerical Test
When a candidate has a banked score, they’re not asked to re-take the same test providing it is set at the same level. Scores will be banked for a 6-month period from the date of test completion. If a candidate is invited to take the same test against multiple vacancies, the banked score will be recognised against all vacancies and all active applications will progress.
If you require any particular arrangements (for example due to a disability or health problem) to be made in order for you to complete the online test you MUST contact the DBS Enquiry Centre on 0800 345 7772 BEFORE accessing the online test.
Opening times Mon - Friday 0800 - 1600 hrs.
If you pass the online tests, you will then be asked to provide a personal statement of no more than 1250 words, which should cover the following questions:
- Why do you want to be a Finance Apprentice in the MOD
- How do you plan to balance working and studying to achieve the qualification
- What have been your biggest challenges to date and how have you overcome them.
The top scoring candidates will be invited to an online interview (MS Teams) which will include a short presentation of 5 – 10 minutes
At interview you will be assessed against the following Civil Service behaviours (see attachments):
- Leadership (short presentation).
- Communicating and Influencing.
- Working Together.
- Delivering at Pace
We want to offer opportunities to all who are successful at interview for our roles, but this isn’t always possible, so we do hold candidates on an active reserve list for 12 months.
Application sifting is scheduled to take place in May 2023.
Interviews are currently planned for: June/July 2023.
A minimum of 2 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews. We endeavour to stick to these dates, but these are subject to change around business needs.
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
