Both roles

1. In delivering your responsibilities, you will take account of the post-16 funding reform programme, which will see responsibilities transfer from SDS to SFC and ensure that financial systems and processes can support this set of new responsibilities.
2. Provide appropriate advice and guidance to internal and external stakeholders.
3. Regularly present on financial matters to the Executive, Finance Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, and Board. Regularly engage with senior stakeholders in the Scottish Government and universities and colleges.
4. As a member of the Senior Management Team, provide collective leadership and direction to the organisation and its people, ensuring sustained delivery of its purpose, priorities and public value.
5. Deputise for the Director of Finance across all areas of finance within SFC, as required.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Professionally qualified accountant with full member of a relevant professional body or qualified by experience, with significant relevant experience covering both financial and management accounts.
• Effective managerial experience together with evidence of leading and improving finance and procurement operations, both within the post’s direct span of control and across other teams.
• Ability to think and act at an organisation-wide level and to plan, with excellent organisational skills.
• A good understanding of the current Scottish policy and Government operating environment.
• Ability to foster effective partnership working across agencies, to secure best value, efficient services and improvements.
• Effective analytical and decision-making skills.
• High-level oral and written communication skills, together with a proven ability to analyse, understand and respond to complex issues in an appropriate manner, demonstrating good judgement.
• Experience of presenting effectively at Board and Executive Team level.
• Effective interpersonal skills, including experience of representation and negotiation, represent, negotiate and persuade, build/develop and maintain work relationships with internal and external stakeholders as well as to work flexibly with colleagues in other parts of the organisation.

Terms and Benefits

• Normal full-time hours of work are 35 per week. We will consider flexible working arrangements. A flexi-time system is in operation.
• Annual leave entitlement of 30 days pro-rata, plus public and privilege holiday entitlement of 13 days pro-rata.
• A flexible approach to hybrid working, giving you flexibility to work from home anywhere in the UK for some of the time while also maintaining regular in-person contact with colleagues.
• Annual pay review: approved within the framework of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay Policy and negotiated with our recognised trade union, Unite. Salaries are reviewed annually in April for employees who commence employment prior to 1 October in the preceding year.
• Eligibility to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme. With its low member contribution rates and generous employer contributions, this gives you a secure, inflation-proof pension for life with no investment uncertainty. Details of contribution rates together with further details of the pension benefits are available on the Civil Service Pensions website. There is also the option of a Partnership pension account.
• Support for continuous professional development: as a part of SFC, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive support for continuous learning and professional development. Civil Service-Learning curriculum has thoughtfully designed to cater to various learning preferences, allowing employees to engage in a manner that best suits their needs. All our educational resources are conveniently accessible through the CSL website.
• Support for health and wellbeing, including generous occupational sick pay, free access to confidential advice and support through our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, Special Leave (paid and unpaid), a contribution to learning outside work through our Lifelong Learning Fund, free winter flu vaccination, and access to occupational health support.
• We provide support to SFC employees with Volunteering Days.
• Support for travel to and from work, including a salary sacrifice cycle loan scheme, cycle storage and shower facilities, an interest-free loan for bus or rail season tickets and free office car parking for employees on a first-come basis.

Although most salaried roles are advertised as full time positions (35 hours a week), we are happy to discuss part-time or compressed hours to suit a candidates circumstances. We also operate a flexible working scheme to work around a candidate's other commitments such as caring responsibilities.

We will consider secondment applications for most salaried fixed-term or temporary positions and in many cases also for salaried permanent positions. If you are interested in applying on a secondment basis and this option is not explicitly mentioned in the job advert, please contact recruitment@sfc.ac.uk for further information.