Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

Location

Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford

Job Summary

About the job

As Head of Due Diligence and Investment Appraisal, you will provide strategic leadership for DBIST’s specialist financial assessment function, setting the direction for how financial viability, deliverability, value for money and risk are assessed across high-profile grant and investment proposals. You will own the standards, assurance approach and senior advice that support Ministers, boards and senior decision-makers to take evidence-based funding decisions that protect public money while enabling economic growth.

Job Description

As a senior leader, you will lead a team of specialist accountants and expert delivery partners, building capability across DBIST and ensuring robust due diligence, investment appraisal and financial risk assessment are embedded across the grant and investment portfolio. You will influence senior officials, Ministers, external advisers, other government departments and business leaders, using your professional judgement to provide clear advice on complex corporate finance, business case and subsidy issues. Your work will help DBIST deploy public funds confidently, secure investment across the UK and safeguard taxpayer value in line with Government Grant Standards, Managing Public Money and DBIST’s assurance framework.

Head of Due Diligence and Investment Appraisal

Key Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for DBIST’s due diligence and investment appraisal function, ensuring financial assessment activity is aligned to DBIST and wider HMG economic objectives.
• Own and continuously improve the assurance standards, guidance and operating model for Financial & Economic Assessment (Due Diligence), ensuring consistent, proportionate and high-quality advice across the grant and investment portfolio.
• Provide senior professional judgement on financial viability, investment appraisal, corporate finance, technical accounting and value-for-money issues, including where cases are novel, high-risk, high-value or politically sensitive.
• Lead portfolio-level assurance of due diligence activity, identifying systemic risks, quality issues, capability gaps and opportunities to strengthen decision-making, reporting and controls.
• Advise senior officials, boards, investment committees, Ministers and other decision-makers on the financial risks, trade-offs and assurance implications of grant and investment proposals.
• Ensure early and effective engagement with policy, commercial, legal, analysis and delivery teams so that appropriate Financial & Economic Assessment is built into scheme design, business cases and approval routes from the outset.
• Lead and deploy the G7 Forensic Accountant Team and specialist delivery partners through others, setting priorities, managing competing demands and ensuring resources are focused on the highest-risk and highest-value work.
• Provide formal review and senior clearance of Financial & Economic Assessment reports, ensuring advice is robust, concise, evidence-based and clearly framed for senior decision-makers.
• Build capability across the team, directorate and wider DBIST by developing standards, sharing learning, coaching colleagues and creating a culture of professional excellence, challenge and continuous improvement.
• Maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders across policy teams, wider DBIST, other government departments, external advisers, applicants and beneficiaries to support joined-up delivery and credible challenge.
• Ensure grant and investment decisions are supported by complete, accurate and timely information through effective use of the Grants Hub System and wider reporting arrangements.
• Ensure all activity complies with Government Grant Standards, Managing Public Money and DBIST’s assurance framework, escalating material risks and issues where senior intervention is required.
• Act as line manager and senior leader for the team, setting objectives, delegating effectively, developing talent, managing performance and creating an inclusive, empowering and high-performing culture.
• Contribute to the wider leadership of the Grant Delivery Directorate and Corporate Services Group, deputising where appropriate and modelling the Civil Service Leadership Statement.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade and strategic leadership scope of the post.