UK Ministry of Defence
Navy Command - Finance Business Partner
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Location:
Stoke Gifford, South West England, BS34 8JH : Portsmouth, South East England, PO2 8BY
Job Summary
At Navy Command, we lead, support, and sustain the Royal Navy across every theatre of operations. We coordinate the people, platforms, and missions that keep the Fleet ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Together, we uphold centuries of naval tradition while driving innovation that ensures the Royal Navy’s readiness to protect our nation and secure our future.
As the Royal Navy’s lead for financial and commercial strategy, Director Finance and Commercial provides the analytical insight and oversight that ensure resources achieve the greatest operational effect. Through robust financial management, commercial assurance, and long-term investment planning, the directorate enables the Service to operate with clarity, confidence, and value for money.
You'll be based at HMS Excellent, home to the Naval Headquarters and front-line training units. From here, the Royal Navy directs operations, develops strategy, and delivers training that keeps the Fleet ready for any challenge. It is a hub of leadership, coordination, and expertise at the heart of naval command. Alternatively, there is an option to be based at MoD Abbeywood but you should be prepared to travel to Portsmouth on a frequent basis.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job Description
Are you seeking a new opportunity to advance your career while making a real difference? At Navy Command, we recognise and value your abilities and potential. Join us in a role where you’ll lead, inspire, and contribute to the delivery of the UK’s most diverse and advanced maritime assets. Together, we’ll ensure the Royal Navy continues to protect our nation and shape the future of global defence.
Finance supports all the Royal Navy’s activities, from front-line operations to personnel support and training; finance and governance; safety; equipment acquisition; programmes and planning and; Defence Engagement.
The Finance Business Partner is a critical role and is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team for the business you support, responsible for influencing the strategic direction of the business and enabling the organisation to deliver against its Navy plan objectives and outcomes. You will be required to act as a finance business partner, delivering accurate, timely and considered strategic financial advice to Senior Leadership Budget Holders and SROs for Navy Command programmes, whilst safeguarding the taxpayer.
We value flexible ways of working. This role requires regular onsite attendance (around 60% of the working week) to benefit from face-to-face collaboration, while offering flexibility of hours to support work life balance and business needs. During the initial period, you may be asked to attend more frequently to get familiar with the site, team, and responsibilities. This role offers the opportunity to be based in either Portsmouth or Bristol, with regular travel between these sites. You’ll also have the chance to visit other key defence locations, gaining valuable exposure to a variety of projects and teams across the UK.
What you'll be doing
- Driving financial performance – against agreed targets working with partners. Develop an understanding of the drivers behind key variations and work with the business to identify remedial actions, risks and opportunities.
- Providing constructive challenge, scrutiny, insight and analysis on financial plans and programmes to ensure ambitions are sustainable, aligned to strategy, maximise value for money and are linked to benefits.
- Implementing Continuous Improvement – embedding continuous improvement in the service finance provides by seeking and delivering those changes that add most value.
- Acting as the link between the business and the rest of finance - engaging with the wider business and knowing how to network across the broader function to access deep technical expertise and building effective engagement throughout the business – developing successful partnerships and maintaining relationships with business leadership and across your sphere of influence.
- To find opportunities for new efficiencies and support in delivering the existing pipeline. Building and implementing Continuous Improvement – embedding continuous improvement in the service finance provides by seeking and delivering those changes that add most value.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Person specification
To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:
- You will have experience of working as a Finance Business Partner in a complex environment. At this level the individual will be able to demonstrate their experience and skill against the following criteria and be confident and articulate briefing at Board Level.
- Experience of delivering pragmatic and robust approach to financial control and governance, as well as managing a sophisticated financial portfolio.
- Excellent leadership credentials, with a proven track record of developing and leading impactful teams.
- Experience of communicating complex financial information simply and effectively to a range of customers.
- Experience of using financial, operational performance and economic data to deliver insight that both drives and facilitates change and continuous improvement.
Qualifications
- At least L4 in a CCAB, AAT or CIMA formal qualification. Working towards L7 desirable providing the L4 has been passed.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
- Market-leading employer pension contribution of 28.97%
- Personal & professional development
- Alternative working patterns for many roles
- Access to a confidential, professional support service
- Discount schemes
- Bicycle / season-ticket loans
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
- Special paid leave to volunteer (up to 6 days a year)
In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you’ll be supported through your learning journey and your career. This can include working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.
You’ll have access to a variety of qualifications pathways ranging from GCSE/A-Level equivalent all the way up to master’s degree, depending on your role, your previous skills and your experience. Some qualifications even include “on-the-job” training which means minimal disruption to your working day but maximum impact.
Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
The post does not offer relocation expenses.
External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
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 however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. 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 Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
As part of Defence Reform, Navy Command continues to review and evolve its Target Operating Model to support more agile ways of working. In this context, the role and responsibilities of this role may develop over time to reflect changing business priorities and opportunities.
At Sift, you will be assessed against the following experience:
- Candidates will be required to
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills