Serious Fraud Office (UK)
Supervising Finance Officer
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The role
The role will be based at our offices at 2-4 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5BS, in central London, however, please note that we are due to move to Canary Wharf in late 2026. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. Informal hybrid working arrangements apply and there is an expectation that staff will attend the office regularly. Work pattern and office attendance will be agreed with successful candidates.
Job Summary
The Finance team provides support to all operational and non-operational teams across the SFO ensuring that that they have the right financial and management information and support to enable them to manage their resources effectively. The Finance team also maintains the SFO’s Finance system, Oracle Fusion, and ensures that all income and expenditure transactions are processed promptly and effectively, and that appropriate financial records are kept.
The Supervising Finance Officer provides guidance to the Financial control function ensuring that suppliers, staff and witnesses are paid promptly and correctly. The Supervising Finance Officer will also be responsible for VAT submissions to HMRC, as well as the compilation of monthly returns in compliance with existing Cabinet Office requirements on spending controls and transparency returns.
Job Description
As a Supervising Finance Officer you will be responsible for:
- Provide direction to staff within the financial control team.
- Approving BACS and manual payment ensuring that suppliers, staff and witnesses are paid promptly and correctly.
- Maintaining the Fixed Asset register, ensuring that it is reconciled to the General Ledger on a monthly basis and ensuring all approvals are in place.
- Ensure that key account reconciliations (including bank reconciliation) are regularly prepared, up to date and maintained in a timely manner.
- Ensure that the SFO fully complies with its VAT requirements with monthly returns prepared for review by the Financial Controller.
- Preparing cash flows, monitor receipts and payments on a regular and routine basis to support proper financial control.
For more information about the role and for a full list of key responsibilities, please see attached Job Pack.
Person specification
See above and attached Job Pack.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
- Changing and Improving
Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £41,484, Serious Fraud Office contributes £12,017 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Option to join the Civil Service pension scheme. For further details, click here http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions
Generous annual leave provision of 25 days which increases to 30 days after five years’ service plus an additional day in recognition of the King’s Birthday and the option to buy or sell up to five days’ leave per year. Different terms may apply if you are already a Civil Servant.
Discretionary performance-related bonus scheme.
Interest-free season travel ticket, bicycle loan and cycle to work scheme.
Access to the Rental Deposit Salary Advance Scheme which assists employees in meeting the costs of deposits for privately rented homes.
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Opportunities for learning and development.
Flexible working arrangements and family-friendly policies.
Voucher for eye care and discounted spectacles.
Access to a range of discounts through membership of the Civil Service Sports and Social Club, CSSC Sports and Leisure. http://www.cssc.co.uk/
Maternity and paternity leave provision over and above the statutory entitlements.
Access to My CPS Rewards Gateway. My CPS Rewards offers staff a range of rewards and savings including:
- Discounts with high street retailers
- Savings on grocery shopping at a range of supermarkets
- Special salary sacrifice and recognition schemes
- Reloadable gift cards and e-cards
- Instant vouchers
Any move to the Serious Fraud Office 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/
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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Application stage
You will first need to successfully complete the Civil Service Numerical test. Following this,
As part of the application process you will be required to provide:
- A personal statement of no more than 500 words that explains how your skills and experience meet each of the essential and desirable experience criteria as listed in the job pack.
- Experience of reconciling balance sheet accounts is the lead criteria; this criteria will be assessed first and candidates who do not meet the required standard will not have the remainder of their application considered.
- A supporting CV outlining your job history and qualifications, (including how you meet the essential technical criteria for the role.)
It will not be possible to provide feedback to applicants who are unsuccessful at the application stage.
Interview stage
Behaviours and experience criteria as outlined in the job pack will be tested at interview.
Full details of the interview process will be made available to shortlisted candidates in the invite to interview.
Sift to take place from 25th September.
Interviews are expected to take place in person at the SFO offices on 30th September.
All dates are indicative and subject to change.
Requirements
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. To be eligible you must meet the following residency requirements dependent of the level of security vetting required:
- SC: 5 years residency in the United Kingdom preceding this application.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
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Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
Name: People and Culture
Email: People@sfo.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email: People@sfo.gov.uk
Further information
For external competitions there is no appeal against the selection decision. However, individuals have a right to appeal if they feel that the principle of appointment on merit through fair and open competition and the Civil Service Commissioners’ recruitment principles have not been met. Individuals who want to appeal should do this by setting out their grounds for appeal in an email for the attention of Head of People to People@sfo.gov.uk. If, after an internal appeal, you still believe that the Civil Service Commissioners’ Principles have not been met, then you can contact the Commission directly: Complaints should be sent in writing to: Civil Service Commission, Room G08,1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2HQ. Email info@csc.gov.uk
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