Finance Business Partner

The closing date for this position is the 6 th May at 10am

Finance Business Partner

Can be based at either Lisburn HQ or LDC Cookstown (but travel between sites will be required)

Temporary (Up to 12 months with possible extension)

£24.41 per hour

36.25 hours per week

Main Purpose

Use your financial expertise to support cross-border emergency services to maximise the impact of a world-class facility.

Peace Plus - Training Across Communities for Tactical Interoperability for Cross Border Safety 'TACTICS'

NIFRS has been successful in a joint Peace Plus bid. TACTICS will bring NIFRS, National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM) & RoIFRS together, to develop pilot & demonstrate initiatives designed to develop best practice joint training to improve mutual aid in crisis management.

The aim is to deliver a programme that will support curriculum development in NIFRS:

• Development & implementation of a joint (cross-border) F&RES Training framework for responders to improve inter-operability in emergency response situations in 2 areas:

(i) USAR (Urban Search & Rescue); &

(ii) High Volume Pumping (flood containment).

• Development of a joint (cross-border) F&RES common operational procedures manual to improve understanding & alignment of approach.
• Development & delivery of a joint F&RES training programme to establish specialist emergency response facilitator expertise in the Programme area Development of a proposals for a Mutual Aid MoU between NIFRS, ROIFRS & NDFEM (reflecting current risks) to replace the one agreed in 1964.

Shared Island

This compliments Peace Plus, with a focus on joint cross-border training in two critical areas:

• Urban Search & Rescue
• Flood Containment & Response

Learning Development College

To support LDC Cookstown to maximise the impact of a world-class facility, among other streams of work, the critical one is cost recovery.

Main Roles and Responsibilities

Financial & Resource Management

1. To deliver a complete financial management service to specified Directorates within NIFRS and play a key role in the overall financial management of the organisation.

2. To oversee the financial governance of specified Directorates, ensuring financial regularity, compliance and value-for-money within a framework of excellent customer service and continuous improvement.

3. To support the senior management team within specified Directorates, reporting regularly to the Director as lead customer.

4. Ensuring Directorates' senior management are provided with sound and challenging advice on their plans, using knowledge and data-led insight to ensure value for money outcomes will be achieved, aligned to strategic objectives.

Business Planning

1. Support the senior finance team in maintaining effective financial control within designated Directorates by contributing to NIFRS's financial strategy and financial plan through participation in the development of Directorate's business plans.

2. Support the development of the annual budget setting process for designated Directorates, including the annual review of the budget setting policy, making recommendations for change and the provision of guidelines and timetables to relevant business support teams.

3. To work collaboratively with senior staff, both within finance and across the organisation, to ensure alignment of financial plans with overall financial strategy and assist in delivery of the overall strategic priorities of the organisation.

4. To have lead responsibility for finance, including provision of forecasting information and expert advice on a range of organisational-wide change projects and policy initiatives; and use initiative to develop innovative solutions and options to financial related problems.

Governance & Risk Management

1. Ensure that all statutory financial and integrated governance requirements are met, including the identification and management of financial risks, escalating as appropriate.

2. Ensuring that directorate management teams maintain an appropriate financial control environment by advising on the development of systems and processes that ensure control and compliance with Standing Financial Instructions.

3. To prepare responses to Freedom of Information and Data Protection requests, Ministerial, Parliamentary or NI Assembly questions; liaising with internal and external stakeholders as required.

4. Support budget holders and other senior managers in the fulfilment of their financial management responsibilities, helping to constrain their actions where necessary in order to ensure that they are consistent with NIFRS objectives and do not contravene agreed policies and procedures.

Continuous Improvement

1. To ensure an understanding of the business to enable provision of value-adding insight to operational decision-making.

2. To support corporate initiatives to attain Best Value and promote the concept of value for money and continuous improvement.

3. To communicate and maintain an effective network with other Finance Business Partners to ensure consistency in service provision, enabling the identification and promotion of opportunities for enhanced processes and procedures and implementation of best practice.

4. To contribute to improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of the financial management service to NIFRS.

People Responsibilities

1. As a member of the finance team, provide leadership to others within the financial management function and wider Finance Directorate to ensure a highly skilled, flexible and motivated workforce to provide high quality financial management.

2. As a member of the finance team, responsible for professional development and performance of the wider team as required to contribute to the continuous improvement of the service.

3. To deputise for the Head of Strategic Financial Management when required, including representation at regional, internal and external meetings; and to provide support resilience as far as practicable within the Finance directorate

Essential Criteria:

(Please note that Platinum Recruitment NI Ltd require original certificates as proof of all qualifications listed on CV)

-Applicants must be fully qualified accountants, having successfully completed the professional examinations, and be a full Member of one of the following bodies:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
• The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Chartered Accountants Ireland
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales:
• or Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland

AND

-Minimum of two years' relevant experience providing a comprehensive management accounting & analysis service to senior management.

-Strong analytical ability with experience of analysing, interpreting and presenting financial information in a user-friendly way to support at least two of the following:

• strategic decision-making;
• effective financial management;
• effective performance management;
• and process improvement.

-Excellent communication, influencing and interpersonal skills and have worked with a diverse range of stakeholders achieving successful outcomes.

-Strong IT skills to include experience using Excel at an advanced level.

Can demonstrate:

a) excellent planning and organisational skills;

b) deliver high quality work with excellent attention to detail;

c) excellent communication skills (both oral and written);

d) ability to work accurately under pressure of multiple deadlines;

e) strong inter-personal and influencing skills;

f) a strong customer orientation.

-Applicants must have a valid driving licence and a car available for official business use, or access to a form of personal transport that will enable you to meet the requirements of the post in full.

Platinum Recruitment NI Ltd is an equal opportunities employer and a Corporate Member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Platinum Recruitment NI Ltd adheres to all current employment legislation.

We reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than the specified date, should we receive sufficient applications. If interested, please send your CV as early as possible.

Please note only those candidates shortlisted may be contacted.

Applicants must be authorised to work in the UK and Ireland. We are unable to sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Successful candidates may need to apply for an Access NI Certificate with Platinum Recruitment NI Ltd regardless if you already have a valid certificate. It will be a cost of between £16 - £32 depending on clearance level.