Financial Analyst/Officer Ref. 3180

Flexible Working: Full-time up to 37 hours, depending on location. Part time, compressed hours and job share opportunities available. All roles will be office based.

About Us

MI5 keeps the country safe from serious threats like terrorism and attempts by states to harm the UK, its people and way of life. We carry out investigations by obtaining, analysing, and assessing intelligence, and then work with a range of partners including MI6 and GCHQ to disrupt these threats. Through our protective security arm, we provide advice and guidance to government, businesses, and other organisations about how to keep themselves safe. A role in MI5 means you’ll do unique and challenging work in a supportive and encouraging environment, making a real difference to UK national security.

About You

Please note that you are required to meet the following essential criteria to apply for this role:

•    Demonstrable experience in a similar role 
•    And/or actively working towards Level 4 AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians)

If you’re not actively working towards Level 4 AAT, you should still consider applying as you’ll be able to start or complete these studies during your time with us. 

We value qualities such as teamwork, professionalism, innovation, and the desire to make a real difference. You’ll enjoy working with others to solve problems. And you’ll be able to develop collaborative relationships with key stakeholders and negotiate effectively with them. This will all be supported by your passion for finance and aptitude for figures and spreadsheets. Most importantly, you’ll be keen to learn and always approach your work positively.

The Role

We’re hiring Financial Analyst/Officers across the finance function, and all roles will be office based. Your suitability for various teams will be assessed throughout the recruitment process.

For example, you could join the Financial Analysis team, as a Financial Analyst/Officer you’ll be responsible for analysis of the ledger, using your skill with numbers to support projects that are as varied as our missions. You’ll be the go-to-person who makes it happen. 

You’ll also:

•    Undertake critical analysis of financial systems to ensure the data is accurate and up to date to facilitate reporting to managers.
•    Take responsibility for material journal adjustments and accruals and ensure all adjustments are approved and posted within required timescales.
•    Interrogate financial systems to understand trends and changes and provide data and insightful commentary in monthly financial reporting. 

As a Financial Analyst/Officer, you’ll be expected to interpret data and format in a way that drives high quality management reporting and decision-making. You’ll also help the team produce financial reports to deadlines, providing accurate, relevant, and timely management information. To help you, you’ll have a team of one or two people, who’ll require your coaching, support, and leadership. 

Or you might join our Financial Accounting and Reporting team, who provide services concerned with the summary, analysis and reporting of financial transactions made by the agencies. You’ll support delivery, embed effective ways of working, and apply appropriate financial governance and assurance. 

You’ll also:

•    Liaise with other colleagues to collect and analyse relevant information.
•    Collate standard evidence for accounts, estimates and audit requirements.
•    Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations and ensure issues are escalated.

As a Financial Analyst/Officer, you’ll be responsible for keeping records and reports, maintaining asset registers, finance guidance and chart of accounts. It means you’ll be putting crucial information into our systems and performing month end closure. When necessary, you’ll conduct variance analysis to support financial accounts and estimates.

Alternatively, you may join our Financial Operations team, who manage the Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Expenses and Cash Management services. As a Financial Officer in this area, you’ll collaborate with stakeholders and customers to ensure transactional activities are completed accurately and efficiently. This could be through a business facing role, or by working with finance colleagues. You might cover one area of Financial Operations or a number of processes for particular business areas. Additionally, you’ll: 

•    Act as the first point of contact for business areas and other parts of finance to provide support and advice, to ensure processes are completed compliantly.
•    Prepare and analyse statistical reports. 
•    Proactively solve problems in business areas and ensure remedial actions are taken. 

In other words, you’ll be at the hub of the team, helping stakeholders and becoming a visible expert. Wherever there are process issues, you’ll single them out and take action to fix the issue. You’ll also be responsible for ensuring audit trails support transactions, reconciliations, and approvals. And as well as overseeing prompt payments and receipts, you’ll champion financial awareness across your department. 

As we work with you to build the skills you need to excel in the role and throughout your career, you may want to explore wider opportunities in this profession, details of which can be found on our Finance careers page. 

Training and Development

No matter at what stage of your career, you’ll have a positive impact and play a key role. We value your ability to learn and adapt to new challenges, so we’ll invest in your skills and support you by defining a clear and motivating career pathway. 

From day one, you’ll be assigned a dedicated buddy, have guidance from your line manager, and have access to internal communities, support networks and mentors. Plus, we’ll offer you the opportunity and funding to gain professional accountancy qualifications such as AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians), ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), or CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants).

Rewards and Benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of between £34,777 - £38,602 plus other benefits including: 

-    25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
-    Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
-    Interest-free season ticket loan
-    Excellent pension scheme
-    Cycle to work scheme
-    Facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
-    Paid parental and adoption leave

Equal Opportunities

At MI5 diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website: https://www.MI5.gov.uk/careers/diversity

We’re Disability Confident

MI5 are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a person-to-person interview to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. To be eligible to apply, you must be a British Citizen. If you hold dual nationality, of which one component is British, you will nonetheless be considered. Candidates must normally have been resident in the UK for seven out of the last ten years. This is particularly important if you were born outside the UK. You can apply at the age of 17 years, if successful you will not be offered a start date prior to your 18th birthday.  

What to Expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

•    Initially, we will ask you to complete our pre-screening questions to find out if you meet our initial criteria. If you meet these criteria, we will then ask you to begin an application.   
•    You will need to create a login and provide your full name, email address and memorable password. Once you have successfully created a personal account, you will be required to complete a registration form, providing contact details and equal opportunities mentoring information.   
•    You will then be invited to upload your C.V and complete an online application form. 
•    Successful applicants will then be invited to a final interview, which will include competency and technical questions and further exploration of your motivation to work for the security agencies.  

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 - 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before You Apply

To work at MI5, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here. 

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It’s something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes. You can find out more about the vetting process here.

Please note we have a strict drugs policy, so once you start your application, you can’t take any recreational drugs and you’ll need to declare your previous drug usage at the relevant stage.

As these roles are office based, you’ll need to live within a commutable distance. Please consider any financial implications and practicalities before submitting an application. An interest-free loan is available to assist with relocating into privately rented accommodation to take up the offer of employment.

Please note, you should only launch your application from within the UK. If you are based overseas, you should wait until you visit the UK to launch an application. Applying from outside the UK will impact on our ability to progress your application. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or a close family member. 

Right to Withdraw Statement: 

Please be aware that we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date once a certain number of applications have been received. Please be mindful of this and submit your application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.