Recruitment information pack Guide for applicants

Transcription

1 Recruitment information pack Guide for applicants JOB TITLE Finance and Admin Manager Ref: FAM/1217 Completed application forms must be returned to the Commission no later than 12 noon Wednesday 10 January

2 Contents 1. Introduction - About the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland 2. Job description 3. Person specification 4. Recruitment and selection process 5. Completion of application form guidance 6. Interview guidance 7. Key terms and conditions 8. General information 9. Equality of opportunity 10. Vetting procedure 1

3 1. Introduction Background to the organisation The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) is a non departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Communities (DfC). The Commission was established under the Charities Act (NI) 2008 and came into effect from 27 March The body became operational from 1 June 2009 with the appointment of seven part-time Charity Commissioners. The Act introduced a new regulatory framework for the charitable sector in Northern Ireland. The previous framework did not provide for any form of local registration and only made limited provisions for enforcement generally. The main objective of the 2008 Act is to introduce an integrated system of registration and regulation (including control of charitable, philanthropic or benevolent fund-raising) as well as supervision and support of registered charities. The aim of these changes will be to provide a structure and process through which charities can demonstrate their contribution to society, the public can be assured regarding how charities are spending any donations and government can assist in the better governance of the charity sector. The powers of the Commission are being commenced gradually and the Commission has opened and begun maintaining a register of charities in Northern Ireland, assumed investigative powers and reporting and accounting regulations for charities are in operation. Other powers will be commenced in agreement with DfC. The Commission has put in place systems and procedures in line with the appropriate management of public money and the transparent operation of a non-departmental public body. The Charity Commission is based currently based at the address below but will be relocating to Belfast in Lough Road Lurgan Craigavon Northern Ireland BT66 6NQ Tel No: Web jobs@charitycommissionni.org.uk 2

4 Commission personnel The Commission has a Board comprising of a Chief Commissioner, a Deputy Chief Commissioner and five Charity Commissioners, all on a part time basis. Commission structure (As of October 2017) Chief Exec G5 Head of Corporate Services G7 Head of Compliance and Enquiries G7 Head of Charity Services G7 Communications officer EOI IT officer SO (ICT Level 5) Finance & admin manager SO accountant Monitoring & compliance mgr SO accountant Enquiry manager SO Casework manager SO Legal adviser x2 DP Legal assistant SO Policy development manager SO Finance & admin officer EOII Monitoring & compliance officer EOII Enquiry & compliance support officer EOII x2 Casework officers X3 EOII Policy & research officer EOII Admin Officer x3 AO 3

5 Charity Commission for Northern Ireland vision, purpose, themes and values Vision: A dynamic and well governed charities sector in which the public has confidence, underpinned by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland s effective delivery of its regulatory role. Purpose: to register, regulate and report on the charity sector in Northern Ireland. Our strategic themes for 2016 to 2019 are: Values: 1. developing compliance regarding the use of charitable resources; 2. progressing charity registration to enhance accountability; 3. demonstrating the public benefit arising from charitable giving and activities; and 4. developing as a properly governed, transparent and independent decision making body. Independent, Accountable, Proportionate, Impartial, Transparent, Consistent, Respectful. 4

6 Job Description Job title: Grade: Finance & Admin Manager SO (Acc) Starting salary: 33,382 Role Purpose: The key purpose of this role is the management, development and maintenance of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland s finance systems and administration functions. This post will ensure the appropriate compliance with financial systems including planning, forecasting, reporting of accounts and administration functions within the Corporate Services directorate. Reports to: Staffing responsibilities: Head of Corporate Services Executive Officer EOII The main activities and key areas of responsibility of the post are set out below. 1. Preparation of accounts in accordance with public sector accounting requirements. 2. Overseeing accounts and budgeting to ensure the Commission s financial and other resources are effectively managed. 3. Managing procurement exercises in line with relevant public sector requirements. 4. Responding to departmental requests for information. 5. Managing HR support. 6. Managing the Commission s risk assurance processes and liaising with auditors. 7. Developing, managing and monitoring the preparation of policies and procedures on finance and resources. 5

7 8. Manage the production of reports on a range of key business indicators including financial reports in line with government accounting regulations and guidance, including but not limited to: monthly business plan updates, quarterly returns, cash flow, budget monitoring, month end and year accounts and contributing to the Annual Report. 9. Carry out specified project work under the guidance of senior management to support the Commission s strategic plans. 10. Manage teams working on Finance and Admin, including: recruitment, training, coaching, performance management, development and appraisal. 11. Develop and maintain good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. 12. Comply with Data Protection, Freedom of Information and the Commission s requirements relating to documentation and record keeping. 13. Ability to work flexibly across teams and a range of areas 14. Ability to manage own workload and work simultaneously on range of complex tasks. 15. Undertake other ad-hoc duties as may be reasonably required and requested by the Commission. 6

8 Person Specification 1.0 Qualifications Essential 1.1 Have successfully passed the final professional examinations and be a full, current member of one of the bodies detailed below: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy The Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland Applications will also be considered from applicants with relevant formal qualifications considered by the selection panel to be of an equivalent or higher standard to those stated. 2.0 Experience Essential 2.1 Have at least 1 year s experience, gained within the last 5 years (from the closing date for applications), in any one of, or combination of, the following categories full details including specific dates must be provided: (a) (b) Financial Management / Management Accounting Financial Accounting /Auditing 2.2 Experience of preparation of accounts in accordance with accounting standards. 2.3 Experience of budgeting of resources. 2.4 Experience of managing a team. 2.5 Experience of procurement processes. 2.6 Experience of developing systems and maintaining good governance including risk management. 7

9 Desirable 2.7 Experience of working with the requirements of Data Protection and Freedom of Information. 2.8 Experience of managing HR support. 3.0 Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Essential 3.1 Ability to manage a diverse and complex workload. 3.2 Ability to collaborate with key stakeholders / develop effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders. 3.3 High degree of computer literacy. 3.4 Ability to establish systems and processes. 3.5 Ability to analyse complex information to support and influence decision making. Desirable 3.6 Knowledge of public sector accounting requirements. 3.7 Knowledge of employment law and practices. 4.0 Circumstances Only those applicants who clearly demonstrate relevant achievement, experience, knowledge and understanding of the essential criteria will go forward to the next stage of the recruitment and selection process. The desirable criteria may be used for short listing if required. The CCNI reserves the right to apply enhanced short listing criteria. 8

10 5.0 Core competences Finance & Administration Manager 1. Seeing the Big Picture 1.1 Be alert to emerging issues, legislation and trends which might impact or benefit own and team s work. 1.2 Understand own business area policies/procedures and how this contributes to Commission strategy and priorities. 1.3 Contribute to the development of policies, plans and service provision to meet citizens diverse needs based on an up-to-date knowledge of needs, issues and relevant good practice. 1.4 Ensure own business area/team activities are aligned to Commission activity, policy and priorities. 1.5 Actively seek out and share experience to develop understanding and knowledge of own work and of team s business area. 1.6 Seek to understand how the services, activities and strategies work together in the business area to create value for the customer/end user. 2. Changing and improving 2.1 Find ways to improve systems, policy development and structures to deliver with more streamlined resources. 2.2 Regularly review procedures or systems with teams to identify necessary improvements and simplify processes and decision making. 2.3 Be prepared to take managed risks, ensuring these are planned and their impact assessed. 2.4 Actively encourage ideas from a wide range of sources and stakeholders and use these to inform own thinking. 2.5 Be willing to meet the challenges of difficult or complex changes, encouraging and supporting others to do the same. 2.6 Prepare for and respond appropriately to the range of possible effects that change may have on role/team. 3. Making effective decisions 3.1 Make decisions when they are needed, even if they prove difficult or unpopular. 3.2 Identify a range of relevant and credible information sources and recognise the need to collect new data when necessary from internal and external sources. 3.3 Recognise patterns and trends in a wide range of evidence/data that may affect policy and draw key conclusions. 9

11 3.4 Explore different options outlining costs, benefits, risks and potential responses to each. 3.5 Recognise scope of own authority for decision making and empower team members to make decisions. 3.6 Invite challenge and, where appropriate, involve others in decision making to help build engagement and present robust recommendations. 4. Leading & communicating 4.1 Take opportunities to regularly communicate and interact with staff, helping to clarify goals and activities and the links between these and Commission policy and strategy. 4.2 Recognise, respect and reward the contribution and achievements of others. 4.3 Communicate effectively orally and in writing in a succinct, engaging manner; know when to stand ground when needed. 4.4 Communicate using appropriate styles, methods and timing, including digital channels, to maximise understanding and impact. 4.5 Promote the work of the Commission and play an active part in supporting the organisation s values and culture. 4.6 Convey enthusiasm and energy about their work and encourage others to do the same. 5. Collaborating & partnering 5.1 Establish relationships with a range of stakeholders to support delivery of policy and business outcomes. 5.2 Invest time to generate a common focus and genuine team spirit. 5.3 Actively seek input from a diverse range of people. 5.4 Readily share resources to support higher priority work, showing pragmatism and support for the shared goals of the organisation. 5.5 Deal with conflict in a prompt, calm and constructive manner. 5.6 Encourage collaborative team working within own team and across the Commission. 6. Building capacity for all 6.1 Identify and address team or individual capability requirements and gaps to deliver current and future work. 6.2 Develop team members, devoting time to coach, mentor and develop others. 6.3 Value and respond to different personal needs in the team using these to develop others and promote inclusiveness. 10

12 6.4 Proactively manage own career and identify own learning needs with line manager, plan and carry out workplace learning opportunities. 6.5 Continually seek and act on feedback to evaluate and improve their own and team s performance. 7. Delivering value for money 7.1 Recommend actions to achieve value for money and efficiency and reduce fraud and error. 7.2 Cultivate and encourage an awareness of cost, using clear simple examples of benefits and how to measure outcomes. 7.3 Work confidently with performance management and financial data to prepare forecasts and manage and monitor budget against agreed plans. 7.4 Follow appropriate financial procedures to monitor contracts to ensure deliverables are achieved. 7.5 Monitor the use of resources in line with organisational procedures and plans and hold team to account. 8. Managing a quality service 8.1 Make effective use of project management skills and techniques to deliver outcomes, including identifying risks and mitigating actions. 8.2 Develop, implement, maintain and review systems and service standards to provide quality, efficiency and value for money. 8.3 Work with team to set priorities, goals, objectives and timescales. 8.4 Establish mechanisms to seek out and respond to feedback from customers about policy and service provided. 8.5 Promote a culture that tackles fraud and error, keeping others informed of outcomes. 8.6 Develop proposals to improve the quality of service with involvement from a diverse range of staff, stakeholders or delivery partners. 9. Delivering at pace 9.1 Successfully manage, support and stretch self and team to deliver agreed goals and objectives. 9.2 Show a positive approach in keeping their own and the team s efforts focused on the goals that really matter. 9.3 Take responsibility for delivering expected outcomes on time and to standard, giving credit to terms and individuals as appropriate. 9.4 Plan ahead but reassess workloads and priorities if situations change or people are facing conflicting demands. 11

13 9.5 Regularly monitor own and team s work against policy, milestones or targets and act promptly to keep work on track and maintain performance. 9.6 Coach and support others to set and achieve challenging goals for themselves. 10. Achieving outcomes through delivery partners 10.1 Consider, in consultation with experts, alternative ways of working with partners and contractors to identify more efficient outcomes, balancing cost, quality and turnaround times Work with experts in engaging effectively and intelligently with delivery partners in order to define and/or improve policy and service delivery Gather and use evidence to assess the costs, benefits and risks of a wide range of delivery options when making decisions Identify and understand relevant legal and commercial terms, concepts, policies and processes (including project approvals and assurance procedures) to deliver agreed outcomes. 12

14 4. Recruitment and selection To apply for the Finance & Admin Manager role please forward a completed application form clearly demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the role to: Finance & Admin Officer Charity Commission for Northern Ireland 257 Lough Road Lurgan Craigavon Northern Ireland BT66 6NQ OR by to jobs@charitycommissionni.org.uk Completed applications must be received at the above address or address by 12 noon Wednesday 10 January The Commission will not accept incomplete application forms; application forms received after the closing deadline or reformatted application forms. Applicants using Royal Mail should note that 1st class mail does not guarantee next day delivery. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that sufficient postage has been paid to return the form to the Commission. The Commission will not accept any application where we are asked to pay any shortfall in postage. 13

15 5. Completion of application form guidance The following information provides guidance on completing your application. Please read this information carefully before submitting your application The application form is designed to ensure that applicants provide the necessary information to determine how they meet the vacancy requirements and the short listing criteria. You should ensure that all sections of the application form are completed. You should ensure that you provide evidence of your experience in your application form, giving length of experience, examples and dates as required. It is not sufficient to simply list your duties and responsibilities. The space available on the application form is the same for all applicants and must not be altered; otherwise your application may be rejected. We will not accept CVs, letters, or any other supplementary material in place of or in addition to completed application forms. Applicants must complete the application form in either typescript font size 12, or legible, block capitals using black ink. Applicants must not reformat application forms; otherwise your application may be rejected. Information in support of your application will not be accepted after the closing date for receipt of applications. Do not use acronyms, complex technical detail etc. Write for the reader who may not know your employer or your job. Write down clearly your personal involvement in any experience you quote. Write I statements eg I planned meetings, I managed a budget, I prepared a presentation. It is how you actually carried out a piece of work that the panel will be interested in. The examples you provide should be concise and relevant to the criteria. This is very important as the examples which you provide 14

16 may be checked out at interview and you may need to be prepared to talk about these in detail if you are invited to interview. It is your unique role the panel are interested in, not that of your team or division. The Commission will not make assumptions from the title of the applicant s post or the nature of the organisation as to the skills and experience gained. If you do not provide sufficient detail, including the appropriate dates needed to meet the criteria, the selection panel will reject your application. ONLY the details provided by you in your application form (Section 4 Employment History, Section 5 Essential and Desirable Criteria and Section 6 Other Information) will be provided to the selection panel for the purpose of determining your eligibility for the post. 6. Interview guidance If this is your first experience of a competence-based interview, bear in mind that it does not require you to: Talk through previous jobs or appointments from start to finish; Provide generalised information as to your background and experience; or Provide information that is not specifically relevant to the competence the question is designed to test. A competence-based interview does however require you to: Focus exclusively, in your responses, on your ability to fulfil the competences required for effective performance in the role; and Provide specific examples of your experience in relation to the required competence areas. 15

17 In preparation for the interview you may wish to think about having a clear structure for each of your examples, such as: Situation Task Action Result briefly outline the situation what was your objective, what were you trying to achieve what did you actually do, what was your unique contribution what happened, what was the outcome, what did you learn The panel will ask you to provide specific examples from your past experience in relation to each of the competences to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and abilities. You should therefore come to the interview prepared to discuss in detail a range of examples which best illustrate your knowledge, skills and abilities in each competence area. You may draw examples from any area of your work / life experiences. 16

18 7. Key terms and conditions The appointment is permanent and full time. The salary for the position is 33,382 per annum. The person appointed will be expected to take up the position as soon as possible. Appointment is subject to completion of required pre employment checks to include: Appropriate documentary evidence of eligibility to work in the UK Security check via AccessNI, Basic Disclosure. Please note that successful applicants will have to pay the administration fee for the completion of the AccessNI Basic Disclosure Documentary original evidence of qualifications Employment history validation Prior to taking up his/her new duties, the successful applicant must enter into an agreement setting out the terms of his/her appointment. Training and development The Commission actively develops all staff and invests significantly in training and development for business success and growth. Age Retirement age will be in accordance with statutory requirements and Commission policies. Pensions The Commission offers all new employees an attractive pension package. Further details can be found on the Department of Finance website at: or, if you are unable to access the website please contact Civil Service Pensions as follows: 17

19 Civil Service Pensions Waterside House 75 Duke Street Londonderry BT47 6FP Tel: Hours of work Employees work a minimum 37 hour week, Monday to Friday. Employees will be required from time to time to work outside normal working hours. Leave arrangements The leave year runs from 1 February 31 January of the following year. Annual leave entitlement is 25 days. Leave entitlement in the period prior to the start of the new leave year is pro-rata. Location The Commission is currently based at the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, 257 Lough Road, Lurgan, Craigavon, Northern Ireland BT66 6NQ but will be relocating to Belfast in Family friendly policies The Commission has a range of policies designed to assist employees with families and is keen to promote a work/life balance. Probation All employees are subject to a 12 month probationary period. At the end of this period, subject to satisfactory performance, the successful applicant will be confirmed in post. No smoking policy The Commission operates a no smoking policy in its office. 18

20 8. General information Interviews It is intended that interviews for this post will take place at the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, 257 Lough Road, Lurgan, Craigavon Northern Ireland BT66 6NQ on Monday 15 January and Tuesday 16 January Interviews will not normally be rescheduled to accommodate applicants who are unable to attend on the agreed date. Reschedules will be entirely at the discretion of the panel. If an applicant fails to present herself/himself for interview, at the allocated time, it will be deemed that they have withdrawn from the process. Feedback The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland is committed to ensuring that the processes used to recruit and select employees are fair, open, honest and transparent. We are consequently committed to providing feedback in respect of interviewed applicants. We are unable to provide feedback in respect of short listing decisions other than that which is set out in the short listing decision letter. All feedback requests must be in writing, requests will be accepted. The Commission will aim to formally respond to the feedback request within 15 working days of receipt of the request. Travel It is not Commission s policy to pay travel expenses to any applicant attending interview. Order of merit The selection panel will assess applicants against the interview criteria. Those applicants who meet the required standard(s) and pass mark will be deemed suitable for appointment. The selection panel will then list those suitable for appointment in order of merit with the highest scoring applicant ranked first. The Commission will allocate an applicant (or applicants) to a vacancy (or vacancies) in the order listed. The order of merit is valid for one year. Please note: this information pack does not form part of conditions of employment 19

21 9. Equality of opportunity The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland is committed to a policy of equality of opportunity in its employment practices and aims to ensure that no actual or potential job applicant or employee is discriminated against, either directly or indirectly, on the grounds of gender, marital status, disability, race, community background or political persuasion, age, dependants, sexual orientation or trade union membership. Each person shall have equal opportunity for employment, training and advancement in Commission on the basis of ability, qualifications and performance. This maximises the effective use of human resources in both the organisation and the individual s best interests. The Commission is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community. To facilitate equality of opportunity the Commission offers a range of family friendly policies. To help ensure that we are meeting our equality of opportunity obligations, the Commission monitors the composition of employees and applicants. This monitoring helps to identify if any of our policies, procedures or activities are operating to the detriment of any particular grouping within our diverse society. The Equal opportunities monitoring form included with your application form is part of your application and should be returned. If you do not return the Equal opportunities form, your application will be considered incomplete. The monitoring form will not be available to the selection panel. The Commission is an Equal Opportunities Employer and all applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit. 20

22 Disability requirements We will ask on the application form if you require any reasonable adjustments, due to disability, to enable you to attend any part of the assessment process. Details of any disability are only used for this purpose and do not form any part of the selection process. If you have indicated on your application that you have a disability and are successful in the selection process and are being considered for appointment, you may be required to outline any adjustments you consider necessary in order for you to take up an appointment. 10. Vetting procedure Assessment information It is the Commission s policy that successful applicants provide sufficient documentation to satisfy nationality and vetting requirements. Nationality requirements The Commission must ensure that you are legally entitled to work in the United Kingdom. The Commission will require original documentation to be provided that demonstrates the applicant s right to work in the UK. All successful applicants must provide when requested one of the single documents, or two of the documents in the specified combinations given, from List A; List A documents 1 A passport showing that the holder, or a person named in the passport as the child of the holder, is a British citizen or a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies having the right of abode in the United Kingdom. 2 A passport or national identity card showing that the holder, or a person named in the passport as the child of the holder, is a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland. 21

23 3. A residence permit, registration certificate or document certifying or indicating permanent residence issued by the Home Office or the Border and Immigration Agency to a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland. 4. A permanent residence card issued by the Home Office or the Border and Immigration Agency to the family member of a national of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland. 5. A Biometric Immigration Document issued by the Border and Immigration Agency to the holder which indicates that the person named in it is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom, or has no time limit on their stay in the United Kingdom. 6. A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder is exempt from immigration control, is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom, has the right of abode in the United Kingdom, or has no time limit on their stay in the United Kingdom. Document combinations An official document issued by a previous employer or Government agency, e.g. HM Revenue and Customs (formerly the Inland Revenue), the Department for Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus, the Employment Service, the Training and Employment Agency (Northern Ireland) or the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency, which contains the permanent National Insurance number and name of the person. and one of the following:- An Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office or the Border and Immigration Agency to the holder with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom or has no time limit on their stay in the United Kingdom. A full birth certificate issued in the United Kingdom which includes the name(s) of at least one of the holder s parents. A full adoption certificate issued in the United Kingdom which includes the name(s) of at least one of the holder s adoptive parents. 22

24 A birth certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland. An adoption certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland. A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen. A letter issued by the Home Office or the Border and Immigration Agency to the holder which indicates that the person named in it is allowed to stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom. Advice on Nationality can be obtained from the Home Office website - ACCESS N.I. checks (criminal conviction checks) Before appointing anyone to a post, it is our policy to request an Access NI check to be carried out. Access NI was established by a joint programme between the Northern Ireland Office, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Department of Education and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Access NI enables organisations in Northern Ireland to make more informed recruitment decisions by providing criminal history information about anyone seeking paid or unpaid work in certain defined areas, such as working with children or vulnerable adults. The check will tell us if you have a criminal record, or if your name is included in the Independent Safeguarding Authority Barred Lists. Any information which we receive will be treated confidentially and we will talk to you about it before we make a final decision. A check will only be carried out if you are considered to be the successful candidate and are being offered an appointment. In your application you must tell us if you have ever been convicted of a criminal offence, cautioned by the Police or bound over. You must tell us about all offences, even minor ones such as motoring offences and spent convictions, that is, things that happened a long time ago. If you leave anything out it may affect your application. In addition, it is important to note that if your application is successful and you become an employee of CCNI, you must tell us immediately if you incur any criminal charge and/or conviction, no matter how minor. The category of AccessNI check required for this post is; 23

25 Basic disclosure certificate You should not put off applying for a post because you have a conviction. We deal with all criminal record information in a confidential manner, and information relating to convictions is destroyed after a decision is made. Please note: It is a criminal offence for anyone who is included on a barred list to work or seek work, in regulated activity. Individuals who are barred may be able to work in controlled activity. For more information, the address of the AccessNI website is: Successful applicants who are being considered for appointment will be expected to apply for the Basic Disclosure and produce the certificate to the CCNI before appointment. The Basic Disclosure Application Form can be downloaded from the AccessNI website. Guidance notes on the completion of the form are also included on the website. Failure to complete the form and return the certificate to the CCNI will be result in the application being excluded. Criminal Record information is subject to the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders (NI) Order